Kawasaki Forums - polishing wheel lips

*****please read notes at bottom, I also added notes from my job in with thiers******

Items Needed:
1. Safety glasses
2. Latex gloves
3. Old coffee can or glass jar (to hold the paint stripper)
4. Paintbrush (1 inch / 1 1/2 inch)
5. Nylon brush
6. Masking tape (2 inches)
7. Shop rags
8. Steel wool #000 (fine) or #0000 (super fine)
9. Paint stripper (methylene chloride)
10. Lacquer thiner
11. Clean terry cloths (for polishing)
11. Mag & Aluminium polish

Items I used

All the supplies I bought cost about $30 (total) . First make sure your rims are super clean - do not use a polish or else the masking tape will not stick right. Note that I did not take off my rims or the tires - I did this with the tires and rims on the bike.

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Step 1 - Clean and tape up the rim.

Pick the area you'll want to remove the paint and have polished - I find its best to use one of the edges on the rim - this way you'll get a clean straight line. You will want to tape up any places that you don't want to remove paint. DONT RUSH - this is the HARDEST PART - take your time and tape the whole way around - Work on one side at a time. KG NOTES I DID NOT TAKE MINE OFF EITHER OR TAPE THEM UP BUT I HAVE A 05. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE PLEASE SPEND THE TIME AND TAPE!

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Step 2 - Brush it on.

Take the paint stripper and pour some into the container that you set aside for it. Then, using the paint brush, begin brushing it on. (if you have any weights you should take them off - MARK WHERE THEY WERE you need to put them back on when you're done) Cover the entire area you want paint to be removed from - Use a good amount - the more you use the easier it comes off but don't over do it - the stripper I used was pretty thick. Once applied you will need to wait - I got the best stripper they had and it started to peel in 15 minutes (above picture)

CAUTION: wear your safety goggles and gloves until you finish the entire process.

TIP: While you are waiting for the paint stripper to work go to the other wheel and begin to tape that one up - (remember work on one side at a time) - by the time you are done with the taping the stripper will (should) have set in and is ready to be worked on. (do not apply stripper to that wheel yet - work on the one that already has the stripper on it.)KG NOTES I USED AIRCRAFT STRIPPER BOUGHT FOR LOCAL PARTS STORE IN LIQUID FORM DO NOT USE SPRAY CAN

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Step 3 - Remove the paint stripper and loose paint.

First, take the nylon brush and remove all the loose and flaking paint. Be very gental around the tape - you do not want it to come loose.
Second, take a clean rag and wipe off remaining pait stripper and loose paint. Make sure ALL stripper is gone! Third, apply laquer thinner to a new clean rag and wipe residue off the rims left by the paint stripper. KG NOTES DID NOT USE LAQUER THINNER JUST SOAP AND WATER TO CLEAN AFTER THIS STEP,ALSO REMOVED LOOSE PAINT WITH STEEL WOOL NO NYLON BRUSH

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Step 4 - Clean up the rims

First, take the Fine (#000) steel wool and buff the rim to remove any left over paint and any defects on the rim. Use the thinner to aid you. Second, take the super fine (#0000) steel wool to smooth out any marks left by the previous steel wool buffing. This is where you will need to put in some elbow grease - this is where you are going to define that fine line and get the cool looking rim.

Dont worry its pretty easy - At first when you remove the paint it may look like its all messed up and you're not going to be able to get that fine line between the painted part and the polished part. Don't freak out like I did - ELBOW GREASE, steel wool and a little thinner will fix it right up. This is why it is important to be careful with the masking tape. The TAPE should be be on - Do not pull off the tape until you removed all the paint and have your fine line between the painted part and polished part

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NOTE: I only used the fine (#000) steel wool pads, I didn't see any need for the super fine pads. KG NOTES I DID USE SUPER FINE BEFORE POLISHING

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Step 5 - Polish by hand.

Remove the tape - clean and then buff the rim by hand using a good polish. Be sure to use a clean rag. If you see anything that needs to be touched up do so and re-polish.
Here's the finsihed rims

Now you have a nice set of polished rims. You have the option of now clear coating the rims, which may take away some of the luster or shine. If you don't clearcoat them, you just have to
Spend a bit more time wiping them down. It's a good idea to buff them up about every one or two months using a GOOD polish.KG NOTES NO CLEAR COAT HERE JUST POLISH ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. I USE MOTHERS POLISH,BUT WENOL IS ALSO REAL GOOD

*******************this is a post from another site on polishing rims maybe a little more detail than mine but same process with same results hopes this helps with any more questions. if not just pm me*************************