CLEAR COAT ON ALUMINUM WHEELS REPAIR PROCEDURE OUTLINED

MODELS AFFECTED: 1982-86 CIMARRONS 1985-86 FWD DE VILLES AND FLEETWOODS 1986 ELDORADOS AND SEVILLES

Some vehicles equipped with aluminum wheels may experience discoloration or surface degradation of the aluminum wheels. This condition may be caused by the use of harsh chemicals or by car wash damage. To repair this condition, use the following procedure.

SERVICE REPAIR PROCEDURE:

I. Wheel Removal

Mark tire with position on car (for example "LF"). Mark wheel stud closest to valve stem. Remove wheel and tire assembly from car. Mark tire at valve stem. Remove tire from wheel. Remove valve stem from wheel.

Wash wheel inside and out with water base all purpose cleaner. Remove grease, oil with solvent cleaner.

II. Accent Color Preparation

A. To promote adhesion of clear coat, lightly sand painted areas that will not require recoloring with 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper.

III.Surface Preparation - Use Either Procedure A or B.

A. Wheel surface damage, severe clear coat damage, or slight clear coat damage on painted wheels.

1. Mount wheel on brake lathe and spin slowly. Sand wheel with backing block or pad by holding abrasive flat to surface of wheel and moving slowly back and forth from center to outer edge to remove imperfections.

a. Sand with 80 grit (Never use abrasive coarser than 80 grit) b. Sand with 150 grit c. Sand with 240 grit

2. Go to Step IV.

B. Slight clear coat damage on unpainted wheels

1. Apply chemical stripper; use small 1/4" detail brush dipped in stripper to apply material around perimeter and spoke-like areas -- allow stripper to penetrate coating

2. Remove stripper -- follow manufacturers recommendations.

3. Sand wheel with 240 grit while rotating wheel on a slow spinning brake lathe or by mounting on vehicle and SSPinning by hand.* This step is to restore the machined appearance and to promote adhesion.

*CAUTION: Do not use vehicle power to rotate wheel while sanding to avoid serious personal injury.

IV. Recoating Procedure

A. Clean surface of contaminants

B. Spray wheel with Amchem #33 or equivalent, let soak for approximately 2 minutes, then rinse with water and blow dry.

C. Spray wheel with Amchem #1001 or equivalent, let soak for approximately 2 minutes, then rinse with water and blow dry.

D. Finish with Ditzler delclear acrylic urethane and Ditzler ultra urethane additive or equivalent. Three coats.

1st Coat - Light mist coat, let flash 2nd Coat - Light, let flash 3rd Coat - Heavy double wet coat

CAUTION:

It is MANDATORY that adequate respiratory protection be worn. Examples of such protection are: air line respirators with full hood or half mask, if not available, use a vapor/particulate respirator that respirator manufacturer recommends as effective for isocyanate vapors and mists (unless local regulations prevail).

E. Let dry for 24 hours -- (or flash for 30 minutes, force dry at 140 degrees for 30 minutes, and allow to cool for 30 minutes before mounting).

V. Wheel Installation

A. Install valve stem in wheel. B. Install tire on wheel aligning mark with valve stem. C. Balance tire and wheel assembly. D. Install tire and wheel assembly at original position on car aligning the marked wheel stud with the valve stem.

Required Materials

Amchem Alumi Prep #33 - Stock #DX533 (or equivalent) - cleaning and conditioning chemical for aluminum.

Amchem Alodine #1001 - Stock #DX501 (or equivalent) - coating chemical for aluminum.

Ditzler Delclear Acrylic Urethane Clear - Stock #DAU-75 (or equivalent).

Ditzler Delthane Ultra-Urethane Additive - Stock #DXR-80 (or equivalent).

For warranty purposes, use Labor Operation Number T6162 for 1.7 hours (each wheel), and a Material Allowance of $3.75 per wheel.

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.