CLEANING & COATING OF WIRE WHEELS- REFINISHING PROCEDURE
Wire wheels, with or without a clear coat finish, that have rusted or discolored due to lack of owner maintenance can be cleaned and refinished using the following procedure.
During cleaning procedure, be careful not to scratch or damage the chrome finish of the wheel.
Materials Required
1. American Sure Seal Strip Off - stock SSO or equivalent. (This type of product is only to be used when it is necessary to remove old laquer finish already on wheel.) 2. 3M #8985 Wax Remover. American Sure Seal Silicone Remover - stock DSR or equivalent. 3. American Sure Seal Coricore 1700 Wheel Protector or equivalent. 4. American Sure Seal Wire Wheel Polish or equivalent. 5. American Sure Seal Wire Wheel Cleaner - stock DWC or equivalent. 6. American Sure Seal Wire Wheel Neutralizing Agent - stock DWV or equivalent. 7. American Sure Seal Wire Wheel Brush Kit - stock BBK or equivalent.
Procedure
To perform this procedure properly, you will also need access to a high pressure water hose and a general shop air supply.
1. Remove tire and wheel assembly from vehicle. After marking the wheel-tire relationship and position of the wheel weights, remove tire and weights from the wheel.
Steps 2 through 6 are only for wire wheels with clear coated finish (1980-81 models).
CAUTION:
USE OF RUBBER GLOVES AND EYE GOGGLES IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT PERSONAL INJURY. CONTACT WITH FINISH REMOVER WILL IRRITATE SKIN.
2. Using strip off finish remover, spray a liberal coating on the entire wheel.
3. Allow approximately five minutes for finish remover to penetrate old clear coat material.
4. Using high pressure water hose, flush the wheel thoroughly. If the clear coat surface has not been completely removed, repeat steps 2 and 3.
5. Occasionally old clear coat will cling to the wheel around the spokes. Use various brushes provided in kit to remove excess old coating from wheel.
6. Once old coating has been removed, flush wheel with high pressure water and blow dry with an air hose.
7. If wheel is corroded or rusted, spray wire wheel cleaner over entire surface of wheel assembly.
8. Allow cleaner to remain on wheel for approximately four minutes. Then flush with high pressure water hose.
9. Apply the neutralizing solvent over the entire surface and allow this solvent to remain on wheel approximately three minutes before drying with an air hose. (This neutralizing agent removes all residue left by the wire wheel cleaner.)
10. If wheel appears dull, use wheel polish to buff wheel to a high luster.
11. Apply the wax or silicone remover to a cloth and clean the areas you have just polished. (This process will remove all excess wax or polish on the wheel.)
Wheel must be perfectly clean of foreign materials and dry before applying Coricone 1700.
12. Spray two light coatings of Coricone 1700 on wheel allowing two or three minutes between coats.
Coricone 1700 becomes touch dry in a short period of time; but it is recommended that the wheel air dry for a full 24 hour period.
13. Reinstall tire on wheel, balance, and install assembly on car.
Materials needed for the above procedures may be obtained through the American Sure Seal outlets listed in Serviceman Bulletin 80-61, Gr. 3E, No. 7.
Wire wheel appearance care is considered owner maintenance and is not covered under warranty unless it can be established that a defect in material or workmanship exists.
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.
