TR2/3/3A cleaning wire wheels

[sp53]

So I bought those wire wheels from that garage firer and I am trying to clean them up. Nothing has worked very well except lacquer thinner and rages. I was hoping someone might have some ideas. I tried my pressure washer, but the soot just hung in there and the lacquer thinner softens the old paint. What I will probably end up doing is some bead blasting after the lacquer thinner cleaning. What a mess. Anyways does anyone know of a place to get those little rubber inserts where the inner tube comes through the wheel?

 

[Popeye]

Have you tried some of that "heavy duty wheel cleaner" from the usual suspects (Griot's, Mothers, etc.)? The stuff that turns pink as it cleans. I found that stuff incredibly powerful on some naaaasty alloy wheels. You need to wait 10-15 minutes for it to work.

 

[Brinkerhoff]

The rim grommets are a NAPA part. I'll look for them out in my shop and see if I can get a part number.

 

[sail]

Mine didn't do a fire but were old and after a soaking the adjusters wouldn't turn although they were pretty straight. Wire wheel on a drill, steel wool and sandpaper finished with Caliper Gray from a can leaves them looking plenty good but wish I would have ditched them and bought new wires. I just don't trust them for aggressive driving, adding up mounting and all your are committing for several years.

My first outing left a front wheel caliper leaking and ruined the paint on the wheel. Glad then they weren't new but still....

 

[charleyf]

My first set of wires came off of another car. I bead blasted and painted them. Came out looking great. BUT THEN I realized that they were loose on the hubs, which also came off of the same car. The entire set of wheels and splined hubs needed to be dumped. I replaced them all with new ones. I decided that these things wear out a lot faster than most parts on our cars. And hard driving will shorten the life even more.
Charley

 

[bobhustead]

Bead, sand or soda blasting is the ticket.
Bob

 

[Kleykamp]

I had mine chemically dipped and powder coated and they look like new,even though I know they are not. I use them with tubes and have not had any problems. I don't push the car hard anyway. If I ever find a couple of thousand $s laying in the street, I'd like to get the knock off (literally) mini lite style, additional set of tires, and new splined hubs, so I could change them out for driving.