Hi C,
I'll be DIYing my GT3 rims over winter.
I bought them and both parts have been powder coated, the rim/barrel and the centre.
Fearing the worst, as most people powdercoat the rims if they're knackered, I sanded the powdercoat off around one rim and it's perfect.
So I've bought a set of triple hex bits. M8 is the one for our bolts.
I've also bought some paint stripper.
I'll remove the bolts and split the wheels. My centres are mint, so I'll leave as they are.
I'll paint strip the rim/barrel and check all rims are good. I'll then polish up myself or more than likely get a local polishing company to polish them, then I'll have the barrels powdercoated silver after carefully masking the polished lips.
The things that could stop you doing a diy refurb are -
1) Some bolts snap. A wheel guy I spoke to says he put the wheels in his oven first and the bolts crack off easier. I'll improvise and get some heaters on them in the garage for a while before I try.
2) If the rims have been powdercoated and you remove it to find old kerb damage filled on the rims. These would need welding and turning back down.
I'm going for polishing as it removes less material and looks nicer as you don't have machining marks from a lathe.
You can only diamond cut (re-machine) these rims about 3 times then there's no meat left on. So again polishing is the safer option.
I once had a set stripped, centres coated, rims diamond cut and one or two bolts replaced by Chris at exel Wheels. They were nice enough although the rims weren't quite as nice as on another set I had. Different feeds and speeds on the lathe I guess.
The cost was £650 ish including shipping back to me.
A local company up here wants £290 to do them plus £25 per rim to diamond cut providing there's enough material on to cut. So £390.
I've never used them though but they get a good rep locally.
RS Alloy in Hartlepool.
I'll be leaving my rims un-laquered, that way I can polish them with metal polish. I wouldn't recommend using them in salty conditions like that though.
The trouble with laquer is it chips and corrosion gets in underneath and everything goes milky and white.
Like I say I'll be doing mine soon. First thing is to get the rims stripped so you know what you have.
Then even if you send them to a refurb place they can't claim there's more work needed e.g. Welding up kerb damage etc.
I'm not saying they would and certainly not suggesting anything towards Exel. Chris was great to deal with. I just mean if you choose a lesser known refurb place. :thumb:
Edited to add -
Here's where I first sanded through the coating on the rim to be greeted by a perfect lip.