swerver

is there anything I can do to lessen the visual damage?

It's not bad. Just kinda scrubbed the curb a bit parallel parking. Just wondering if there is anything I can do to lessen my frustration..............

Phantom Menace

I scuffed my rims a bit once. It depends on the finish of your wheels. Chrome is harder to work with but if you have the silver painted stockers then you can do what I did.

Things you need:
1) Water
2) Automotive Rubbing Compound
3) Silver Touch up paint
4) Clear Touch up paint
5) Very, very, very fine grain sand paper
6) Clean, soft terry cloth or rag
7) A steady hand and some patience....

First, you clean the rim with alcohol and clean water. Then, take the sand paper and wet it. With the wet sand paper sand the rim against the grain of the scratches. That is, if the scratches run one way--sand it in a motion that goes across the ridges NOT in the direction of the scratches.

You sand it until it is smooth, I had some red "Curb" paint imbedded into mine so I had to sand it for a while. Make sure you do it very gently--little by little. You don't want to scrub it all off in one stroke.

After it is smooth, take the silver touch up paint--similar to nail polish--and stroke on thin coat in the direction of the scratches. It is important NOT to slop a thick heavy coat on. Wait about 15-20 min. in between coats, about 3-4 THIN coats should do the trick well.

After this, you take the rubbing compound and a rag. Wrap the rag around your index finger, dip it in water and put a small amount of rubbing compound on it. Rub the painted area in the direction of the paint stroke until it is really smooth and blends in with the rest of the rim. You may have to repaint, rub, repaint until you are satisfied it blends well.

When you are satisfied with the textrue and and blending, take your clear coat and put a 2-3 THIN coats over the silver. Again, itis imporatant to wait 15-20min. between coats or it'll bet buggery and drippy. When this is done, voila! No more curb rash.

Now this is only for very minor scuffs. If you really hit the curb you may need an power/Dremel type sander to make the gnarled area smooth.

Good luck.

RX8Maine

Awesome write-up!. Thanks.

Can someone move this to DIY?

dtorre

Heres a great website with visuals:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/realwhda.html

Used it to repair my oem rims when I had them

RX8Carnage

Awesome Website Thanks I got a couple of wheels that need attention

EZZY

get a new one.

Smokin_LaLa

sure they only cost about 500 can