WoostaS4

Everything up until the filler primer went perfect. The form of the wheel after bondo and sanding looked great and felt very smooth. The damage the wheel exhibited was on the face of four spokes and on the lip badly above one of the spokes. In anycase the sanding and spot filler went great. So I begin to use the filler-primer after masking off most of the wheel. Because of the amount of damage I couldn't really use the paint thinner technique to remove excess overspray because I had sanded aroung the damage as well. Well after this and the first two coats of spray which laid down fine with now runs, the paint did not match and I think it was because I didn't sand down the primer.How do I make the lines around the masking disappear? I am painting a good portion of the wheel because of the damage and covering a large area as well. I didn't even bother using the clear yet. Should I sand down all of it with wet 500 grit? Then start all over making sure to sand down the filler-primer? . I have the same products you used but the paint doesn't seem to match. How is it that it looks so perfect in your photos when this a spray can were using. Shouldn't a spray gun be used ? Just curious . .thnx
Dan

NASA racer

this guy does a repair similar to yours. If you make a hard-line masking edge, you would have to be proficient at wet sanding and polishing to remove it...that's the reason I use the "feather" technique with the thinner.

Possible reasons for the paint not matching would be 1. Your wheels had faded or 2. The paint was lifting and creating a texture which doesn't match the metal flake of the wheel...this can be caused by the paint being too cold, and/or not shaken enough and/or the conditions and wheel you are applying it to are too cold/damp.

See where my technique and this guy's varies. Maybe you'll find the answer. If you are unhappy with the paint, clean it off before proceeding...you get a second chance at it.

Hopefully between my original post and this one you'll see where you might have a problem...<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/949926.phtml">https://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/949926.phtml</a</li></ul>

LI-S4

So I'll take a shot at this until NASA responds.

My repair (link below) was much like yours...four spokes and the lip in the area of the spokes.

After you completed the spot putty, and sanded it smooth, you sprayed two coats of primer that went fine correct?

It as after you masked it that you have a distince line between the stock finish and the new color coat. You can't take the term 'mask' too literally when you have a large area to do. You should mask the areas that you absolutely do not want to spray...the tire &amp; the valve stem. But since you have a larger area to do you should feather the transition into the sprayed area. If you don't you will end up with a sharp very obvious line and possibly a ridge where the new paint starts. This will get even worse when you lay down a number of clear coats.

You'll see in my post that I didn't mask the spoke. I painted the lip and the four repaired spokes but feathered lightly across the adjoining spokes and the center hub to get a good transition.

So what to do now? Don't panic, you'll be fine. Hopefully you have at lease a half inch or so between the edge of the paint and the repair. Use 200 grit VERY LIGHTLY to remove the ridge. Then use 320, 400 and even as high as 1000 grit to smooth the transition.

If you go through to base coat no problem..if you go through to primer you'll have to hit again with the color coat.

Let it dry and proceed to the clear coat.

I hope this and my writeup proves to be a help!<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/949926.phtml">My wheel repair adventure</a></li></ul>

AdamD

a thing? I've filled everything in but I don't want to start painting until I have the correct clear coat. Thanks

LI-S4

Motorhead and Griots...

I got mine from Motorhead..

You can paint it and leave the top coat off for a few days as long as you're not driving it...

The cure time couldn't hurt...

WoostaS4

Thanks for the info guys, i'll try it again without the masking of the spokes and feather. . .

NASA racer

<ul><li><a href="http://www.performanceproducts.com/">http://www.performanceproducts.com/</a</li></ul>