remove gold finish from wheel?

[twgranger]

How do i remove the gold finish from my front rim? paint stripper? I want it to match my back wheels

[03 ORANGE SHEE]

you can buy one of mine for $40, that will be polished not gold :naughty:

[gasmask]

i would like to know to! how do you remove the gold color from the rim? mine 250r & 500r...

[Trikeaholic]

just buy a dam douglas rim, what is the freakin fascination with shade tree mechanic cob jobs these days. maybe someone needs a factory rim, juet sell the darn thing, spend $70 and get a better, stronger polished aluminum wheel!

[mbg75]

easy-off brand oven cleaner. the original one thats caustic (with lye). wear rubber gloves, spray it on heavy, let it soak in and scrub off the gold with steel wool or a SOS pad. you'll have to repeat it a few times to get it all off.
then follow up by washing, compounding, and polishing the rim.

however, like everyone said, it's alot easier to just buy a new rim.

[BLAZERONE22]

http://ci.ridgefield-park.nj.us/village/shdetree_files/image004.gif


You can sandblast if off. and start sanding, and polishing. Lots of work, I think the 70 bucks is well spent.

[Derrick Adams]

I wasn't aware Douglas made a front rim for the Tri-Z. I could have sworn I asked at Dennis Kirk and they were unavailable.

Trikeaholic, did you buy one for yours?

I sandblasted the gold off the R rims with mild abrasive, and i'm polishing them out now.

[mywifeknowseverything]

I am also under the impression that the Front is Not Available.. :wondering

[Trikeaholic]

I would call Them. Why would that rim be so different it size than an R front rim? Possibly the hub would not fit? IDK. Never tried to get one for a Z, but I did get one for my 83 R easy enough.

[twgranger]

just buy a dam douglas rim, what is the freakin fascination with shade tree mechanic cob jobs these days. maybe someone needs a factory rim, juet sell the darn thing, spend $70 and get a better, stronger polished aluminum wheel!
you let me know when you find a new one for my Z!! i looked and found nothing. ok? :rolleyes:

[mywifeknowseverything]

I would call Them. Why would that rim be so different it size than an R front rim? Possibly the hub would not fit? IDK. Never tried to get one for a Z, but I did get one for my 83 R easy enough.

12in Front Rim....No one makes it....There is a person that I have been in contact with that will make one custom....Over 100 bucks though...
TW.....I say start Rubbin.... :naughty:

[a-camp]

Full circle ha ???

[Jeb]

Didn't the black and red 85 Tri-Z have silver rims?

[bigredhead]

i'd say sand blast !

[a-camp]

Or glass bead and clear coat.

[bigredhead]

Glass bead ? what's that about ?

[Blown 331]

Glass bead ? what's that about ?

Just like sand blasting but you use crushed glass instead. My dad has a blasting cabinet. He has glass beads, plastic, walnut shells, sand and I think something else.

[Kintore]

Yah same here Blown, I would try glass bead or sand. Personnaly im tryed sand for my old rusty rims on the back of my R. Then start rubbin...

[Apollo]

I would like to know the answer to Jeb's question about the color of '86 Tri Z wheels being silver and are they still available?

[a-camp]

A.o. is the other medium used for blasting. Aluminium Oxcide. Thats what alot of cycl. are done with. Its gray+

[Jeb]

I would like to know the answer to Jeb's question about the color of '86 Tri Z wheels being silver and are they still available?


I was trying to point out the obvious. :naughty: The 85 red and black special edition had silver rims. The 86 model had gold like the 85 yellow and black model.

[Apollo]

Thanks Jeb. Those are cool looking bikes. I do not know much about Tri Z's. 85 to 86 are the only years made, right? What is different about the '86 campared to 85's? Is the speciel edition just cosmeticly different?

[Jeb]

I believe the only difference in the 85's was color combo.

The 86 was basically the same, but had some great updates. It had bigger 39mm forks as opposed to the 35mm forks on the 85s. It also had 9" rear rims and 21" tires as opposed to 8" rims and 22" tires on the 85. 86 also came with a 23"-12 front tire/rim whereas the 85s had 25"-12. 86 has a six speed tranny and the 85 a five speed. Plus a few other differences like coolant bottle location.

But yeah, 85 & 86 are the only year models I know of. The yellow 85's were released in '84.

[Derrick Adams]

I got lucky and bought a polished rim off ebay a couple months ago. It looked kind of gold in the picture, but turned out to be just stained. I'm still polishing on it, but it's looking sweet.

[AZ250R]

just buy a dam douglas rim, what is the freakin fascination with shade tree mechanic cob jobs these days. maybe someone needs a factory rim, juet sell the darn thing, spend $70 and get a better, stronger polished aluminum wheel!
I don't know about Yamaha rims but stock Honda, late model 250R, rims are much stronger than any Duglas rim! Believe me, I've bounced both off bolders & the stock ones hold up better.

[gasmask]

just called Recreation Tires 800.858.4737.23.5/8/11 is $75.00...Douglas Wheeles 23/8/12 is $90.00 866.477.9694... for 250r's...

[mike from long island]

second post has an aluminum front rim for sale problem solved now quit complaining lol and just buy it!!!!!!!!

[03 ORANGE SHEE]

the one for sale is a 85 silver one , yes, for the red/black one , if you dont need it i got four pm's from others wanting it,

[smokinp]

i think it was Jeb and some other users on the site thaT put a 85-86 250R front rim on a tri-z..has anyone looked into getting one for the 250R and putting it on there z?just a thought..

[mywifeknowseverything]

I remember that as well....I just cant remember if there were any problems getting it on... :wondering

[twgranger]

pm sent!!!!!!

[TrikerR]

well i just checked out the yamaha parts schematic and it says in plain text that you can either get a gold or SIlVER front rim from yamaha.

[GreenBoy]

The best way to remove the "Gold" from any ANODIZED rim is to take it to the anodizing shop and tell these guys to pickle the gold off.
The have special stuff for this job, it doesn´t work with paint remover or oven cleaner.
The rims are HARD anodized, and the hard surface is (in comparison to paint) hard to remove.
If you get the rim bead blasted then the surface will be pretty rough and it will take ***** long to get it polished.

It depends on what you want, just a silver rim or a polished one.
The silver rim WAS available from Yamaha but is discontinued now in the USA,
part #38W-25180-00-HM (source bikebandit.com).
I will check if the rim is still available in Germany.

I got the complete application chart last year from Douglas, there is a front rim available for the Z, but the chart says "on request or custom made", they told me a price once but I don´t remember it.
The Z front rim is 12x6 3+3 4/205 8mm, same size as on the Big Wheel 200+350.The is nothing comparable.
No 12x6 3+3 rim in any bolt pattern is available from Douglas, if you use another offset you must use an adapter ring (another solution,but I doubt that this looks good.....).

If you get a Douglas rim from a 250R or 350X with 11x6 3+3 4/170 10mm, this could easily be machined to fit the Z front, takes about 30min in a shop with a big lathe and a drilling machine.

BTW, I got my stock Z rim polished in my buddy´s polishing shop, some guys might remember the "SHINEY Z" from my buddy in bavaria.
The biggest disadvantage is that the rim needs TLC, otherwise it will "rust".

So many words, hope somebody can use it :D
Hagen

[Jeb]

Good to see ya here Hagen!

I had to edit your post for that bad profanity! ;) :D :p

[Mr. Sandman]

I don't know about Yamaha rims but stock Honda, late model 250R, rims are much stronger than any Duglas rim! Believe me, I've bounced both off bolders & the stock ones hold up better.
AZ's right, stock wheels are much stronger than aftermarkets. Just take it in to your local polishing/chrome shop, they can blast it and then professionally polish it and it will look like a million bucks.

The biggest disadvantage is that the rim needs TLC, otherwise it will "rust".
It may need TLC, but aluminum doesn't rust.

[twgranger]

I bought one from 03 ORANGE SHEE so that solved my problem. :beer

[Dynofox]

Aftermarket front polished alm rims were offered for the Z. I bought one off e-bay about a year ago, here is a pic of it on the trike. I believe blazerone was the e-bay seller.

[BLAZERONE22]

Aftermarket front polished alm rims were offered for the Z. I bought one off e-bay about a year ago, here is a pic of it on the trike. I believe blazerone was the e-bay seller.


Now that I've finally found a Tri Z, I wish I had held on to that 86 frontend I used to have. lol I think there's a silver rim on ebay now if someones looking.

[Howdy]

I think there's a silver rim on ebay now if someones looking.

I am pretty sure there will be another one on Ebay soon. ;)
Howdy

[twgranger]

Now that I've finally found a Tri Z, I wish I had held on to that 86 frontend I used to have. lol I think there's a silver rim on ebay now if someones looking.
Somone bought it, it was a great deal.

[raptor]

i take it will be the same as removing the gold from a 250r wheel?

does it work for steel?

[crazyorigin]

i think taking the gold off the rims is wrong, the gold rims are a true classic, and if you still have them, thats sweet, because their hard to find, i'de say buy a nice wheel, a douglas or something for 40$ and sell the gold one if you really dont want it, someone would

[Dynofox]

i think taking the gold off the rims is wrong, the gold rims are a true classic, and if you still have them, thats sweet, because their hard to find, i'de say buy a nice wheel, a douglas or something for 40$ and sell the gold one if you really dont want it, someone would


I agree, I love the look of the gold rims. If I was going to keep my 400ex it was getting gold rims on all 4 corners. If you don't want gold rims go buy some polished ones.

[raptor]

will polishing work on a steel rim?
if not what can i do to make it look better?

It was orignally yellow, so i painted them gold.

[Mr. Sandman]

will polishing work on a steel rim?
if not what can i do to make it look better?
No, you can't polish steel, that's why there's chrome.

[twgranger]

i think taking the gold off the rims is wrong, the gold rims are a true classic, and if you still have them, thats sweet, because their hard to find, i'de say buy a nice wheel, a douglas or something for 40$ and sell the gold one if you really dont want it, someone would
I bought a used one from a member here but you let me know when you find a aftermarket one for a tri-z ok! I have 2 gold front rims ill sell now.

[mywifeknowseverything]

I'm not sure some people understand the difference between Parts Availability for the R and the Z...I say do what ever you want to your Bike and don't worry about what the others think.....What size Tire you putting on it??? Has anyone found a Tire Less than 23" for the Z rim?? I was at the parts house yesterday and couldnt find one and ended up ordering one of the Douglas KT732's....Also,,,Skat Trak as a couple of Dune Tires that are 8.5 wide...Has anyone went this wide before???

[firebird13601]

Douglas wheels will make wheels for any application, i called them to find out.

[mywifeknowseverything]

Yes they will for about 120 bucks...There isnt too many people on this board that are willing to pay that kind of money....

[Bryan Raffa]

so if i glass beadblast it to remove the gold and then hand sand it. has any one done it? what # sand paper should i start with and finish with?

[Derrick Adams]

it will work,but a long process.we used 180-320-1000-1200-and finally 1500 grit.i bought a polish kit form snap on to finish it up.the kit has 5 different wheels.form course to fine polishing.worked well,but without some type of protective coating,the aluminum tarnishs quickly.hope this helps

[sgp56]

put some paint stripper on it and wait like 30 mins. WEAR GLOVES. comes right off.

[Bryan Raffa]

so paint stripper would be better than bead blasting?

[Yamahauler]

I was talking to an anodizing place asking them about removing that gold anodization. They said if you use oven cleaner, it will just remove the color and the anodization wont come off. So, I dont know if you'd have to coat it with something to prevent corrosion or not

[traxxasx]

Use some aircraft paint remover. That should take it off nicley, and then maybe hit it up with the buffer to shine it.

[DeePa]

lye...just look up the process to remove annoidzation.