Just a couple silly questions.

[SofaKingCG2]

Hey guys I have a few questions that I'm hoping you guys can answer. First off, what kind of wrench do you need to take apart a set of BBSs. The bolts that hold the wheel together look like they take a special wrench. Also what kind of sealer is the best for them? like to seal the outer rim with the centers and the inner rim. And where can I obtain it. Thank you in advance guys.

[Tuck&Poke]

i know mine are a 5/16's 12point socket, most tool kits have it. I forgot what the nut on the rear is

[SeanDub]

front is 5/16 12 point and rear is 10mm 12 point. I think the front is supposed to be 8mm 12 point but I dunno.

[SofaKingCG2]

ok, and then what's a good sealer? and where can I get it?

[B Rod]

Local auto parts stores. A high temp RTV should do the trick.

[SeanDub]

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4173528

[SofaKingCG2]

Thank you guys. Haha. I thought I had quite a bit of work ahead of me, but this is more than I thought :) It'll keep me busy though. Thanks again.

[SeanDub]

It's gonna be A LOT of work.

[SofaKingCG2]

Haha all that really means is that I'll allow my self the time to get everything I need to perfect my stance before I put them on. What do you guys think about DIY rattle can painting the center pieces. If I strip, sand, prime, color, and then clear coat they should turn out ok right?

[SeanDub]

They'll turn out fan if you take your time and know how to paint

[SofaKingCG2]

Ok I'm pretty good with spray paint. So I'll give it a try. Worst case scenario I have to strip them down and take them somewhere.

[B Rod]

^Truth. If you're cool with spray paint, and like Sean said, take your time, they'll be just fine.

[Tuck&Poke]

some of the guys over at wheel whores use regular ass bathroom sealant, easy to remove if you ever want to redo or you need to repair

oh and i would deffinately get a paint thats rated for higher temps, i didnt on my steelies and the white paint turned yellow after a drive.

[SofaKingCG2]

I was thinking silicone would probably work pretty good.

1 more question, who makes good wheel spacers? I'm not sure what to buy.

[rubadub]

Umm...wow. I'm pretty sure reading that DIY on the tex' just made me want RS's...mother fucker there goes the wallet I don't have! :D

[activ3]

I used red RTV silicone on my RS's, and they held up fine.

You don't have to strip to paint, if the old paint is in tact. Just clean them, sand them, clean again, and prime. After that do a few coats of paint with some time inbetween coats. I've rattle canned wheels a bunch of times, and have found that the duplicolor wheel clear holds up very well, and it doesn't let brake dust get in to the paint.

[SofaKingCG2]

did you ever clear coat polished rims? or did you just use wheel wax on them?

[riffman12]

I used this sealant on the fikses

http://www.followsteph.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/caulking2.jpg

make sure it's Silicone II, apparently bonds better with metal. Get the clear one too. Easy to see bubbles and screw ups

I've had absolutely 0 air leaks all around, and it was my first time ever doing 3 piece wheels. Here's a quick run through. This is for after you've bolted the wheel together. No need to put silicone on the contact surfaces

1) Buy the GE silicone II window and door sealant pictured above. slap that bish in a caulking gun ($4 Home depot yeeeeaaah)

2) have a friend roll the wheel along the ground (or do it by yourself if you don't have friends) while you squeeze a bead of silicone into the groove in between the wheel halves.

3) after you get all the way around, put a latex glove on and smooth the bead out with your finger while sort of pushing it into the groove. Add more silicone if you see gaps, you're not going to hurt anything by putting too much. I put quite a lot because I was paranoid :) Make sure you have a relatively even coating that almost fills the groove.



4) Let it cure for 24 hours. This is important. The silicone should feel like hard, but squishy rubber when it's fully cured.

5) put another bead (thicker than the first) on top of your bead from the previous day. Go all around the wheel again and smooth it with your finger. Smooth it to where it's about 1.5" wide around the entire groove (and comes out of the groove a little bit)


Sorry I don't have pics. I'm gonna help brad with his soon, so I'll take some pictures then and do a proper write up.

If you follow the 2-bead method, you should never have any issues with air leaks. Just make sure the first bead cures before using the second one. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions

-Mike