what else can I use to strip my 2001 GLE rims for repainting? I've got one rim to test on and i've gone over it three times with the aircraft **** and it's not working out too well. in between I've used a scraper, metal brush and steel wool, but nothing is going to do a very good job if the stripper doesn't do it's thing, right?

Use a wire wheel brush drill bit. Let the drill do the work. It worked for me

Have someone blast it with very fine sand or possibly glass blast.

i just found out that my neighbor has an air compressor and a sandblaster, so I went to the beach, jacked some sand and I'm gonna try that.