Polishing wheels

[aboeck3]

I have Accuride (un-coated) wheels. What does anyone use to polish them. There is so many aluminum polishes on the market, is one any better than another? Does anyone use the Mequires ball?

[SidecarFlip]

The problem with acid prewash (you can have the Blue Beacon apply it too...It's Muratic acid), is, while it 'brightens' the aluminum it's forcing it to oxidize (white rust) and you'll never achieve a mirror finish with 'acidizing'.

Only way to achieve a mirror finish is machine polishing and keep them polished with a compound like Simichrome or Mothers.

No easy way other than a little manual labor.

[smlranger]

I've had success using an acid prewash that is designed for aluminum. Spray it on, it foams, rinse off with water. Follow that with most any good aluminum/metal polish. I have tried several but Wicked Metal Polish has worked best for me. After I get them shiny, I apply some Mequairs No. 21 polymer sealant.

[SidecarFlip]

wa8yxm wrote:
I don't bother but the ball would be my 1st choice if I did.

Once they are oxidized and pitted it will take a lot of 'balls' to bring back the shine.

[wa8yxm]

I don't bother but the ball would be my 1st choice if I did.

[Ernest]

I had my do at Zimmerman Carriers out in Ephrata, Pa. Great people they took them off the coach did some hand work and then they spent 1.5 hrs. per wheel in the most interesting polishing machine. Completely restored them. Better than new!
Basically $100 per tire.
Great people!
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipM9HCbOW0gqwa6tPRhAiOZ_-PrwAPBn4d5fz4Nu
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipOtGuMC2umBhKv2omZZQJ2QSNzKy7LM2fXSSzGi

[Mile_High]

SidecarFlip wrote:

Mile High wrote:
I'm new to this, but the Mothers cleaner and polish did a nice job.

So long as they are in good shape to begin with. You have to 'stay after' them. You let them go and Mothers won't do much. Mothers is for keeping the shine, not restoring a dull wheel.

Like seals on an RV, you have to maintain them, same with aluminum wheels.

More to RV'ing that going camping.

It did pretty well removing the scum:

[SidecarFlip]

Mile High wrote:
I'm new to this, but the Mothers cleaner and polish did a nice job.

So long as they are in good shape to begin with. You have to 'stay after' them. You let them go and Mothers won't do much. Mothers is for keeping the shine, not restoring a dull wheel.

Like seals on an RV, you have to maintain them, same with aluminum wheels.

More to RV'ing that going camping.

[Mile_High]

I'm new to this, but the Mothers cleaner and polish did a nice job.

[SidecarFlip]

Never tried that sounds like a mess though, especially with a power wheel slinging it everywhere and you still have to add abrasive, MMM has none.

I get dirty enough with rouge and a buff.

[crasster]

I love Marvel Mystery Oil on aluminum and chrome rims. Does an excellent job polishing.

[SidecarFlip]

Procedure is.. You have to sand the pits with 320 open coat paper first (or the pits will show in the final polish). Nothing coarser than 320 or you cannot get the scratched made by the sandpaper out when using cutting compound. You'll want to use coarser paper, don't. Some Accurides are coated, some aren't. The easiest way to tell if they are is if the wheels have what appears to be white bumpy areas. Thats moisture getting under the clearcoat and white rustng the aluminum. You have to remove that (clearcoat) first. Coated or uncoated, you must sand the pits out or you'll be all day cutting the wheel with buffing compound and a buff.

Maybe I should have said, I use Mothers AFTER the wheel is polished out to preserve the shine. I do my wheels (with Mothers or Simichrome) a couple times a year. That keeps them looking sharp.

I do my bikes too, I have 3 and all have polished aluminum cases. Just a going over with Mothers or Simichrome keeps them looking sharp. I do them by hand with a terrycloth towel, don't believe in a buffing ball and drill motor. Takes a few minutes on each bike.

Just be apprised that when cutting a wheel to make darn sure you have a firm grip on the angle grinder and buff. Those holes in the wheels like to grab the buff and I've busted a few knuckles at times.

I use red rouge buffing compound. I get it in foot long blocks and you have to keep the wheel charged with compound and rake it once in a while to loosen up the compound so it cuts.

Have fun. It's all work. Wear old clothes and expect to take a shower after. You will turn the same color as the used buffing compound...black.

Conversely, you can swing by a truck stop and have it done (if someone is doing it). Expect to pay cash.

Flat surfaces are easier. Fuel tanks and such are way easier than wheels.

As an aside, I would refrain from using 'pound on wheel weights' and use stick on weights. The 'pound on weights', the retaining clip, corrodes the rim where the clip fastens because the clip is steel and steel on aluminum causes galvanic corrosion.

I use stick on weights only.

[cbshoestring]

aboeck3 wrote:
I have Accuride (un-coated) wheels. What does anyone use to polish them. There is so many aluminum polishes on the market, is one any better than another? Does anyone use the Mequires ball?

Mother's polish and ball work great as a maintenance tool. I use their aluminum polish and ball on the Harley...my side covers almost shine like chrome. I use their chrome polish on the chrome.

For rims that have lost the luster...the low speed of a hand drill (with the ball) isn't enough. They need to be CUT down with a HIGH SPEED wheel to remove the pitting and corrosion that builds up on them, before protecting that finish with a polish.

[cbshoestring]

SidecarFlip wrote:


I replied sure, 75 bucks a wheel and the owner told me at 75 bucks, he would keep me busy polishing wheels as much as I wanted to.

Going rates at a chrome shop run anywhere from $600 to over $1000, for tanks and wheels. That would put your $75 a wheel right about standard rates to cut and polish.

Last guy advertising on the C.B. at a truck stop, told me $35 a wheel and $50 for the tanks. Quick math had me at over $300 bucks. I offered $150, he countered at $200, we settled on $175. Six rims, a 120 gallon and a 80 gallon fuel tank, battery boxes....the works. Took two of them a couple hours to knock out the whole truck.

Dirty work, but not bad TAX FREE money, for a couple guys with a generator, angle grinder and polishing wheels....working out of the back of a mini van.

[SidecarFlip]

I'm on the last of 5 Alcoa aluminum wheels that came on my 1997 F350 Ford that were clearcoated (clearcoat looks nine until moisture gets underneath of the clearcoat and then it gets ugly with white rust...

I stripped each will with Zinzer Power strip to pull the clearcoat (only stuff that works, pressure washed each of them, sanded the bad spots with 320 open coat sandpaper and I'm polishing each on to a mirror finisn with a hard muslin (sewn) buffing wheel chucked in my 4 1/2" angle grinder. Takes about 2 hours per wheel.

After I'm done (and they look like chrome) I go over them with Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish and call it good.

I do them with the tires off. The shop that remounts my tires has already aske me if I'd do aluminum wheels for them. I replied sure, 75 bucks a wheel and the owner told me at 75 bucks, he would keep me busy polishing wheels as much as I wanted to.

300 bucks a set of 4, cash. Nice pin money for a retiree.

It's a lot of work but the end result is fantastic. I used red buffing compound and laod the wheel often.

I plan on going over my wheels yearly with Mothers.