uncoated aluminum wheels, hopeless?

[Junebug]

I tried to polish out a very rough set of wheels, used 3D, White Diamond, and Mothers, no real luck. They would look promising then haze up to crap again. I used a Powerball, and MF towels. Since the customer was more concerned with the paint, I quit the wheels and worked on getting the water spots out. Anybody got a good plan to polish uncoated wheels - I am all ears.

[wascallyrabbit]

have you tried wool pads or felt bobs?

[forrest@mothers]

Have any pics of the rims? Are they newer or older? How soon before they oxidize back again?

[hacadacalopolis]

Im sorry what does uncoated wheels mean? > No LSP?



-Most aluminum wheels come with anodized platings that are near bullet proof to buff with regular machines. <Disregard this if your powerball was turning black.



-Your restoration can vary with unknowns



*Severe scracthing, such as curb rash and pitting might need deburring equipment followed by wetsanding. Greaseless compounds(tripoli,emory,etc) are used with very high rpm to remove sanding scracthes from metals. Die grinders attached with felt bobs as mentioned are typically the methods for buffing intricate rim patterns. The die grinder i use works well for projects like this at a good scfm rating for air delivery. Low being a 6. Most of your oil free compressors will not be sufficient to run tools like this.



*If your rims are just tarnished and oxidized(turns white)then the above method is def not your route. You just need some compounding most likely



Discuss How-to: Polish heavily oxidized and pitted aluminum wheels - Ford Ranger Forum (http://www.fordrangerforum.com/how-submissions/8901-how-polish-heavily-oxidized-pitted-aluminum-wheels.html)



As you can see this guy is using the method of a polishing cone like you. It will barely cut aluminum unlike bobs and greaseless compound.

[JohnKleven]

Seapower Metal Polish is the best that I`ve used. It has quite a bit of amonia in it, which works great for cleaning oxidation too.

[imported_Erik Mejia]

I tried to polish out a very rough set of wheels, used 3D, White Diamond, and Mothers, no real luck. They would look promising then haze up to crap again. I used a Powerball, and MF towels. Since the customer was more concerned with the paint, I quit the wheels and worked on getting the water spots out. Anybody got a good plan to polish uncoated wheels - I am all ears.





Here is a link that may benefit you:

Show Car Garage Video: How to clean and polish aluminum wheels by machine with Flitz Metal Polish - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-car-garage-how-videos/25403-show-car-garage-video-how-clean-polish-aluminum-wheels-machine-flitz-metal-polish.html)





Hope this helps,



-Erik Mejia

[Junebug]

Thanks - let me clarify, uncoated = not painted/or clear coated, just al -lee-min-e - um as Clarkson would say. Imagine if you will, the light step ladder that`s been left outside for years, those wheels were that bad. I would polish 1/3 of the face of the wheel and the powerball would be as black and greasy as my ex-wife`s meatloaf. You could polish for hours on 1 wheel! Talked to the owner, he despised them too, going to get a set of chrome wheels.

[Ron Ketcham]

The simple fact is that the wheels of this type must first be "acidized" before any polish work.

This process "cleans the pores of the porus aluminum" and makes it more "dense" in the top half or less of a mil. That allows a true polishing action to take place. Each time the aluminum is "acidized" it becomes a bit more dense, a bit more deeper. That is what allow the "shine" to hold up longer.



No, unless you are very aware of the danger of the type of acid required to do this before polishing, you don`t really want to do it.



Oh, and true "polish rouge brick" with 6 indh or 8 inch cotton or felt wheels, at 3000rpm+ is also a key to getting them correct, followed by using a less agressive wheel and rouge of a less agressive nature.

Etc, etc, etc.

Grumpy

[hacadacalopolis]

The simple fact is that the wheels of this type must first be "acidized" before any polish work.

This process "cleans the pores of the porus aluminum" and makes it more "dense" in the top half or less of a mil. That allows a true polishing action to take place. Each time the aluminum is "acidized" it becomes a bit more dense, a bit more deeper. That is what allow the "shine" to hold up longer.



No, unless you are very aware of the danger of the type of acid required to do this before polishing, you don`t really want to do it.



Oh, and true "polish rouge brick" with 6 indh or 8 inch cotton or felt wheels, at 3000rpm+ is also a key to getting them correct, followed by using a less agressive wheel and rouge of a less agressive nature.

Etc, etc, etc.

Grumpy



oh yes, forgot about the etching process of aluminum, heh.

yes they are traditionally called brighteners. And yes they are very caustic.

[Ron Ketcham]

Caustic? If handled incorrectly, they will KILL you, not right then, but give it time.

[Junebug]

Thanks guys - I am no longer offering to work on these relics!

[911fanatic]

We have a shop near us that specializes in polishing aluminum. We send ALL nasty wheels there. It takes too long to get a decent finish by hand. These guys do it daily so they are efficient and cost effective.