Method for cleaning Heavily Abused Chrome Wheels?

[shanker]

I have a set of wheels on my 2000 Harley F150 that havnt been cleaned in about a year.



You cant even tell that they are chrome anymore.



I have too many vehicles to keep up with and this is my daily driver so it gets the most abuse.





So what professional products are out there?



I have a buffer and Im willing to polish them off of the vehicle, I am putting new tires on it next week and figured i would do it then.





Wheel Cleaners I dont like:



1. Weenol (too much abrasive and amonia)

2. Any spray on Cleaner, Simple Green is the only one that I like out of all Spray on Products that ive used.

[luke667]

any pics to see how bad the damage is?

[imported_kgb]

Have you tried A2Z by Eagle One. By far the best wheel cleaner product I have ever used.

[shanker]

these wheel are beyond a need of cleaning. they need to be polished.





I have driven about 12K miles w/o even spraying water on them other than rain/roadgrime combo.





Whats a good polisher for chrome wheels?



I use Mothers on my Billet Wheels, but I really dont like it all that much b/c it is such a pain to use.

[MTomlinson07]

NeverDull i think eagle one makes it, its a cotton wadding with the polish on it, rub it into the wheels real good let it dry and buff it off with a terry cloth towel.

[stilez]

My personal favorite: Old No.7 Chrome Polish. Available at Ace Hardware Stores. I use something else on just slightly soiled chrome, but for the chrome with CAKED on brake dust and other black sh*t, I have to break out this stuff. Scrub it on to a washed and dried chrome surface with a cotton applicator and buff off with a microfiber. If it`s coming off your rim, it`s coming off with this stuff. If it doesn`t come off, it`s never gonna happen.



Oh BTW: It`s like $1.99 for a 10 oz. bottle. Please post pics if you try it.

[imported_mirrorfinishman]

Meguiar`s `Hot Wheels` should help.

[RScott29]

If they are chrome, not alum. try coke of pepsi bath first

[RScott29]

That was to SAY coke or PEPSI sorry

[imported_BretFraz]

What I`d do is remove the wheel/tire and clean them off the truck one at a time. I`d bust out the #000 steel wool and something like Mothers Chrome Polish and go to town. If the plating is still in good condition then the wheels should come out fine. It`ll take some elbow grease but that`s it.

[forrest@mothers]

I`d use a nasty acid (HC and HF) based wheel cleaner and a soft brush to agitate it.



Follow with a good rinse and then a quality chrome polish.

[shanker]

im gonna do it this weekend.





1. Simple Green to get all the crud off - rince

2. Simple Green with scrubbing

3. Meguires Chrome Polish

4. Buff off Meguires w/ MF towel





All I have are the 3M microfiber towels. A buddy`s dad in Dallas is a regional rep for 3M, so he hooks us up with all the new details stuff. I have all sorts of the Perfect-It line that I use to detail my R/T and my Chevy C1500.





The HD F150 is getting a bath this weekend. I am going to try and make it look new again. I got some Zaino Leather Cleaner, that has got to be the BEST stuff Zaino makes. It makes the truck smell like a Saddle Factory :)

[LouisanaJeeper]

You talking about the STOCK Chrome wheels? If so 99% chance they are clear coated then.

Do NOT use a chrome polish, you will have to use a paint polish like DACP, 3M fine cut rubbing compound, etc. The chrome polish will most likely be too abrasive and leave the clear on them swirled.

[NEW AGAIN]

Everyone here is bypassing the the true FACT you need ACID wait Look Read and Learn. With proper dilution [3/1]and wheels removed to CLEAN properly this is the BEST solution I use product[Loom brite] from Production

[shanker]

well... after doing the above method, my wheels look like new again. I took them off the truck and did each one just as I described above.



They pass every test but the 3inch inspection test.





From 3 inches you can see imperfections in the chrome, further away, and they look beautiful