Black wheels with chrome lip Cleaning help

**AaronsDetail** · 01-22-2009, 12:38 PM

Hey guys,

I have a detail coming up in a few days and the car has black 20`s with a chrome lip. The lip has rust spots all over and i know a regular wash wont take care of them. I normally would use megs chrome cleaner but i think it will do harm to the black. Any ideas??

Thanks,

Aaron

**brwill2005** · 01-22-2009, 12:43 PM

Are you sure the lip is chrome and not clear coated or polished Aluminum? If it is indeed chrome, you can use #0000 steel wool to remove the rust.

**Jean-Claude** · 01-22-2009, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by brwill2005

Are you sure the lip is chrome and not clear coated or polished Aluminum? If it is indeed chrome, you can use #0000 steel wool to remove the rust.

Aluminum can`t rust.

**BigJimZ28** · 01-22-2009, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Jean-Claude

Aluminum can`t rust.

true but it it could be brake dust embeded in the soft Aluminum

and that is rusting

**AaronsDetail** · 01-22-2009, 05:06 PM

They are expensive wheels. Vossens. So I guess they`re chrome. I`ll check it out soon. Where do you get steel wool?

**brwill2005** · 01-22-2009, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Jean-Claude

Aluminum can`t rust.

OK, maybe so but the question I asked is still relevant. If it was clear coated or polished aluminum he would NOT want to use the steel wool.

**GLuXuRy** · 01-22-2009, 05:54 PM

i have Volk`s where are clear coated .. i wash mine weekly so ive never had a rust mark on them .. but if they did wouldnt the clear keep the rust off ?

**imported_Picus** · 01-22-2009, 06:12 PM

It might not be rust, it might be heavy brake dust. Like this:

before wheel cleaner

http://gtaindetail.com/pics/335090407/a.jpg

after wheel cleaner (p21s, fwiw)

http://gtaindetail.com/pics/335090407/b.jpg

Notice the staining that almost looks like rust. It`s embedded brake dust.

How you polish them depends on the material. Those are clear coated aluminum, so I used a paint polish on them (Menzerna IP) and it cleaned them up. It was a lot of elbow grease.

http://gtaindetail.com/pics/335090407/c.jpg

If it`s not clear coated and aluminum you`ll want to use a light aluminum polish. It might help if you have several grades in case you need to work them down (aluminum is soft). If it`s chrome a chrome polish will work but you may need a machine like a powerball, since chrome can be a real nightmare to polish.

**imported_d00t** · 01-22-2009, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by GLuXuRy

i have Volk`s where are clear coated .. i wash mine weekly so ive never had a rust mark on them .. but if they did wouldnt the clear keep the rust off ?

Volks are actually anodized lips.. not cleared/polished.

**GLuXuRy** · 01-22-2009, 10:06 PM

^^^ really ? i knew they were anodized .. but i thought they also had a clear coat

heres where i got my info

How To Maintain Your RAYS Wheels! - MY350Z.COM Forums

**imported_d00t** · 01-22-2009, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by GLuXuRy

^^^ really ? i knew they were anodized .. but i thought they also had a clear coat

heres where i got my info

How To Maintain Your RAYS Wheels! - MY350Z.COM Forums

To be honest, I`ve heard both stories. That it`s only anodized, and it`s anodized+clear. All I know is if you maintain them, like you do, there`s no problems!