Acid stains on Aluminum?

[DJsDetails]

How can I fix this? Client`s new truck has wheels that appear to be ruined by the stealership he bought it from. Looks like they used acid on the this raw aluminum

[TacoHerder]

Looks like you will need some metal polish and polishing pad extension for your drill.

[Beemerboy]

Looks like you will need some metal polish and polishing pad extension for your drill.

I`ve corrected countless rims like this and the way I learned was by spraying on an acid based cleaner on polish aluminum.

What TH said is good advice although you can do it by hand...to save time and your knuckles get a Mothers Power Ball or cone...I have both..a higher speed drill would be best... but any decent drill will work...for polish I use two..Semi-Chrome and Poorboy`s Pro-Polish 2, but any decent metal polish will do...just a trick in cleaning them...once you`ve polished there is going to be a ton of black residue on the rim and you...to remove that on the rim quickly, get a clean towel, cotton works, put some baking power on it and apply that to the rim the BP absorbs the residue leaving a clean streak free surface..then you can see what areas might need more polishing

Lastly if you do them by hand,.,,,use cotton for your applicator not micro fiber, cotton gets a much better bite on the surface and remember HEAT is your friend in metal polishing so elbow grease is going to be needed...good luck

[DJsDetails]

I`ve corrected countless rims like this and the way I learned was by spraying on an acid based cleaner on polish aluminum.

What TH said is good advice although you can do it by hand...to save time and your knuckles get a Mothers Power Ball or cone...I have both..a higher speed drill would be best... but any decent drill will work...for polish I use two..Semi-Chrome and Poorboy`s Pro-Polish 2, but any decent metal polish will do...just a trick in cleaning them...once you`ve polished there is going to be a ton of black residue on the rim and you...to remove that on the rim quickly, get a clean towel, cotton works, put some baking power on it and apply that to the rim the BP absorbs the residue leaving a clean streak free surface..then you can see what areas might need more polishing

Lastly if you do them by hand,.,,,use cotton for your applicator not micro fiber, cotton gets a much better bite on the surface and remember HEAT is your friend in metal polishing so elbow grease is going to be needed...good luck

thanks! I appreciate the help bud, ill post up how it goes soon

[Todd@RUPES]

For this type of work, I have had exceptional results from FLITZ products.

Use the FLITZ Buff Ball with FLITZ Metal Polish, Fiberglass & Paint Restorer .

[DJsDetails]

Thanks Todd!

[Orinda Auto Detail]

Black fire metal polishing system!



Its a running joke around the shop because everyone here has smoked Alum rims with Wheel bright. So when it happens... We pull the wheels and make the person who did it polish them by hand. Amazingly not one employee has done it more than once lol. Great results though!

[DJsDetails]

Nice! Its great having pics to prove it can be done too; I`ll have to show the client these so he`s not afraid of the price I`ve quoted.

[Orinda Auto Detail]

Nice! Its great having pics to prove it can be done too; I`ll have to show the client these so he`s not afraid of the price I`ve quoted.

I get 10% for using my pics! Kidding, it does takes some effort so charge accordingly.

[Todd@RUPES]

Black fire metal polishing system!



Its a running joke around the shop because everyone here has smoked Alum rims with Wheel bright. So when it happens... We pull the wheels and make the person who did it polish them by hand. Amazingly not one employee has done it more than once lol. Great results though!

If you are looking to go to perfection, the BF system cannot be beat!