Suggestions on cleaning Alloy wheels?

Got Smoke?

Got Smoke?

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Oct 8, 2006
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I have some Mickey Thompson classic II's that have been on my former puller for a while and the back two have spots of gear oil that have leaked from the axle hubs and dried in various places.

I am looking for some suggestions on how to clean them off without damaging what's left of the finish before moving on to polishing them?

Products for both cleaning and polishing? Mothers wheel for drills worth a damn?

Here's a picture of them when installed a couple years ago, I think they will still clean up nicely.

32081_119590804739689_3055858_n.jpg
 
Very fine steel wool and loads of polish. I had some nasty pitting in mine and it took care of it.


Posted while playing HALO 4
 
I just had a set polished for my totter that was done by machine. They look brand new and they were pitted pretty bad. $65 a piece. Well worth the money since i had 3 hours wet sanding them and didnt even dent them
 
Doing it my way is cheap but very time consuming. Also those holes cut into the wheels, surprisingly sharp haha


Posted while playing HALO 4
 
Tried a mothers once and thought it was pretty worthless.
Eastwood has supplies for that project.
 
Napa.

That aluminum brightener is amazing stuff. 11 bucks and its enough to do an 18 wheeler once or a pickup a whole lot of times.
 
I like the stuff that sizzles on contact.


Posted while playing HALO 4
 
The clearcoat is long gone if it's pitted. Also I could add if you want shine for awhile put wax on it after your done to protect it similar to clearcoat.
 
Schrowang said:
I like the stuff that sizzles on contact.


Posted while playing HALO 4
Click to expand...

You cant buy that that was stuff jeff and i mixed up.


You could try the rouge bars and wheels that's what i polish fuel takes with.
 
This is what my brother did for his Chevy 2500HD wheels.
start with aluminum brightener
follow with aircraft stripper to remove clearcoat
aluminum brightener again
500-1000 grit sandpaper to get out all gouges and pits
polish with mother mag and aluminum and powerball (it takes a long time but works)
keep polishing until desired gloss/shinyness

Before

before.jpg


After

after.jpg


Set of 4 after

setof4.jpg
 
Last edited:
Knoberman said:
Tried a mothers once and thought it was pretty worthless.
Eastwood has supplies for that project.
Click to expand...

I have had huge luck with Mothers. My wheels had some red clay sit on them for about a week or two, and as a result, gained a pink tint. I tried several different aluminum cleaners (including acid types) but none even affected the tint until I tried Mothers. Took the wheels back to their original luster.
 
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