polishing aluminum wheels

[thompsonk]

mike,

Rookie Mistake. I just purchased my first old car....36 Chevy chopped with a 350 / 420 hp. I though the wheels were chrome and used Meguiar's chrome spray on cleaner / polish. Bad move as it put a haze/dullness on the wheels and not i can't buff it out. how do i get the shine back in them ?

Thanks,
Kim

 

[Eldorado2k]

It shouldn't be too hard, just need some metal polish and a bit of elbow grease.

Britemax Final Shine Metal Polish & Sealant works great.

http://www.autogeek.net/britemax-metal-polish-16.html

Turn this:

Into this:

And because it has a built in sealant they'll shine for a good while before needing to be re polished..

Also, do yourself a favor and pick up a Meguiars Dynacone.

http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-dynacone-wheel-polisher.html

It makes maintaining your wheels so much faster and easier than polishing them by hand.

 

[Rsurfer]

A little off subject, but will a paint coating hold up well on polished aluminum wheels?

 

[Eldorado2k]

A little off subject, but will a paint coating hold up well on polished aluminum wheels?

No ones officially tested and posted their results... Something like Hydro Blue would be sweet if it worked.

 

[Mr_Anderson]

When I polish my aluminum wheels, I find it easier to take each one off of the vehicle. That way I can work on them at a more comfortable height, as well as being able to clean the inside of the wheel and tire.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

mike,

Rookie Mistake. I just purchased my first old car....36 Chevy chopped with a 350 / 420 hp. I though the wheels were chrome and used Meguiar's chrome spray on cleaner / polish. Bad move as it put a haze/dullness on the wheels and not i can't buff it out. how do i get the shine back in them ?

Thanks,
Kim

Most "chrome" wheel cleaners have a little acid in them to remove brake dust and the acid is safe for Chrome.

Acid on bare aluminum turns it gray, usually a dark gray. The problem is the acid will leach "into" the aluminum - so like already mentioned your going to have to use some elbow grease to polish the aluminum back to a clear, shiny appearance.

There are ways to do this by machine. By hand if all 4 wheels are stained this is going to be a lot of work.

Maybe see if there's a wheel polishing company around you and let someone that has the right equipment have the blessing.

 

[Rsurfer]

Hi Mike, Will a paint coating work over polished aluminum wheels after they have been cleaned?