Detail guys, wheel question.
Jul 27, 2008 | 07:11 PM
#1
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TOWN CRIER
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Denali Park, AK
Detail guys, wheel question.
I have 2 sets of wheels, one set that has been in the basement for 2+ years and another set that has been on a car in the yard almost a year. They're both alluminum, one polished and one clearcoated (factory GM wheels from 92). What is my best bet in cleaning them up, aside from paying for it? Both are dingy and the polished ones have a good bit of baked on brake dust. Sorry for the long question, thanks for any advice.
Jul 30, 2008 | 10:20 AM
#3
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 188
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From: Daly City, CA
First, wash them really well to remove surface dirt. Car wash shampoo is fine for this.
Treat the clearcoated ones like you would any other painted surface. If you've got a clay bar, use that to remove any additional contaminants. Cleaner wax is a good recommendation for the next step - you'll know pretty quickly if you need additional effort. If so, you can use a more aggressive polish. On wheels I generally recommend a chemical polish (i.e Klasse AIO, Poorboy's Professional Polish). Abrasive polishes tend to leave behind micromarring and light scratches that require additional effort to remove.
On the bare wheels I'd also start with a clay bar, just to make sure that any contaminants are removed prior to polishing. After that - you can use your favorite metal polish and some elbow grease. I usually start with Clearkote metal polish - it's a chemical polish that works really well. It's effective by hand, and even more so if you use a drill-mounted polishing ball. Polish until you're either content or too frustrated to go further.
Once the wheels are looking good, you can use a good paint sealant or a dedicated wheel product a la Poorboy's Wheel Sealant, for protection. Keep in mind that this is relative - durability will be affected by road grime and exposure to the elements. If you really like those bare wheels, I'd recommend having them clear-powdercoated after polishing. That way you'll be able to care for them just like paint, without the extensive (and frequent) polishing effort usually associated with such wheels.
Good luck!
Treat the clearcoated ones like you would any other painted surface. If you've got a clay bar, use that to remove any additional contaminants. Cleaner wax is a good recommendation for the next step - you'll know pretty quickly if you need additional effort. If so, you can use a more aggressive polish. On wheels I generally recommend a chemical polish (i.e Klasse AIO, Poorboy's Professional Polish). Abrasive polishes tend to leave behind micromarring and light scratches that require additional effort to remove.
On the bare wheels I'd also start with a clay bar, just to make sure that any contaminants are removed prior to polishing. After that - you can use your favorite metal polish and some elbow grease. I usually start with Clearkote metal polish - it's a chemical polish that works really well. It's effective by hand, and even more so if you use a drill-mounted polishing ball. Polish until you're either content or too frustrated to go further.
Once the wheels are looking good, you can use a good paint sealant or a dedicated wheel product a la Poorboy's Wheel Sealant, for protection. Keep in mind that this is relative - durability will be affected by road grime and exposure to the elements. If you really like those bare wheels, I'd recommend having them clear-powdercoated after polishing. That way you'll be able to care for them just like paint, without the extensive (and frequent) polishing effort usually associated with such wheels.
Good luck!
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