"fixing" aluminum wheels...pits/scratches
#1218373
04/18/12 07:51 PM
04/18/12 07:51 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
70Cuda383
OP
Too Many Posts
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OP
Too Many Posts
Joined: Oct 2003
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Marysville, O-H-I-O
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I have a feeling I already know the answer to this one, but wanted to hear what you guys would do or have done.
I just got some new wheels for my truck, they're forged aluminum...launching me into the world of turning my hands black with polish, trying to keep them looking good.
these wheels have had some neglect over the years by the prior owner, he used them on the track with his Viper, and they were his "track wheels" i.e. not for show, and thus, looks were not important.
the wheels look pretty good overall, but there are some pits, "bumps" or "specs" of corrosion, and some nicks here and there, that are going to have to be sanded out I believe.
so, CAN they be sanded out like fixing imperfections in clear coat? are there any tricks to fixing them? what grit should I start with and finish with?
any good buffers to use on a wheel? I've seen the "miracle ball" infomercials...are those really that great?
what buffing cream/compound should I use after sanding?
what have you done? pics of before/after?
**Photobucket sucks**
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Re: "fixing" aluminum wheels...pits/scratches
[Re: ahy]
#1218378
04/18/12 11:26 PM
04/18/12 11:26 PM
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 9,897
MI, usa
dvw
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 9,897
MI, usa
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Quote:
I've used standard rubbing compound on natural aluminum followed by Mothers followed by wax with good results on very minor blemishes. If they are deeper, you could sand + polish, but I'd be a little concerned about weakening the wheel.
Weakening the wheel? You are kidding. I've restored many sets. What ever sanding it takes to get the marks out. Some will never come out ,but most will. I 've started with 80 grit more than once. Including my last set.
Doug
Another option is to paint them. Clean/degrease, scuff, fill meaningful pits/scratches with good filler like aluminum bondo, etch primer or epoxy, surfacing primer (optional)and base/clear. It is some work and expense but would reduce maintenance and polishing down the road.
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Re: "fixing" aluminum wheels...pits/scratches
[Re: dvw]
#1218379
04/19/12 08:51 AM
04/19/12 08:51 AM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
70Cuda383
OP
Too Many Posts
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OP
Too Many Posts
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
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Quote:
Quote:
I've used standard rubbing compound on natural aluminum followed by Mothers followed by wax with good results on very minor blemishes. If they are deeper, you could sand + polish, but I'd be a little concerned about weakening the wheel.
Another option is to paint them. Clean/degrease, scuff, fill meaningful pits/scratches with good filler like aluminum bondo, etch primer or epoxy, surfacing primer (optional)and base/clear. It is some work and expense but would reduce maintenance and polishing down the road.
Weakening the wheel? You are kidding. I've restored many sets. What ever sanding it takes to get the marks out. Some will never come out ,but most will. I 've started with 80 grit more than once. Including my last set.
Doug
80 grit!? I don't know that I have the courage to attack these wheels with 80 grit! I may just focus on some of the smaller imperfections and just smooth out the bigger chips/gouges.
**Photobucket sucks**
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Re: "fixing" aluminum wheels...pits/scratches
[Re: 70Cuda383]
#1218380
04/19/12 09:14 AM
04/19/12 09:14 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
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A wool or cotton buffing pad will do wonders, way better than a foam ball, for sure. I bet I could get all but the deepest scratches out with just a good buffing. This is what I use, I do entire tank trucks and 49' trailers. It'll do a wheel in minutes not hours. I do work trucks all the time that are off road with deep gouges, the gouges don't come out but they polish great.  This was a quickie(3-5 minute polish job)  Use my pressure washer to get the tire clean.  A 4 minute job with wool buffer.Before.  Paste applied with a paint brush.  
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Re: "fixing" aluminum wheels...pits/scratches
[Re: Challenger 1]
#1218383
04/19/12 11:03 AM
04/19/12 11:03 AM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,592
Great Neck,LI,new york
hemi-itis
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,592
Great Neck,LI,new york
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Quote:
A wool or cotton buffing pad will do wonders, way better than a foam ball, for sure.
I bet I could get all but the deepest scratches out with just a good buffing.
This is what I use, I do entire tank trucks and 49' trailers. It'll do a wheel in minutes not hours.
I do work trucks all the time that are off road with deep gouges, the gouges don't come out but they polish great.
This was a quickie(3-5 minute polish job)
Use my pressure washer to get the tire clean.
A 4 minute job with wool buffer.Before.
Paste applied with a paint brush.
I DO agree with you.My tools are electric or air driven and I wear a face sheild to keep my ugly mug clean 
HEMI-ITIS has no cure.
My condition is fully BLOWN!!
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Re: "fixing" aluminum wheels...pits/scratches
[Re: Challenger 1]
#1218385
04/19/12 08:08 PM
04/19/12 08:08 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
70Cuda383
OP
Too Many Posts
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OP
Too Many Posts
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
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where would a newbie like myself get a cotton buffing pad for an 18v drill? I don't know that an 8" buffer is what I need on the wheels... seems like it'd be too hard to get into the nooks and crannies of these CCW classics they're only 17" rims.
Is eastwoods the best place to go? Id like to find a local source and hold it in my hands first, plus avoid shipping, and give myself the instant gratification of having it immediately after paying vs waiting 3 or 4 days for shipping. but I already know that the parts stores in town only have the "snake oil" miracle ball foam pad things. haven't seen much in the way of polishing tools at the home repair stores either.
I'll see if I can get some good pics of the minor imperfections I'm talking about. hopefully once I have them done once, I can resort to once or twice a year with the creams and rags to touch them up
**Photobucket sucks**
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Re: "fixing" aluminum wheels...pits/scratches
[Re: 70Cuda383]
#1218386
04/19/12 08:34 PM
04/19/12 08:34 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Quote:
where would a newbie like myself get a cotton buffing pad for an 18v drill? I don't know that an 8" buffer is what I need on the wheels... seems like it'd be too hard to get into the nooks and crannies of these CCW classics they're only 17" rims.
Is eastwoods the best place to go? Id like to find a local source and hold it in my hands first, plus avoid shipping, and give myself the instant gratification of having it immediately after paying vs waiting 3 or 4 days for shipping. but I already know that the parts stores in town only have the "snake oil" miracle ball foam pad things. haven't seen much in the way of polishing tools at the home repair stores either.
I'll see if I can get some good pics of the minor imperfections I'm talking about. hopefully once I have them done once, I can resort to once or twice a year with the creams and rags to touch them up
The wool buffing pads come from your local auto paint store. YOU HAVE A POLISHING MACHINE, don't you? I saw you buffed out the paint on your truck.
Those 3" cotten buffs came from Eastwood. I bought a case of 4 of those quart cans of polish, (which btw is the best I've ever used) they threw in 4 steel arbors and 4 buffing wheels for free! This was about 2 years ago and I'm down to my last can of that stuff and am ready to order more.
I found Eastwood the easiest and best price to get the polish from in big quanities, most places that sell it in tubes don't even know it comes in cans. I bought it a few time from Performance Hardware right around the corner from Indy, what's it called now? the rack track...? Oreillys something...  .
Didn't expect the cotten buffs at all, I got by for years without them, just the wool buffer, but they have there place and work good.
The big buffer allows me to get really agressive to get scratches out which you can't do with foam or smaller buffs, imo.
Got a Grainger nearby? I bet they handle them?
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