polished wheel problem

[ima93chevyguy]

Yes the shine will fade on the new one pretty quickly if you don't polish it regularly.

I would suggest finding a local car detailer and see if they can't polish the old ones for you because that will be the best way to get a good shine on the old ones, especially if you have never polished them.

If you do it yourself invest in good ALUMINUM polish, not all metal or chrome or whatever. Also invest in a machine; either an orbital polisher or an attachment for the drill.

I polish mine about once a month or so, i just recently took them all off and polished them with that california customs aluminum deoxidizer and purple metal polish; took all the oxidation pits right off! I was very surprised, i also did it by hand.. took me a couple hours. I would highly recommend it!

https://www.amazon.com/Purple-Metal...s=aluminum+deoxidizer+and+purple+metal+polish
This is what i use for reference.

I've seen people put this stuff on toolboxes that were completely white and they shined up instantly.

 

[skychair]

Gotcha.... just looked tooo shiny and a differant shine/sheen then I'm use to seeing on any polished aluminum I've ever seen...

But as mentioned the mag and aluminum polish and either alot of elbow grease or a polishing pad on a drill should get you pretty close. Again as mentioned , make sure it's the slightly gritty ***** stuff. Mothers makes a pretty good one. Stay away from anything that says chrome polish as it won't do **** to aluminum..

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I'm leaning toward working on 1 wheel (the new one) rather than getting the other 3 to shine.
I like the idea of the gritty paste and polishing wheel. any suggestions as to what paste to get to break up the shine.

The wheels I have may require cleaning twice a year with an aluminum cleaner rinsed with a hose, very little rubbing.
That rear wheel in the picture is 10 years old, and has never required the labor it would to maintain a polished
wheel.
Just need to know what abrasive paste to buy, and I'll give it a try.
Appreciate all the input, thanks.

 

[Oldblue98]

I've ran polished aluminum wheels in the past and they will become a milky gray color and very dull if you don't polish them as the others have mentioned. Your new wheel is shiny because, well it's new. If you don't care about shine, just let that wheel go and it'll start to get dull by itself if it's not clear coated. To test if it has a coating, put a little bit of metal polish in a microfiber and rub it into the wheel surface, if the polish turns black, your new wheel is not coated.

Yes and if it is crappy looking and had a factory clear coating on it, you will need to remove clear coat before trying to polish, I have done it before and used a spray on paint remover, you leave it on just long enough to turn clear coat a light yellow color and get it off, don't leave it on no longer than it takes to loosen clear coat. I Use to polish my Weld wheels and you can make them look like chrome just depending how much effort you want to invest in it, then you clear them if you don't want to revisit it in the near future.
Jeweler Rouge works good with buffing wheels , if they are bad start course (Red) and work your way down to fine (white)
I bought the big bars of rouge at the Truck Chrome Shops, that sell bling for semi trucks.

 

[someotherguy]

You seriously would prefer to make the new wheel look old and crummy?

First determine if it has clearcoat. If so, you'll need to strip it.

Then, pick any of the acidic wheel cleaners that warn you to NOT use them on polished aluminum. Those will make the wheel milky white in a hurry..

Years ago I went to a tire shop to get a flat fixed. Guy had a bottle of what looked like soapy water that they use to spray around the tire looking for a leak. Turned out it was Super Clean or something similar...he sprayed it on a bare aluminum wheel and it instantly turned white. None of the regular polishes would even touch it. Eventually I discovered Wenol metal polish and it took that junk right off.

Richard

 

[Oldblue98]

You seriously would prefer to make the new wheel look old and crummy?

First determine if it has clearcoat. If so, you'll need to strip it.

Then, pick any of the acidic wheel cleaners that warn you to NOT use them on polished aluminum. Those will make the wheel milky white in a hurry..

Years ago I went to a tire shop to get a flat fixed. Guy had a bottle of what looked like soapy water that they use to spray around the tire looking for a leak. Turned out it was Super Clean or something similar...he sprayed it on a bare aluminum wheel and it instantly turned white. None of the regular polishes would even touch it. Eventually I discovered Wenol metal polish and it took that junk right

Wenol is good stuff

 

[skychair]

You seriously would prefer to make the new wheel look old and crummy?

First determine if it has clearcoat. If so, you'll need to strip it.

Then, pick any of the acidic wheel cleaners that warn you to NOT use them on polished aluminum. Those will make the wheel milky white in a hurry..

Years ago I went to a tire shop to get a flat fixed. Guy had a bottle of what looked like soapy water that they use to spray around the tire looking for a leak. Turned out it was Super Clean or something similar...he sprayed it on a bare aluminum wheel and it instantly turned white. None of the regular polishes would even touch it. Eventually I discovered Wenol metal polish and it took that junk right off.

Richard

Yes...
I prefer the old crummy wheel look, when I installed these wheels in 2010.... I was 72, and didn't really want to fart around keeping wheels Blingy.
I just wanted them 'clean' with just a tad of shine.
You were right on about the acid approach.
I clean these wheels with 50/50 diluted Aluminex which is acidic, and used mainly for cleaning aluminum boat hulls/Pontoons etc.
I have cleaned the new wheel 4 times now, and its coming around to where it should be. I thought I was going to have to polish 3 wheels (ugh), or
purchase 3 new one's to match (ugh again).....
Appreciate all the suggestions, and comments, it worked out, Great forum for Tahoe/Yukon OBS.
See the pictures......Thanks again, Ron

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[someotherguy]

Glad it worked out! I had to cringe a little giving that advice but if it achieved the desired results then it's a win! I totally understand the thinking behind your goal.

Richard

 

[ima93chevyguy]

Yes...
I prefer the old crummy wheel look, when I installed these wheels in 2010.... I was 72, and didn't really want to fart around keeping wheels Blingy.
I just wanted them 'clean' with just a tad of shine.
You were right on about the acid approach.
I clean these wheels with 50/50 diluted Aluminex which is acidic, and used mainly for cleaning aluminum boat hulls/Pontoons etc.
I have cleaned the new wheel 4 times now, and its coming around to where it should be. I thought I was going to have to polish 3 wheels (ugh), or
purchase 3 new one's to match (ugh again).....
Appreciate all the suggestions, and comments, it worked out, Great forum for Tahoe/Yukon OBS.
See the pictures......Thanks again, Ron

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As a polished rim guy, that kind of hurt a little.

Glad it worked though

 

[mountie]

If the new one is clear coated over the buff, stripping off the clear may result in a match to your old ones? If you consider buffing the 3 old ones.... be prepared for a LOT of work, and will never match the new one, since it was machine-buffed?

If you consider buffing the 3 old ones....... Trust me..... send them to a guy who buffs wheels & usually marine parts ( for anodizing/chrome plating)... They are great at it & are fast ( & not that much cost considering YOUR labor to try it yourself)..

( I just read the last post about the acid trick)...... Cool !!

 

[flintlock]

I've got those same wheels on my 2012 Toyota Tundra. They looked almost chrome when i got them and 6 months later were pitted from salt and snow.