I would like to have my drag wheels buffed out or coated. The look aweful. Must have got some chemical reaction that has destroyed the appearance. I think they are polished aluminum. Any suggestions. Can this be removed and coated??
Thanks
Thanks
My ccw wheels are tarnished.
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Mine look like crap also. :yeadog: What's up with this, Rob?robz said:
Don
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You should be able to use some aluminum polish and get it all out. Polished aluminum's downside is it doesn't have a coating to protect it from the elements and especially greasy substances.
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My ccw's don't see much use, but my tahoe (rob remembers the beast) has polished aluminum american racing torq thrusts on it. Pretty much the best thing I've found on the truck's wheels is mothers and alot of elbow grease. That usually entails the wheels being off the car, stopping by my cousin's limo garage and dropping them off with one of his mexicans with a huge jar of mothers and asking him what he wants at the end of the day. polished aluminum is a real pain to keep nice. I've heard clearcoat doesn't hold up well, clear powder coating turns yellow over time with sunlight/uv on it, so its not exactly an easy task. The spokes on teh drag pak styled wheels are the real pain, maybe you might look into having the center spoked part powdercoated black and leaving the edge (the easiest part to clean) raw aluminum...
I spent at least 2 hours per wheel on my CCW Classics just to get them presentable for the Hooters run.
To do a good job on raw polished aluminum you need to:
Degrease and remove brake dust with a soft sponge or lambswool on the high polish, and a scrub brush on any matte finish.
Use a spray on wheel cleaner that is for raw aluminum only (caustic deoxidizer) follow directions and never let it dry on the surface. Use several short applications followed by rise vs letting it soak for a while as it can eat the wheel.
If the wheel is not pitted, hand polish with mothers (not the new liquid it sucks)
My wheels were lightly pitted and needed a machine buff.
I use a cordless Dewalt angle drill full trigger on high speed and a 4" white cotton buffing wheel that's about 1/2" thick and has stitching up to last 1/4". I brush a coat of polish on a large section and keep the wheel moving at all times.
For a 1pc wheel like a 505, I'd get a flex shaft hooked to a bench grinder motor and use smaller wheels and felt points with a screw on mandrel. I'd expect to spend 3 hours or more on each wheel for this type.
Long Island Hardware on Vets Highway in Bohemia has the buffing supplies
When I worked in a sheetmetal shop they had an acid bath that would strip all the corrosion off aluminum in about 20 seconds. if a part fell off the rack and you did not fish it out within a few minutes the dimensions were reduced by several thou.
After the acid it went into a deoxidizer and came out looking like pure silver.
A shop that does Allodine coating can do this, but the wheel has to be degreased and scrubbed very well or the dip will miss spots.
I read a tip from DJWorm that RainX works well on bare aluminum, and plan on trying it once I do a final hand repolish on my wheels
To do a good job on raw polished aluminum you need to:
Degrease and remove brake dust with a soft sponge or lambswool on the high polish, and a scrub brush on any matte finish.
Use a spray on wheel cleaner that is for raw aluminum only (caustic deoxidizer) follow directions and never let it dry on the surface. Use several short applications followed by rise vs letting it soak for a while as it can eat the wheel.
If the wheel is not pitted, hand polish with mothers (not the new liquid it sucks)
My wheels were lightly pitted and needed a machine buff.
I use a cordless Dewalt angle drill full trigger on high speed and a 4" white cotton buffing wheel that's about 1/2" thick and has stitching up to last 1/4". I brush a coat of polish on a large section and keep the wheel moving at all times.
For a 1pc wheel like a 505, I'd get a flex shaft hooked to a bench grinder motor and use smaller wheels and felt points with a screw on mandrel. I'd expect to spend 3 hours or more on each wheel for this type.
Long Island Hardware on Vets Highway in Bohemia has the buffing supplies
When I worked in a sheetmetal shop they had an acid bath that would strip all the corrosion off aluminum in about 20 seconds. if a part fell off the rack and you did not fish it out within a few minutes the dimensions were reduced by several thou.
After the acid it went into a deoxidizer and came out looking like pure silver.
A shop that does Allodine coating can do this, but the wheel has to be degreased and scrubbed very well or the dip will miss spots.
I read a tip from DJWorm that RainX works well on bare aluminum, and plan on trying it once I do a final hand repolish on my wheels
wow are you guys SINGING my SONG!
I have been stressing over my CCW's for the past 2 mos-I was so fed up with the brake dust (duh, I do track events with race pads) I bought some Aluminum MAG wheel spray from AutoZone, and YES it did eat away at the wheel-BUT it got rid of the brake dust
like the guy above me says, you gotta spray it on and IMMEDIATELY clean it off, 'cause it goes to town on everything and takes the wheel down to the aluminum.
Sooo THEN I took some Meguire's clear coat polish and went to town, but the best thing I have found that works VERY well is
NEVERDULL. (lamb's wool in a can) very little elbow grease needed
then just buffed them with my flitz cream/buffing pad attached to the drill.
My steps pretty much sound like the guy's above me!
I have been stressing over my CCW's for the past 2 mos-I was so fed up with the brake dust (duh, I do track events with race pads) I bought some Aluminum MAG wheel spray from AutoZone, and YES it did eat away at the wheel-BUT it got rid of the brake dust
like the guy above me says, you gotta spray it on and IMMEDIATELY clean it off, 'cause it goes to town on everything and takes the wheel down to the aluminum.Sooo THEN I took some Meguire's clear coat polish and went to town, but the best thing I have found that works VERY well is
NEVERDULL. (lamb's wool in a can) very little elbow grease needed
then just buffed them with my flitz cream/buffing pad attached to the drill.
My steps pretty much sound like the guy's above me!
Don and Rob-If its real bad, theres nothing you can do but have them re-polished professionally. Luckily us NJ boys have USA wheels in West Caldwell , NJ. This guy Jeff is excellent. He re-did my CCWs 505s and they look like chrome again. Charged me 520.00 for the set. Sorry, dont have his number but he can be found with 411.robz said:
He does wheel work for all the tri-state auto dealers.
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