Getting ready to put new shoes on my baby, have an extra set of wheels for her.
They have some wear and discoloration on them and I'd like to shine them up.

Went out and bought some Mother's Aluminum Wheel Polish, the results are OK but, not up to want I want. After spending several hours the last two days trying to polish these wheels, I'm at my wit's end.
I am using a drill driven cone shaped sponge looking thing to apply the Mother's and it's done a pretty good job but, there are still spots that I can't get polished to my satisfaction.

Suggestions are welcomed, what do you use? This assumes you do clean them up.
Looked into the chroming option but, that's out of my reach.

Rams

quote Originally posted by blackrams: Getting ready to put new shoes on my baby, have an extra set of wheels for her. They have some wear and discoloration on them and I'd like to shine them up. Went out and bought some Mother's Aluminum Wheel Polish, the results are OK but, not up to want I want. After spending several hours the last two days trying to polish these wheels, I'm at my wit's end. I am using a drill driven cone shaped sponge looking thing to apply the Mother's and it's done a pretty good job but, there are still spots that I can't get polished to my satisfaction. Suggestions are welcomed, what do you use? This assumes you do clean them up. Looked into the chroming option but, that's out of my reach. Rams

Go to Home Depot and buy this and then call me.

Is there still clear coat on these wheels? If so, depending on its condition, you may have to strip it off. I'm not the right guy to offer much advice on this, as I've only done one set of wheels, and I forget the finer details ... but I wanted to show you that a huge difference can be made.

I purposely shot this part of one wheel, which was the worst area anywhere on the four wheels.

Before...


After...



It's not a perfect job by any means, but I spent way too much time on them as it was... and the wheels look fine on my Subie. (They used to be on one of my Fieros.)

Keep working on them rams, it takes forever to to get them uniform.

Be aware that cast aluminum has a thin 'skin' - if you get to aggressive, you can get into the porosity that is hiding underneath.

Thanks for the responses.

Once I get these wheels to the condition I want, I plan to clear coat them.
One can do that, can't they?
I doubt I can get too aggressive with my current drill/sponge tool.

Randye's suggestion may offer such an option though. We'll see what happens.
BTW, these are aluminum motorcycle wheels I'm working on.

Rams

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 10-01-2020).]

I use a buffing wheel on a bench grinder and the same types of compounds shown in randye's image. Start with a sewn wheel and finish with a loose wheel, and clean the wheel and the part often.

Here is what a couple of hours of work did for a 40 year old Sportster:

Before:


After:

[This message has been edited by williegoat (edited 10-02-2020).]

Rams, if you get a great polished shine on the bare aluminum, a good waxing will keep the shining for a looooong time.

The clear coat will dull the gloss of the polished surface.

I wrote this years ago. I don't even remember all the details, other than Fiero lace wheels are a pain in the azz.
https://www.fiero.nl/cgi-bin...n.cgi?WheelPolishing

quote Originally posted by olejoedad: Rams, if you get a great polished shine on the bare aluminum, a good waxing will keep the shining for a looooong time. The clear coat will dull the gloss of the polished surface.

Noted

Thanks for all the advice. I'm told that the buffing wheel and either a product called Bombs Away or White Diamond will do the best job.

Willie,
That's the end result I'm looking for. These wheels are of 1999 vintage and no one prior to me has attempted to make them shine. In that they are an extra set, that's my goal. Once they are where I want them to be, I'll mount the new rubber and swap them out and get to work on the other set.

Steve,
I wouldn't even think about trying to do a set of Fiero Lace wheels. That's way more effort than I want to put in.

Thanks again to all that contributed to this thread.

Rams

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 10-02-2020).]

What radar described is the process. You can buy the wheels and compound just about anywhere, I buy it at Horror Fright.

If the parts are not scratched or gouged, you can dispense with the filing and sanding.

I keep the wheel and associated compound together in a large zip-lock bag and I keep an old hacksaw blade under my bench grinder to clean the wheels.



Here is the bike that the parts in my previous post belong to:

[This message has been edited by williegoat (edited 10-02-2020).]

quote Originally posted by williegoat:

Nice!

But, I couldn't help but notice that airplane could use a little polishing. Might take a while, better get to it once the sun goes down.

Rams

I think that I would rather have the airplane than the polished bike. Can you arrange for delivery to 29212?

Nelson

quote Originally posted by hnthomps: I think that I would rather have the airplane than the polished bike. Can you arrange for delivery to 29212? Nelson

You will first have to evict about 100 pigeons.

It is parked outside Buckeye Municipal Airport.

[This message has been edited by williegoat (edited 10-03-2020).]

quote Originally posted by hnthomps: I think that I would rather have the airplane than the polished bike. Can you arrange for delivery to 29212? Nelson

👍🏼👍🏼