Ive got some dirty polished aluminum rims. What is the best way to clean them up?

I was thinking of finding some kind of soft buffing wheel I could put on one of my air tools.


I used to use mother's wheel cleaner a long time ago, but it takes forever!!

thanks
Phillip

 

Phillip, I'm in the same boat with my wheels. I've been using this stuff called blue magic and it does alright. But takes forever. If you find anything, let me know. Mine need a lot of work.

 

I used something called White Diamond, it worked well with some elbow grease. Cost is about $25 per bottle, but it is worth it to me.

 

The trick with mothers is to use carb or brake cleaner to get the junk off after you hit it with a buffing wheel.

 

I have a set of bare aluminum Budnik billet wheels for my sport truck and use only one polish on them; Auto Wenol (blue tube).

 

I polished my wheels with Semichrome Polish (German Toothpaste) but it as a LOT of hard rubbing and buffing but is looks good when it is finished.
I put a soft buffing wheel on my air die grinder to buff it off, but be careful to keep moving or you can burn the wheel. Also have put a buffing wheel on my 4" makita grinder, this also works good just be careful and watch the RPM rating on the bonnet.
Jim.

 

What kind of buffing wheel do you use?

 

when you guys are polishing and get all the black gunk on the wheel, take some flour and shake it over the wheel, then the stuff wipes right off! doesn;t stay in the pours of the aluminum.

 

Baking soda works too......

I use Mother's to cut through the oxidation, then hit it with some jeweler's rouge on the buffing wheel. Puts a nice mirror finish on 'em....but it's a lot of work.

 

PDQ Brightener from Alcoa.

 

The best thing I have found for my Welds is mothers Polish and a ball like the one here..
http://eastwood.com/shopping/product...&keyword=13225
They really work. I went from dull oxidized wheels to fully polished in 10 mins per wheel. These are 16x10 super singles. They look awesome. Eastwood sells the ball seperatly for 20$ but I couldnt find a pict of it by itself..

 

Simichrome is the best polish I have encountered.

 

Eagle 1 make a polish that comes in a metal can. Looks like the lint out of your dryer. It's saturated in some kind of goo. Tear off a chunk and have at it. Works amazing. As a matter of fact, all of Eagles stuff works good.

 

I got the wheel for my 4" highspeed grinder at Home Depot but you could probably find one at Harbor Freight or similar place, just be sure you get the kind that is stitched in a circular pattern. Also I know it is a NoNo but I had to remove the guard. Be Sure you wear eye protection and NEVER get into the prop line. (inline with the wheel) and keep moving.
I have seen some that look like a big hairball with an arbor on it but I don't know where they got them.
Jim.

 

Do you wipe it on and then wait for it to haze, then wipe it off? Does it smell like some kind of solvent soaked lint ball?
This sound like Never-Dull Wadding of yesteryear..
This stuff was really killer on my Craiger SS chrome wheels.
Jim..