POLISHING ALUMINUM RIMS
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 1
From: San Diego CA
POLISHING ALUMINUM RIMS
On my site you can see the rims better than my sig pic. I have some gouges from jerky tire shops/ air rachet and one runaway strip of metal that I ran over. No amount of crokus cloth will do the trick. A polishing shop will make them show new but that involves leaving the car on jacks for 3 weeks while I figure out how to get 4 17" rims in my little Civic and deliver it down to the shop who will sit on them for 2 weeks/ 6-days before they demount the tires and polish them in 20 minutes flat. Damage would be $75 per rim plus $10 demount/ re-mount and rebalance p/tire. :skep: Any cheaper quicker ways out there. Maybe it's time to go get 23" wire wheels and TV screens in my sunvisors and the back of my seats (where no one could see them) but I'd be cool. :rolleyes:
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 1
From: San Diego CA
Re: POLISHING ALUMINUM RIMS (battsup)
Hit the eastwood catologue, thats your best bet.
Who is Eastwood? Rim seller? Actually the rims are quite nice and I get a gang of compliments but they are showing their age. The shop says they will look like glass when their done.
P.S. chrooming is NOT an option. chrome just peels at the first hit. These rims are 6 years old and have gone thru 70,000 miles on 2 cars.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: Crofton MD
Re: POLISHING ALUMINUM RIMS (Cali,77,L-82)
http://www.eastwoodco.com
They have a lot of speciality finishes and polishes. I have used the Busch Alum polishing kit on wheels. With an Elec Drill you do quite a bit. A really deep scratch will require some fine grit sandpaper and then buffiing. Beats two weeks at the wheel shop. If the wheels have a clear coat on them, you can remove that with epoxy paint stripper.
They have a lot of speciality finishes and polishes. I have used the Busch Alum polishing kit on wheels. With an Elec Drill you do quite a bit. A really deep scratch will require some fine grit sandpaper and then buffiing. Beats two weeks at the wheel shop. If the wheels have a clear coat on them, you can remove that with epoxy paint stripper.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 1
From: San Diego CA
Re: POLISHING ALUMINUM RIMS (gmcclurg)
you mean this?
Flitz Polishing Kit 5.29oz. Paste&polishball
Item No. - 13224
Aluminum Maintenance Kit From Flitz - Keep bare aluminum wheels, diamond plate and more shining without allot of hand labor. The 6" x 3" thick Buffing Ball made from soft Italian Viscose Fiber, can be operated at up to 2000 rpm, and features a 5/16" hex shaft for non-slip use in most drills. Use the Buffing Ball with the Flitz Paste Polish for quick results. Also works great on plastics, painted surfaces, and other metals.
Regular Price: $33.99 This item is in stock.
Add:
How well does it work?
Flitz Polishing Kit 5.29oz. Paste&polishball
Item No. - 13224
Aluminum Maintenance Kit From Flitz - Keep bare aluminum wheels, diamond plate and more shining without allot of hand labor. The 6" x 3" thick Buffing Ball made from soft Italian Viscose Fiber, can be operated at up to 2000 rpm, and features a 5/16" hex shaft for non-slip use in most drills. Use the Buffing Ball with the Flitz Paste Polish for quick results. Also works great on plastics, painted surfaces, and other metals.
Regular Price: $33.99 This item is in stock.
Add:
How well does it work?
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: Crofton MD
Re: POLISHING ALUMINUM RIMS (Cali,77,L-82)
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...N0SM2EPKWP0L6F
Here is a link to one of the Busch products from Eckler's. Busch makes a kit with a cleaner, buffing compound and polish. It includes two cloth wheels for use in a drill. The kit is in one of the Catalogues from the major Corvette suppliers. I can't remember which one and I don't have the books here at the office. It is also available form Motorsports at http://www.zparts car.com. Motorsport is the big supplier for Datsun Z cars and are located in Long Beach. There web site is not the best, but can call them. The kit is a little messy to use. You will want to take the wheel off the car. I did not take the tires off the wheels. I used epoxy paint stipper from Home Depot to remove the clear coat. The stripper is not geart for rubber so be carefull. I have done eight wheels with one kit - 4 on the Datsun and 4 on my Jeep.
Here is a link to one of the Busch products from Eckler's. Busch makes a kit with a cleaner, buffing compound and polish. It includes two cloth wheels for use in a drill. The kit is in one of the Catalogues from the major Corvette suppliers. I can't remember which one and I don't have the books here at the office. It is also available form Motorsports at http://www.zparts car.com. Motorsport is the big supplier for Datsun Z cars and are located in Long Beach. There web site is not the best, but can call them. The kit is a little messy to use. You will want to take the wheel off the car. I did not take the tires off the wheels. I used epoxy paint stipper from Home Depot to remove the clear coat. The stripper is not geart for rubber so be carefull. I have done eight wheels with one kit - 4 on the Datsun and 4 on my Jeep.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 1
From: San Diego CA
Re: POLISHING ALUMINUM RIMS (gmcclurg)
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...N0SM2EPKWP0L6F
Here is a link to one of the Busch products from Eckler's. Busch makes a kit with a cleaner, buffing compound and polish. It includes two cloth wheels for use in a drill. The kit is in one of the Catalogues from the major Corvette suppliers. I can't remember which one and I don't have the books here at the office. It is also available form Motorsports at http://www.zparts car.com. Motorsport is the big supplier for Datsun Z cars and are located in Long Beach. There web site is not the best, but can call them. The kit is a little messy to use. You will want to take the wheel off the car. I did not take the tires off the wheels. I used epoxy paint stipper from Home Depot to remove the clear coat. The stripper is not geart for rubber so be carefull. I have done eight wheels with one kit - 4 on the Datsun and 4 on my Jeep.
Here is a link to one of the Busch products from Eckler's. Busch makes a kit with a cleaner, buffing compound and polish. It includes two cloth wheels for use in a drill. The kit is in one of the Catalogues from the major Corvette suppliers. I can't remember which one and I don't have the books here at the office. It is also available form Motorsports at http://www.zparts car.com. Motorsport is the big supplier for Datsun Z cars and are located in Long Beach. There web site is not the best, but can call them. The kit is a little messy to use. You will want to take the wheel off the car. I did not take the tires off the wheels. I used epoxy paint stipper from Home Depot to remove the clear coat. The stripper is not geart for rubber so be carefull. I have done eight wheels with one kit - 4 on the Datsun and 4 on my Jeep.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,266
Likes: 0
From: Allen, TX, USA
Re: POLISHING ALUMINUM RIMS (Cali,77,L-82)
Go to Home Depot (or equivalent)
Assuming aluminum wheels with no clear coat.
Buy aluminum polish, medium and fine.
Buy two cloth buffing wheels (one for medium, one for fine.)
Buy mothers aluminum polish.
Take off each wheel. Use medium polish and clean it up. do all 4.
Go back to first wheel and begin again with fine polish and new
cloth wheel. Now use mothers for the final polishing...
4-6 hours total (spend 1 hr / wheel.)
Shiny wheels...
Oh, I see you have gouges... I've got some too - need to use fine
stone (like from a dremel tool) depending on how much metal is kicked up.
Then follow like above...
[Modified by adam, 12:44 PM 1/27/2003]
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