polish Wheels
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: North Newton Kansas
polish Wheels
Does anyone know how to get my factory wheels to shine? I have a 2000 C5 and 2 of the wheels look dull. Ive tried several different polishes with no luck anyone have any suggestions? Thank you
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,453
Likes: 347
From: SC
I removed the clear coat on mine. Then wet sanded and then polished them using a buffer with polishing compounds working my way down to 2000 grit compound. Then buffed them with autosol metal polish. The look like chrome and I have gotten many compliments on them. It's a bit of work, but they look good. I just use the metal polish a few times a year now.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
If they have clear coat on them, you're never going to get them "polished" beyond what they are beneath the clear coat. The clear coat is a barrier to the aluminum beneath. I'll bet the two that do polish well have had the clear coat removed at some point. You're actually polishing aluminum on those.
So you have to decide whether to remove the clear coat on the other two, polish them and maintain the polish on a routine basis to avoid oxidation. That requires discipline and manual labor. But you can use something like the MOTHER'S "Power Ball" to keep them polished.
Perhaps your best option is to have them stripped, professionally polished and re-cleared so you don't have to continually polish them.
So you have to decide whether to remove the clear coat on the other two, polish them and maintain the polish on a routine basis to avoid oxidation. That requires discipline and manual labor. But you can use something like the MOTHER'S "Power Ball" to keep them polished.
Perhaps your best option is to have them stripped, professionally polished and re-cleared so you don't have to continually polish them.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,809
Likes: 3
From: Yorktown Virginia
I removed the clear coat on mine. Then wet sanded and then polished them using a buffer with polishing compounds working my way down to 2000 grit compound. Then buffed them with autosol metal polish. The look like chrome and I have gotten many compliments on them. It's a bit of work, but they look good. I just use the metal polish a few times a year now.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,453
Likes: 347
From: SC
Ah, my secret? My 16 year old son did most of the sanding! Actually most of the sanding was done on the inside of the rims and to remove minor curb rash. The spokes were mostly polished with the compound using a foam cone shaped drill attachment.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,809
Likes: 3
From: Yorktown Virginia
Well I guess I could just try and buff the pitting out of the corners...
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From: . New York
As Hotwheels said, your not likely going to improve clear coated wheels once they start to bloom. Aluminum rusts, just like steel, it just takes a lot longer and the rust is white not brown, thats what you often see on clear coated aluminum wheels.
The clear is exactly like the clear on the rest of the car, polish is not what you want to use on them, a) its abrasive (and thus can cloud them up further)and b) its made for metal and your doing paint.
Guys have mentioned using aircraft strippers or marine strippers (liquid products) to strip the clear themselves, but from what Ive read its not an easey job.
If it were me, Id look to have a wheel place strip/polish/reclear them, just seems to be the best, longest lasting route to go.
Good luck
The clear is exactly like the clear on the rest of the car, polish is not what you want to use on them, a) its abrasive (and thus can cloud them up further)and b) its made for metal and your doing paint.
Guys have mentioned using aircraft strippers or marine strippers (liquid products) to strip the clear themselves, but from what Ive read its not an easey job.
If it were me, Id look to have a wheel place strip/polish/reclear them, just seems to be the best, longest lasting route to go.
Good luck
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If they have clear coat on them, you're never going to get them "polished" beyond what they are beneath the clear coat. The clear coat is a barrier to the aluminum beneath. I'll bet the two that do polish well have had the clear coat removed at some point. You're actually polishing aluminum on those.
So you have to decide whether to remove the clear coat on the other two, polish them and maintain the polish on a routine basis to avoid oxidation. That requires discipline and manual labor. But you can use something like the MOTHER'S "Power Ball" to keep them polished.
Perhaps your best option is to have them stripped, professionally polished and re-cleared so you don't have to continually polish them.
So you have to decide whether to remove the clear coat on the other two, polish them and maintain the polish on a routine basis to avoid oxidation. That requires discipline and manual labor. But you can use something like the MOTHER'S "Power Ball" to keep them polished.
Perhaps your best option is to have them stripped, professionally polished and re-cleared so you don't have to continually polish them.
Get the wheels stripped, polished and clearcoated by a good shop and you'll be happy with the results.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 734
Likes: 2
From: Mt. Airy MD
Here in MD there is a wheel place that will do that for you for around $100 a wheel I think depending on what needs to be done. I'm sure wherever you are located there is someone similar. Have them do the initial stripping etc then maintain them yourself.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,453
Likes: 347
From: SC
When I stripped mine, the easiest part was the stripping of the clear coat. I can't recall offhand what I used, but it came off really easily. I will try to find what it was I used. The sanding and polishing is what took most of the time. Now maintaining them is easy because time I got.............I just polish the fronts on the car and take them off a couple times a year to polish the insides. Autosol metal polish is the best stuff I've found. It will protect the finish as well as polish.
