BrandensBeast

Going through the process of sanding down my wheels and re polishing them, i'd be doing this by hand. What do you guys use for aluminum wheels?

1993C4LT1

Are they still clear coated? If so, it will take forever by hand. But if no clearcoat, I've used Mothers aluminum polish with great success.

QCVette

I'm doing this right now on a "mistake" set of wheels.

I started with 400 sandpaper (wet), then 1500 sandpaper (wet), then a small buffing wheel on an electric drill with rubbing compound (turtle wax brand for car paint), then another buffing wheel in the drill with polishing compound (turtle wax brand for car paint), then by hand with a finish polish (Blue Magic metal polish or Mother's metal polish).

I spent about 2 hours per wheel on them and they look like new. They were pretty trashed before. They were "mistake" wheels (Eagle Alloy polished 5 spokes) because I bought them for my Impala, but they were advertised with a different bolt pattern than they actually are. So I decided to clean them up and sell them.

I also did a set of Z28 wheels about 2 weeks ago for my brother. I only polished the machine finished areas for him. They were very bad shape and I started with 120 then 180 paper in an oscillating power tool with a triangular pad adapter. On those wheels the machined surface was easy to get to with that pad without conatacting and trashing the powder coat. It made short work of what was left of the machining finish grooves and after these power sanding I used the same method as above. They came out very nice.

I know you said by hand, but I still consider basic hand tools like a drill to be hand work.

I also know that these are not specialized tools, compounds, sandpaper that are made for this job and there are probably better choices, but I thought I'd share what I used. I had all of these in the garage already, so it didn't cost me anything to try them.

Good luck.

RonR80

Mothers aluminium polish , and they look like chrome , but it takes a bit of work I did mine over winter.
Attachment 48354453

FrostyMountain

I have a 85 with stock aluminum Saw blades. Were in tough shape. Did all by hand. 120 grit, then 180,220,400,600,800,1000,1500,2000,3000, 5000. Them meguirs metal polish, then buffed with a high speed polisher and lambs wool pad. Cleaned tarnish with never dull. Now have a mirror finish, can see my reflection. Periodic wiping with never dull and hit them with the polish pad keeps them brillant. About 2 1/2 hrs per wheel. Heck I'm retired , time is not critical

jdlclam

I have a '94 with sawblades. I simply wax them with the same Meguire's Gold Class I use on the rest of the car. They pop.

BrandensBeast

I've been practicing sanding on a center cap before I do a entire wheel, I don't think they have any clear coat on them as far as I can tell.

BrandensBeast

Thanks for the tips guys!

PSU69

Do the factory wheels on my 86 coupe have clearcoat? How can I tell?

1993C4LT1

Yes. Pretty much every factory wheel is clear coated.

jdmtra

Two of my 85 C4 wheels have these blemishes. Which looks like the clear has given way. Any idea how can I go about a DIY fix for them? I spoke to workshops and each one had different ideas for it.

I'm wondering, if masking the center, and spraying clear and then rubbing down with a fine grade paper might help?

Thoughts?

rocco16

Simichrome.