wheel polishing/cleaning

[DemoN]

So over the weekend i decided to clean my brother's truck for his birthday. dude bends over backwards for EVERYONE and i thought someone doing something nice for him would be cool.

 

Anyway...his chrome wheels were wrecked. just built up crud all over them. i cleaned the hell outta them and spent over 2 hours with a drill and MP #1...and i STILL couldn't get them the way i wanted. HELP!

 

before:

 

After:

look at the pits and crap in the inside of the dish. i cound get ALOT of it off...but polish and the "power cone" i was using just couldn't get the rest off. any ideas on what i can do?

[THE Mook]

Have you tried claying them? Is that cleared Chrome?

[DemoN]

Have you tried claying them? Is that cleared Chrome?

 

i can't hardly get it off even using my finger nail. i need like a tooth brush fitting for my drill or something. something to SCRUB. and no clear.

[Team Adam's]

Nice improvement, but yea... still some stuff to fix.

 

Unfortunately chrome is one of those things that once it starts to pit and heavily stain there isn't much you can do for it. Its hard as rocks and really scratch/damage resistant compared to aluminum, but because its so hard its also just as hard to fix. Maybe try using an orange hex grip with MP 1. The foam should give it more bite.

[DemoN]

give me options.

[THE Mook]

give me options.

 

Nice improvement, but yea... still some stuff to fix.

 

Unfortunately chrome is one of those things that once it starts to pit and heavily stain there isn't much you can do for it. Its hard as rocks and really scratch/damage resistant compared to aluminum, but because its so hard its also just as hard to fix. Maybe try using an orange hex grip with MP 1. The foam should give it more bite.

 

That sounds like a nice start, heck, maybe even the 4" Focus Kit on a drill. Orange pad and MP1, in fact, I would try Revive before all that. That Packard the Shine Crew hit last fall had pretty messy chrome. We ended up using Revive as a start, then went into MP1 and MP2. It REALLY made a difference. Each beast is different though, so good luck!

 

[DemoN]

when i can get the 4" focus in there...it does the job. but getting way inside there was an issue for it. that's why i bought that crappy "cone"....to get in those tight corners.

[Team Adam's]

Yea... thats a pretty tough spot to get into... I do not envy you for having to polish those wheels.

[DemoN]

Yea... thats a pretty tough spot to get into... I do not envy you for having to polish those wheels.

 

only have to do it once more...once you two tell me what to do lol. i'll try the revive, i guess, that mook suggested.

[DemoN]

i may just buy him new wheels. hahahahahahaha

[THE Mook]

i may just buy him new wheels. hahahahahahaha

 

Just have him get them media blasted then powdercoated and cleared. Probably the best bet.

[WheelMaker]

Yeah, I can see evidence of pitting between the spokes - the chrome is done. People don't understand the importance of maintaining chrome until this happens. Brake dust and road salt & crap are very corrosive, especially over time.

 

It is compounded by the cheap Chinese chrome used on these one-piece cast wheels (our chrome platers here in the USA do a much better job but are more expensive so the cast wheel manufacturers do not use them).

 

Time for chemical strip and rechrome or powder coat. Make sure they are COLD stripped, or the temper of the aluminum will be compromised! By the time you do all of this, of course, it's probably about the same price to replace with new non-chrome cast wheels...

[DemoN]

Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine

 

LOL