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Polishing Intricate Details On Wheels

James__

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James__

James__

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I bought the wheels that I currently have on my truck used for a great price on the premise that they were dirty but in close to new shape under the grime.  There turned out to be a few pit marks on the wheels, the machined accents need some attention, and I will be using revive hand polish on the painted portions of the wheels (possibly correcting and finishing polish if necessary).

 

I contacted the manufacturer and found out that the wheels are painted, cleared, then machined leaving the accents bare and exposed.  Many of the areas have some intricate details (faux bolts, etc.) and I am wondering what everyone here uses to reach these areas as machine polishing them with anything larger than an electric toothbrush is out of the question?

 

Also, after polishing the black painted portions, I will be applying Liquid Paint Sealant; is this safe to use over the exposed metal after polishing it?

 

Thanks for any help ahead of time!

 

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IMG_1968_zpshr0uqevg.jpg

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James__

James__

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No one else's wheels have any intricate details that ever need polished?

 

Also, after polishing the black painted portions, I will be applying Liquid Paint Sealant; is this safe to use over the exposed metal after polishing it?

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James__

James__

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Never polished my BMF wheels but the LPS works good on them. I would be careful the clear on them seems really soft and easy to scratch. Let us know how the revive hand polish works on them.

 

Will do, I will take some pictures while I do it and post my findings.  The clearcoat does seem pretty soft..

 

Dremel might have some polishing bits small enough to help you out. I don't think you will have any trouble with the PS on the metal.

 

I'll give that a shot.  What should I use for the more broad areas that don't need to be polished nearly as much?  Can  a microfiber applicator be used?  I know next to nothing about polishing metal...

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Steve_S

Steve_S

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It is a very sweet tool!  A little out of my price range for now, but I think one of my customers is picking one up when they are out.

There are so many uses for it. I think the demand is going to be pretty high and I imagine there will be a wait. From the sounds of it, they should be hitting the shelves soon.

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blcksilv08

blcksilv08

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I hand polished many small areas on a Harley Davidson Fatboy a while ago that had some machined metal that was not coated. Using just a blue microfiber applicator with MP 1&2 and achieved favorable results. Back then I sealed it using Quick Sealant but I see no reason Liquid Paint Sealant couldnt handle the job. I'll see if I still have pictures of that.

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PHOKUS

PHOKUS

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I would look into precision hand tools. Could use a surgical spoon or scraper wrapped in a MF. Getting in between the faux bolts and wheel surface is going to be extremely difficult no matter what you use. But I think in this case the smaller you can go, the better.

 

I would definitely start off with a very good wheel detail, then seal the ever-loving crap out of them. Then seal them again. All joking aside, once dirt, grime, and brake dust settle in between those bolt heads and the wheel - you're going to spend hours if not days getting them clean again.

 

If you find something that works well, please share!

 

Good luck!

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James__

James__

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I would look into precision hand tools. Could use a surgical spoon or scraper wrapped in a MF. Getting in between the faux bolts and wheel surface is going to be extremely difficult no matter what you use. But I think in this case the smaller you can go, the better.

 

I would definitely start off with a very good wheel detail, then seal the ever-loving crap out of them. Then seal them again. All joking aside, once dirt, grime, and brake dust settle in between those bolt heads and the wheel - you're going to spend hours if not days getting them clean again.

 

If you find something that works well, please share!

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks, that is some good advice! I'll see what tools I have in the garage that may be able to aid in getting to the tight areas.

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James__

James__

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The supplies I ordered to polish the exposed metal parts of the wheels is scheduled for delivery tomorrow so I plan to test polish the front wheels while I have them off to install my new front end suspension components this weekend.  I already have the Revive Hand Polish and Blue Hex Grip.

 

If I am unable to reach my desired results on the painted portion of the wheels using the Revive, I plan to basically do a paint correction on them by hand using Paint Correction Polish and Paint Finishing Polish.  I will order the Orange Hex Grip for the Correcting Polish if I go this route, but what is recommended to apply the Paint Finishing Polish? Should I order and additional Orange Hex Grip for it or get another yellow, red, or blue Hex Grip for the Paint Finishing Polish?

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PHOKUS

PHOKUS

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Could always go for the 4" drill attachment as well. Any reputable machine shop could quickly craft you a simple extender for the backing plate if needed. Would save your hands for some of the more difficult to reach areas.

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James__

James__

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I really just don't feel comfortable using my polisher on my wheels as they are not flat surfaces and don't want to run the risk of damaging them trying to polish with my drill.  I would much rather stick to hand polishing them but am unsure which tool would be best for use with the Paint Finishing Polish.  

 

I did start to polish one of my wheels on Saturday but I need to get some more precise hand tools to get in to intricate details as well as a polishing wheel for my dremel for some of the exposed metal.  I ran into some trouble working on my suspension and was far too irritated to sit down and spend time on any intricate details so I just put the wheels back on and washed the truck; I'll wait  for a better day for the little details.

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James__

James__

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If I am unable to reach my desired results on the painted portion of the wheels using the Revive, I plan to basically do a paint correction on them by hand using Paint Correction Polish and Paint Finishing Polish.  I will order the Orange Hex Grip for the Correcting Polish if I go this route, but what is recommended to apply the Paint Finishing Polish? Should I order and additional Orange Hex Grip for it or get another yellow, red, or blue Hex Grip for the Paint Finishing Polish?

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James__

James__

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By hand? Use a different blue hex grip on the finishing polish in my opinion - you may not need it though as Correcting Polish finishes down really well

Yeah, by hand.  There really just isn't enough room to utilize my PC and I do not want to invest in another power tool for something that I will rarely do. 

 

Thanks for the advice, if I decide to continue past Paint Correcting Polish then I will use a blue hex grip to apply Paint Finishing Polish.

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James__

James__

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post before and after pics!!!

Will do! I don't know exactly when I plan on polishing them yet though.  I need to pick up some precision tools and polishing wheels for my dremel and order a couple things first.

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