Aluminum Wheels

[gunflint]

I have a set of older coated aluminum wheels. It's time for new tires but I'd like to try to clean up the wheels first. I was thinking of bead blasting but no one up here does it. There's about 15 years of scratches and oxidation. Is there any other method of restoring the shine? Thanks

[Hafnutz]

Bead blasting will not make em shine. It will only clean off all the crud. I would work them over with scotchbrite or steel wool. followed by polishing with coarse then fine rubbing compound. A buffer will help speed things up if you have one. Takes time, but you can make them shine like new with enough rubbing.

[Shack]

When I used to detail cars way back when, we used a mild acid in a bulk 55 gal bucket. Put it in a spray bottle and squirt it on. Let it sit and it would take most of the corrosion off. Then get out the die grinder/ air power rotor zip, with a cloth wheel on it and go to town with Mothers alum. polish.

No easy way around it and it will take time. If corrosion got under any plastic coating, we would work the area the best we could.

I for get the name of the acid we used. I think they sell a comparable solution at auto parts stores.

Good luck!

[IFallsRon]

Oven cleaner will clean up the aluminum but you'll need to buff it up really good after. Neverdull is a good polish.