Cleaning up aluminum wheels

[68bird]

Ok so I've been polishing the rims on my vette for 3+ hours now using mothers aluminum polish and a PowerCone, and its left me wondering if there's a better way. Considering I've got one half done (haven't taken it off the car to do the inner portion by the lug nuts yet) and one almost done, and the foam padding on the PowerCone actually came off :-x. Is there a better and faster way or should I just go out and buy a three more cones and just stay the course?

[PolarBear]

Try something better than Mothers?

[68bird]

Do you have any suggestions, or just go down to the local automotive specialty store and see what they have?

[Dudbird113]

Could just wait for a diesel truck show and try a vendor. U have 200mph stuff, ballbusters, etc. Or ask a clean looking mack truck owner cause alot of their stuff needs polishing

[NJ Torque]

Flitz.

[68bird]

Thanks guys I'll look into both.

[Featherburner]

Step up to real buffing/polishing equipment.

http://www.eastwood.com/ew-wheel-buffing-kit.html

[sweetbmxrider]

I hear bling master is good, I have black wheels though so don't know first hand.

[68bird]

Step up to real buffing/polishing equipment.

http://www.eastwood.com/ew-wheel-buffing-kit.html

Wow $62(+tax) isn't too bad, especially since the PowerCones are like $30 a piece. That may be the answer. Thanks Featherburner

[1320B4U]

blue coral used to make stuff in a blue past. Smelled like crap but worked like a charm. i never used the the powercone and always relied on using my hands and rag but worked great.

[siguy]

plastidip the rims then you will never need to polish the wheels :)

[NHRABill]

Wow $62(+tax) isn't too bad, especially since the PowerCones are like $30 a piece. That may be the answer. Thanks Featherburner

On Sale this weekend for $45 yes it is a good deal this stuff is expensive no matter where you go.


http://www.eastwood.com/ew-wheel-buffing-kit.html

[IROCZman15]

polish wheels by hand. absolutley.

[Kat]

Step one. Wash aluminum with wrong cleaner on rims that haven't been cleaned in years...

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm21/kat136913/image_zps35dc2a73.jpg (http://s292.photobucket.com/user/kat136913/media/image_zps35dc2a73.jpg.html)

Step two. Take a 11" wool cutting pad for your high speed rotoray buffer and slather it with mothers. Then go over the rim a few times to get off all the water spots

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm21/kat136913/image_zps81c1dca2.jpg (http://s292.photobucket.com/user/kat136913/media/image_zps81c1dca2.jpg.html)

Step three. Wipe everything off, clean with some sort of degreaser, then go over rim with power ball...

End result


http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm21/kat136913/image_zps383fc636.jpg (http://s292.photobucket.com/user/kat136913/media/image_zps383fc636.jpg.html)

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm21/kat136913/image_zps240e5d70.jpg (http://s292.photobucket.com/user/kat136913/media/image_zps240e5d70.jpg.html)


Buffing/polishing aluminum takes time. I had about an hour into each rim to make them look that good.

[68bird]

I bought the polishing kit from Zephyr and it took a while but it worked great! Can't wait to try it on the Firebird's.
Thanks again guys!