[NJImpalaGirl]

These aren't looking so great and was wondering what you might suggest to use to restore the color or the appearance? Thanks!

Gail
NJImpalaGirl

 

[COLD STEEL]

people will tell you to use many things, I can only suggest from my exp. Do NOT use anything that sprays on them and supposedly dissolves the brake dust and such, they usually stain the wheels or strip them of the clear coat. I use mothers wheel cleaner, comes in a small round tin and looks almost like a paste and i apply it on the entire wheel.

Now you can rub it like crazy for half hour by hand or you can use a drill with a polishing ball and let it do all the work and only spend 10 minutes per wheel.

Or my personal favorite on a lazy day, have the car wash do it for you and watch to make sure they use the polish. Typically they do it for 5-10 per wheel which is a steal.

 

[NJImpalaGirl]

Thanks for the reply! Yes, I know about lazy days; I have a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup that I spend most of my time on already and was hoping just to find something to make the wheels on the Impala look as best as we could get them, without investing a great deal of time or in all new rims.

I have purchased other items from Mothers and like them alot.
Thanks, again.

Gail
NJImpalaGirl

 

[NetMan]

First ... understand that the aluminum wheels have a satin finish.
Second ... they are then clear coated.

So ... basically ... you do not want to use anything that is abrasive. You have to treat them like a painted part. If you remove the clear coat ... lots of wet sanding ... then you can use a metal polish and buff. You can then re-clear them or keep them naked and deal with constant polishing. The discoloration everyone talks about is the clear coat becoming cloudy from chemicals. Again, treat them like a painted surface.

 

[NJImpalaGirl]

Thanks, Tony. I appreciate the help.

Gail
NJImpalaGirl

 

[spinem3]

First ... understand that the aluminum wheels have a satin finish.
Second ... they are then clear coated.

So ... basically ... you do not want to use anything that is abrasive. You have to treat them like a painted part. If you remove the clear coat ... lots of wet sanding ... then you can use a metal polish and buff. You can then re-clear them or keep them naked and deal with constant polishing. The discoloration everyone talks about is the clear coat becoming cloudy from chemicals. Again, treat them like a painted surface.

yup i was an idiot and forgot the the brush i was using to clean my wheels was also being used on my dads work truck where he used that Oil Eater Spray stuff to clean his wheels. After a few months of that my wheels started looking like crap and i couldn't figure out why...well i remembered on day and now they are all cloudy like the guy said.

So if i would have to wet-sand the wheels to get them looking good again?

 

[DrewBoi]

I used to detail cars at the garage I was at....thats how i got started....But anyways, the best thing that you can use to get that wet look on the tire itself is called black magic, this is no streak and it will not splatter onto the body while you are driving. And the ABSOLUTE BEST for the rims is called Eagle 1 nanowax, It makes your rims shine like they are brand new....in my case not stock

 

[krzdimond]

Looks like the clearcoat is compromised already (spiderweb in the clear)

These were mine when I got them:

I used this:

and ended up with this:

The clear is gone and I have to polish them with mothers aluminum polish about every 4-6 weeks. Not as bad as some seem to think.

Took about an hour per wheel to strip, clean and polish.


Robert


BTW, I DID NOT sand anything. I wanted to keep the factory milling marks.