Polishing Wheels
 

I have some nice old Epsilon Wheels that I want to polish. They are (semi)newly refinished from being curbed and look amazing from about 6 feet away. Up close they look really odd. There are streaks in the metal (aluminum???) and they are really dull. Not sure if this is from heating them up when they were repaired or what. I feel like it might be turtle wax from the car wash or something. There is absolutely no oxidation on them what so ever.

To get to the point what kind of polish/cleaner do I use? A chrome polish or some other kind? I'm hoping to get a nice mirror finish with them if that is possible.

Thanks

You should be able to find a generic metal/aluminum polish at your local parts/hardware store. Some light sanding with high grit paper and elbow grease with the polish should have them shiny. I Would say in no time, but let's be honest, this type of job will take a couple days if you want it done right.

I contemplated using high grit sand paper. Use like a 2000 (don't remember right off the top of my head how high it goes)? Should I sand them wet?

And I wasn't totally sure if chrome and aluminum polish were the same different.

Look for neverdull

The best thing hands down to make your wheels shine is either meguiars aluminum/mag polish or mother aluminum polish. Works out the best. I've tried it all.

For my autobahns. I went to the most extreme. I wetsanded, and polished after every grit. Went from around 400 to 800, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, and 2000 polishing inbetween every grit! Was a pita! Just grab some mothers polish and polish it with your hand though if its not too dull. Polish till it turns black and almost dry. Dont let it dry though! Wipe with clean microfibers. Neverdull is alright. Polish is better though :icon_tup:

My autobahns..
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...L/P1020447.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...L/P1020748.jpg

Some Enkei 92s I miss..
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...L/P1020674.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...L/P1020678.jpg

I also noticed that I cant get a mirror shine on the lip with my autobahns. I've tried and tried. It's because the lip is flat and wide. I almost sold them because of it haha. You can get a better shine on the lips of wheels like epsilons, enkei, hayashi, etc because of the step lip which reflects it better.

Mothers mag or a similar polish is what you want, you should also clear coat them if you don't want to re-polish them every year. My lips were pretty bad, so I smoothed out the curb damage with a file and dry sanded with 180, 320, then 600. Then I sanded them with polish and used 320, 600, then scotch brite, finished them with a rag and polish then cleaned with alcohol and clear coated, I'll put up some pictures when I get home.

If there's no tires/valve stems on the rims I'd polish them on the car, unless you have access to a lathe. Jack up the rear and bolt the wheel on, start it up and get the wheel spinning the speed you want, idling in 5th gear would probably be fast enough, no need to work harder than you have to :)

Aluminium and chrome are two entirely different animals. You don't want to go sanding on chrome unless you want to ruin it. To know where to start, just look at your wheels. Are they scratched, if so, how bad? Deep srcatches require more metal removal to polish out the imperfections. It's all about removing metal. Start only as coarse as necessary and work it finer and finer.

A file cuts faster/rougher than coarse emery paper. Coarse emery faster/rougher than fine. And polishes, compounds, steel wool, never dull ect....are just finer versions of removing matal. Get the idea? Start with what ever method is best suited to to remove the level of damage present. You wouldn't start with a file to remove very fine surface scratches, or start polishing on a bad case of narley curb rash.

If your aluminium is only dull and discolored (you mentioned heat and repair) I'd start with a fine grit emery or steel wool first max. That should get rid of the color issues without leaving it overly rough. Then get into the polishing part.

I like Mothers Billet polish, Simichrome is another excellent metal polish. Don't be afraid to experiment. I've used polish mixed w/steel wool or crocus cloth and even wadding like never dull. It's not a black and white science. To get things really bright, like mirror quality you can get into buffing wheels and compounds, another form of polishing.

Those are awesome haha

Thanks for the responses. I tried mothers chrome polish the other day and had NO results. I didn't try really hard however.

Sounds like a good winter job to get them really shining!!

I've never used the chrome polish. Could be the problem. Two different polishes. Get the aluminum and mag mothers polish.

hey twinkletoes... ill trade you my eneki apache V's for your auto bahns ;)

Nope! lol I dont even know if I would trade these. Love them too much. I do sometimes wish I had the Enkei 92s, but it was autobahns or those. I miss the mirror step lip they had though. If I could get a mirror shine on the lips of my autobahns I would be in heaven!

i knew what you were going to say before you even replied, but it goes your auto bahns>apache v>92's IMO lol

Twinkletoes is right, Not that Mothers chrome polish isn't good, it's made for chrome, which again, is something different. You don't "polish" chrome so much as you clean and treat it. Metal and Mag polish what you need. Use sparringly and rub small areas untill it turns black, then rub some more and more. Once it shines up again, move on. And after your all done, take a clean rag and buff it again! I't's time consuming and labor intensive if done right. Not to mention your fingers will be black.... BTW, Mothers chrome polish is also excellent when used on actual chrome. :nod:

Lol. I didnt know what the apache Vs were. I looked them up. lol put some pics in your thread or album lol.

I do want CCW classics. I have not seen a pair on a stock body 1st gen 7. I think it would be amazing. I'd trade autobahns for those. lol

Enough threadjacking from me lol.