detailing aluminum wheel cleanup questions

[Shadetreemechanic]

I need help from some of you guys with clean trucks. I haven't washed mine in at least 4 years, and I bought it with dirty alloys 7 years ago and have never tried to clean them up. I just volunteered to tow a float in a couple of local 4th of July parades and guess its time to clean up my act.
Can anyone give me advice on how to get these wheels looking better without too much effort? Or should I even try?

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[wh1056]

If they are uncoated, try some aluminum brightener spray.
Commercial truck washes are a good source as are most truck stops, auto parts stores, etc.
I used to get brightener directly from Fruehauf trailers, but I have also used NAPA "MAC 1458" with good results.

 

[reklund]

Elbow grease and some good wheel polish. Also had good luck with one of those mothers powerball polishers you put in a cordless drill. Best luck is one at a time, off the truck. Bonus points for cleaning the brake dust off the backsides too.

Or take $50 and your truck to a truckstop. Find a tweaker offering to polish aluminum semi parts. Relax while they do all the work.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

I have a powerball, but if it involves removing the wheel its likely more work than I am interested in. Sounds like the aluminum brightener will be my first attempt.

 

[wh1056]

Make sure you dilute the brightener or the wheels will be the same color as your truck.

 

[franklin2]

If they truly are uncoated aluminum, the easiest way to brighten them up with no elbow grease is to buy the wheel cleaner that is a mild acid. It will actually eat a layer of the aluminum off the rim and it will be silver but not shiny. This is the stuff that when you spray it on, the wheel starts sizzling, it's the same thing as lime-away.

It will probably take 15 minutes to find it, they have so many different cleaners. But it will be the one with the warnings not to use it on any wheel that has a coating on it. And it might list the mild acid in the ingredients. Or if your wife has some limeaway, you can use it too. Since they are so dirty, you might have to spray it on and then walk away from them for awhile to let it get through all the grime, and it may take several applications.

In the end they won't be shiny, but they won't be brown like they are now.

 

[hotshotidi]

red scotcht pad wd 40 then mothers mag polish works on my alcoa or get them acid cleaned powder coater should be able to do it

 

[79jasper]

Never hurts to try the mag polish.
Never dull works good also.

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[Shadetreemechanic]

So does the acid option first make the polish option later easier or harder? I am wondering if they will work together.

 

[hotshotidi]

Yes makes it easier but I'd get them reconditioned they'll acid wash then powder coat clear over or good ol elbow grease and red scotch pad wd40

 

[laserjock]

Mothers mag and aluminum is amazing stuff but it will take some work. Never tried the powerball.

 

[vandy7.3]

With wheels that dirty, the aluminum brightened/acid is your best choice to start with. Then when you see how it turns out you can decide if you want to polish them. But the mother's polish with the buff ball works well if you get them cleaned up first.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Just had someone come by and recommend wire brush topped with WD-40 to make it shine. That sounds like a used car lot trick that will be tough to buff out later. I am not leaning that route, but has anyone ever tried that?

 

[vandy7.3]

I do car detailing on the side at my shop and I've never heard of that before, and quite frankly I wouldn't recommend it

 

[Csm Davis]

What about the coated ones? I have some dually wheels tha the coating is coming off of. I thought about spinning them on the truck while on jack stands and using some wire brush or steel wool. Would a paint remover take the coating off? Then I could work on getting the scratches out and polishing them up.