# HELP with polishing aluminum wheels!!



## Browning01 (Jun 2, 2009)

I am getting really frustrated, I have a set of aluminum wheels that I have been trying to polish.  They look a lot better than they did when I got the but I cant get them to shine like I want.  I have been through almost a whole can of Never DUll as well as mothers aluminum wheel polish with steel wool, polishing cloths etc.  My main issue is this: whenever I use the mothers or never dull it dries before I can buff it off, leaving the wheel even worse looking.  Is there anything that works well?  I just cant get all of the black stuff off when I rub them, it never ends and the black stuff also dries before I can wipe it off.  If I use water to mositen it, the wheels just get the faded grey look even worse, and that is what I'm trying to get off.  Some help would be great!  Thanks


----------



## hawgrider1200 (Jun 2, 2009)

I once knew some old boys that used fine grit valve lapping compound to polish aluminum. They could make it shine like chrome. They'd put it on a polishing disc and rub it out with a drill motor. Then they might finish it off with some Mother's.


----------



## Duramax (Jun 3, 2009)

Use the power ball, or find you some wenol.  The black "stuff" you see is the impurities and dirt so to speak that you are buffing off the metal.  This is supposed to happen.  You have to get the black "stuff" off in order for them to shine.  Just keep wiping rubbing and always use a clean spot on your cloth when rubbing the black off.


----------



## mike bell (Jun 9, 2009)

We polish 6061 T6 aluminum everyday.  If you want the black grime off....one word  WD-40!!


----------



## GoldDot40 (Jun 9, 2009)

hawgrider1200 said:


> I once knew some old boys that used fine grit valve lapping compound to polish aluminum. They could make it shine like chrome. They'd put it on a polishing disc and rub it out with a drill motor. Then they might finish it off with some Mother's.



Yep, got a cousin that is known around his town for polishing aluminum. He sometimes uses sand paper to wet sand the wheels to get them ultra smooth. He always used a little water when buffing with Mothers. You might be just using a little too much. It doesn't take but a little 'dab' to do a fairly good area. Rub like crazy until the 'paste' can no longer be seen. You should be able to buff the residue off with a good clean terry cloth.

Oh yeah, he said it gets the best results by turning an old (but clean/soft) sock inside out to use to do the 'elbow grease' part of polishing. I've also seen him use regular dish detergent/water mix to wash off the excess black stuff.


----------



## hoochfisher (Jun 16, 2009)

x2 on the mothers powerball!


----------



## cook (Jun 17, 2009)

some of those aluminum wheels have clear coat's
that faded gray might be some scratched up clear coat
just a thought


----------



## christy (Jun 17, 2009)

Mothers works great but I have quite a few customers that prefer white lightning acid based cleaner you can find it at napa. Its made by a company named hunter sales. I have never used it myself but several of my customers swear by it.


----------



## Wiskey_33 (Jun 17, 2009)

My dad collects old cars and used Mothers Aluminum polish with the PowerBall. Seems to work well for him.


----------



## hammerz71 (Jun 20, 2009)

I've tried them all and the best I've found is Flitz!  It only takes a dab and light buffing to bring back the most oxidized aluminum to look like new.  
I was amazed when a buddy of mine with a Harley had me use some on my badly oxidized aluminum wheels after trying products from Mother's, Maguire's and just about everything else.

http://www.flitz.com/p-16-flitz-polish-paste.aspx


----------



## andrew_dial (Jun 20, 2009)

power ball with a high speed drill. takes about 10 minutes per wheel


----------



## Georgiadawgs78 (Jun 21, 2009)

Man i have had the same problem to i ran into a friend of mine that has stumpled on some stuff that comes out of south ga i belive he has a buddy that drives trucks so every so often he gets him to bring him some. I cant think of the name of it right now but I will post back on here when I look at it.  My jeep has aluminum weld racing wheels and it works wonders believe me.


----------



## Georgiadawgs78 (Jun 25, 2009)

Speedy all metal polish is what the name is. This is the best stuff that i have found. Works better than the stuff ive found at autozone, walmart, and places like that in my opinion


----------



## murf (Jun 26, 2009)

Me to for flitz.
Also glass wax in the pink can when your done will help seal them. Glass wax is also an excellent chrome polish.


----------

