How to save your aluminum or MAG wheels

[Dirk Diggler]

So when I bought my car it came with some Shelby Cal. 500 wheels. They were in pretty bad shape, so I went to town on them cleaning them up. I was impressed with the results, so I figured Id do a write up so some of you guys can try it if you need to.

 

What you need:

Industrial strength wheel acid. If you cant get industrial strength, dont bother buying the store brand stuff. Industrial strength wheel acid is strong enough that it will actually start to eat away at the aluminum, store bought stuff wont.

Wet sand paper, 1500 and 3000 grit.

Scratch remover/polish/compound.

Aluminum/MAG polish.

Drill, cordless or not.

Power Ball polishing ball.

 

Here is what I started with

 

 

If you are able to get your hands on industrial strength wheel cleaner, spray the wheels liberally with it. You will notice it start to foam up, this is the acid eating away at the aluminum. Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse off. Repeat a few times, at least 3. Next take your 1500 grit sand paper (works best if soaked in water for 15 minutes) and lightly sand any visual surface. After finished, repeat with the 3000 grit. After sanding you should have a smooth finish. Next, take your Power Ball and drill and apply a little scratch remover/polish to the wheel. Use the drill at full RPMS and polish away until you have no visibly sanding marks. Use a towel and remove all polish and rinse out your Power Ball. Repeat the polishing step with the Aluminum polish and you are done!

 

I didnt take any picures of the steps because they all look the same and are pretty boring.

 

The finished product

 

Unpolished and polished

[Pumpkn210]

Nice!

[jefe de jefes]

Thanks for sharing.

I used to use a product from eagle one for my wire wheels. It was a 2 step process. First was the acid step then a neutralizer. That ish made the wheels sparkle! I didn't use it much cause I feared it might work it's way down the spokes and eat up the seal inside for the spokes. They don't sell that particular product anymore.

[motavated]

Do you have the part number for the acid? I need to find who has it localy... Thanks!

[Dirk Diggler]

No one locally with have it. About 5 years ago they changed federal laws making the "over the counter" products much weaker. I get mine through a company called P&S, it is the wheel acid. You can Google P&S auto detailing and you can order off their website, id post a link but im on my phone.

[metalmonkey47]

I use the Eagle One mag cleaner ;) Works wonders for me. Nice right up by the way!!

[]2eDeYe]

IIRC it's hydrocloric acid?

[Dirk Diggler]

I'll have to try it out. I use Mothers, but it didn't work very well this time around.

[Laecaon]

I kinda like the dull/sandblasted look better...

 

nice writeup though!

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Ty for the writeup & pix. Ive restored a few sets of rims & ill add this. The more you sand with the correct grits of paper the better the rim will look in the end. On one of my sets i started out with 320 wet & worked up to 1000.

On the acid ?...you can use muriatic acid for the initial cleaning but use goggles & gloves & do it outside, that crap is intense!

[Nicholas7620]

Wow nice improvement. I use Mother's. Thanks for posting your "How to" :thumbup:

[SHAMUS'WAGON]

I use the Eagle One mag cleaner ;) Works wonders for me. Nice right up by the way!!

 

Ditto, Eagle One mag cleaner is the only thing that will get the brake dust, and oxidation off my wheels at the same time. I have a really cool wheel brush too. It's a lot like the PowerBall. Rinse with soapy water to make sure you get ALL of the wheel acid off.

[SHAMUS'WAGON]

I use the Eagle One mag cleaner ;) Works wonders for me. Nice right up by the way!!

 

Ditto, Eagle One mag cleaner is the only thing that will get the brake dust, and oxidation off my wheels at the same time. I have a really cool wheel brush too. It's a lot like the PowerBall. Rinse with soapy water to make sure you get ALL of the wheel acid off.

[Wide14u]

they came out nice

[Z-train]

[Dirk Diggler]

Those look awesome. Mine are way too far gone to get them like that, but the ones on my Chevy look like that

[510kevin]

Those look awesome. Mine are way too far gone to get them like that, but the ones on my Chevy look like that

 

 

 

trust me, they arent way too far gone, just need to get more agressive with the sandpaper. 1500 and 3000 arent gonna do shit when you have pits and scratches. i start with 400 and go up to 1000.

i dont use the powerball on wheels, just LIGHT steel whool with mothers, and then a tee shirt with mothers!

[Dirk Diggler]

The ones in that picture dont need sanding, but the slots on my Z do. They could probably be sanded down to get it all out, but I dont want to spend that much time doing them when I can pick up a set in good shape for cheap. I was sanding for about 3 hours on that wheel. I imagine it would take another 2 or 3 to get everything out, and I dont want to spend 20+ hours on some cheap old wheels