Re-finishing Solid Aluminum Wheels

Use a fine sandpaper to remove any paint clear coat.
I used mother’s aluminum polish and a scotch brite to clean then used the mother’s with a powerball on a drill. These have became my winters the oxidation can be held at bay with a good sealer.

The reddish color is from a rug I think.

 

Cool. Projects like this can be fun. Start small and go from there.

 

Just bought an '18. Took my '07 to a detail shop (Ford dealer no-less) to prepare it for sale. They used an acid cleaner on the OEM alloy SR5 wheels.
They turned out like new...Really great. Maybe stop at a detail shop and see if they will clean them for you....Bet the cost would be pretty reasonable as well....

 

Very nice. I've been hearing it isn't too hard to clean these things up. Been looking at homemade options as well.

 

I'm pretty excited to get started!

 

WOW. This is why I think I won't have a problem making these things shine again!

 

That's what I've been hearing! I'm wondering what the shipping to Hawaii would be like though

 

The sue will be getting any old clear coat off. That won't polish off, at least not easily. I'd bet if there is clear on them, somewhere it has cracked and there is corrosion going on under the clear. Or this, you'll need to media blast them with something like walnut shells. Anything too hard will eat into the metal and require more polishing.

As for polishing.... depending on how shiny you want them, be prepared to spend days doing it, especially with a drill. I'd personally pay a shop to polish and clear the, if that's the look you want. Could also have a decent powder coater coat them with a chrome like high temp coating... mine does this and it's very durable and shiny without all the aluminum headaches.

 

I'm going to go the route of doing t myself first. Like I told another guy, I have all the time in the world and was really looking for a new project to work with metal polishing, and don't have any plans to put tires on these until the end of the year.

 

those don't have a clear coat on them, it is raw alum.. you can get them shining with some work, but keeping them that way is another story.
I started with a metal finishing pad (like scotch brite) and heavy cutting compound, and work to finer compounds they will get mirror polished..

 

Thoughts??

 

INSMA 2" Quick Change Discs 30Pcs Sanding Discs 1Pcs 1/4'' Holder, Surface Conditioning Discs, for Die Grinder Surface Prep Strip Grind Polish Finish Burr Rust Paint Removal

https://www.amazon.com/INSMA-Quick-...21425501&sr=8-10&keywords=metal+finishing+pad

 

This is OP's best cheap option. I have done the same. Didn't look like brand new but much better. The fine sandpaper helped get the deep corrosion I had off.

 

Did you take a look at my last two pictures? Will those raised bumps be like rust where if I sand it down it'll create divots and uneven areas?

 

Should not be any rust, the surface may not come out perfectly smooth depending on how much time and effort you put in.
They are aluminum and aluminum is very workable. It is pretty easy to remove material so being to aggressive will leave more finishing work. Also being to aggressive will change the lines/shape. Mother’s makes a cone shaped polisher that may work well in the holes. My wheels are actually pretty easy not a lot of tight spots. And they are actually easy to maintain with no worries about scratch’s or clear coat peeling.
Just hit the car wash 4 months of Vt winter salt.

 

I think I might pass on buying them. A lot of work to make them look very good with all the bolt heads on the outside and some deep corrosion.

 

Those look pretty heavily oxidized. Does the decorative bead lock ring remove? If you can't get that ring off, it will be a hassle to try to clean up around the bolt heads. There is a substantial amount of work to bring those back. Not impossible, but I am in the camp of it being more work than what it is worth.

 

I am the same type of person you are, I found a cheap set of rims that needed a little elbow grease and in the end I was left with a great set of extra rims!

Like you said, you have nothing but time, so with the right sandpapers/scotch pad and compounds you will eventually reach a level of clean/shine that you will be proud of and bam, only cost a few extra dollars.

 

You should be able to clean those up. Especially for $100 and because you have access to a media blaster.