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bringing back abused rims

Discussion in 'Detailing' started by White 96GT, Apr 4, 2007.

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  1. Apr 4, 2007 #1
    White 96GT

    White 96GT Member

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    I have some polished aluminum saleens than just went though their first winter. Yes their pitted and look like shit. But i buffed them down with a sos pad like a local hotroder told me to. now I need to know how to get them really clean before re polishing them. I was thinking about some kinda powerful house hold cleaner, then polishing the crap out of them with my powerball and some mothers wheel polish then sealing them. So anyway how do I clean them up really good? SIMPLE GREEN, CLR, dishsoap what?

    They are off the car for a while now intell I bring them back to life So I'm not in a real big hurry.
     
  2. Apr 4, 2007 #2
    97blackgt

    97blackgt Well-Known Member

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    i got saleens and im wondering the same thing? :dunno:
     
  3. Apr 5, 2007 #3
    95Boss

    95Boss Active Member

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    How about a pressure washer? Not a heavy duty industrial one (could cause damage); just the regular kind you get at Home Depot.
     
  4. Apr 5, 2007 #4
    Dalamar

    Dalamar Legend Retired Staff SN95 Supporter

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    Flitz and a lot of hand polishing!

    you really need to keep those kind of wheels coated with something.
    filtz is good, there's other kinds of acrilic based coatings you can use also.
     
  5. Apr 5, 2007 #5
    97blackgt

    97blackgt Well-Known Member

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    would something like mother polish be used to clean, or is it also a protectant like flitz?
     
  6. Apr 5, 2007 #6
    Dalamar

    Dalamar Legend Retired Staff SN95 Supporter

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    well any polish will help, the Flits is a great polish - I like it, and Alitl8 loves it too.
    any polish takes elbow grease on metals, I'd use the Flitz to bring back the shine.

    once there, you could coat it with a wheel sealant, they're much easier to apply.
     
  7. Apr 5, 2007 #7
    97blackgt

    97blackgt Well-Known Member

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    what would be a good name brand sealent to use?
     
  8. Apr 5, 2007 #8
    Dalamar

    Dalamar Legend Retired Staff SN95 Supporter

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    I like the Klasse acrilic based sealer
     
  9. Apr 5, 2007 #9
    White 96GT

    White 96GT Member

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    what would be something kinda aggressive to use first though? I doubt I can buff it all out in one step I'm thinking like sos pad it then some heavy duty cleaner, then polish up, then seal. Don't worry after I'm done with all four of these wheels I promise I'm gona seal the crap outa them!
     
  10. Apr 6, 2007 #10
    ALITL8

    ALITL8 Well-Known Member

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    simple green will work great for cleaning them up, then Flitz, then a sealer if you feel the need... Flitz cleans, polishes and "protects" for up to 6 months.
     
  11. Apr 7, 2007 #11
    White 96GT

    White 96GT Member

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    thanks a bunch. I'm going to do that as soon as it warms back up. IT actully snowed very lightly here in Iowa today. You had to be watching for it but it did snow. Todays high was 40 and that only lasted like 2-3 hours.
     
  12. Apr 7, 2007 #12
    97blackgt

    97blackgt Well-Known Member

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    hey if u think u have it rough u should come to upstate NY...

    we have snow on the ground right now :rant:

    i cant wait to get out and polish up my rims
     
  13. Apr 11, 2007 #13
    White 96GT

    White 96GT Member

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    Don't you have a garage? I do but its full of weight equipment. and my dads harley. WHICH IS TOTALY :eek:utofcloset:! My mustang should be in thier! That way I could polish, wax, detail, all night long! oh how nice it would be to have that mustang in town thats always so amazingly detailed. And have everyone wondering how you keep it so clean!
     
  14. Apr 23, 2007 #14
    916_5.0

    916_5.0 Active Member

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    I would say use flitz as well that stuff works awesome.
     
  15. May 27, 2007 #15
    White 96GT

    White 96GT Member

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    I just know remembered this post. So heres a breif of what I ended up doing. I used my drimel with a wire brush head to clean the wheels then used the polishing tip to bring back the shine and I'm working on polishing them up the rest of the way buy hand and then I'm sealing them.
     
  16. Jun 15, 2007 #16
    elcapitan1987

    elcapitan1987 New Member

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    I have some Chrome rims that were used in the winter and the Salt ate away at them. How can I bring these rims back?
     
  17. Jun 16, 2007 #17
    White 96GT

    White 96GT Member

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    is the chrome flaking? or are they just dirty? If just dirty then you can use chrome polish if flaking then their ruined I think?
     
  18. Jun 17, 2007 #18
    elcapitan1987

    elcapitan1987 New Member

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    The chrome is flaking and I know they are ruined. I guess I can sand off the rest of the chrome and then powdercoat them white or something? or can I polish them???
     
  19. Jun 26, 2007 #19
    9psi 98

    9psi 98 Active Member

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    Get them smooth and get them powdercoated "almost chrome" that's about the best option for the guy that had the winter trashed Saleen's. The chrome rims can be stripped and then rechromed. Don't worry about getting rid of the chrome that is flaking off, the chromer will strip them in an acid bath.
     
  20. Jun 27, 2007 #20
    elcapitan1987

    elcapitan1987 New Member

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    Mine are replicas that came on the car. So I don't think it will be worth getting them rechromed. I'll attach photos as soon as I find my cameras usb cable.
     
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