Florida Wheels,,, what to do?

[nswiley]

My Interstate has spent its life in Florida, wheels look bad and have not been well kept due to and to get too. Taking wheels off to change tires, any ideas on cleaning??

[hubcapsc]

20 or so minutes with 400 grit sandpaper followed by 1000 grit sandpaper (or 1200, whatever
I had), both wetted with wd40.



Some other folks have posted recently about the same, followed by even finer (1500?)
sandpaper, and then aluminum polish & one of those power wheels on a drill... theirs
were like mirrors...

-Mike

[salty1]

20 or so minutes with 400 grit sandpaper followed by 1000 grit sandpaper (or 1200, whatever
I had), both wetted with wd40.



Some other folks have posted recently about the same, followed by even finer (1500?)
sandpaper, and then aluminum polish & one of those power wheels on a drill... theirs
were like mirrors...

-Mike

Then follow up with some Mothers mag and aluminum polish. Use a mini power ball to buff them out. They will look better than new. 

[Chrisj CMA]

My Interstate has spent its life in Florida, wheels look bad and have not been well kept due to and to get too. Taking wheels off to change tires, any ideas on cleaning??

A picture would help........mine looked bad too (florida) but after close inspection, thee was no pitting and they cleaned up by hand with some good aluminum polish.  I initially used Boms Away and now just about any good aluminum product keeps them looking new.

[PAVALKER]

White Diamond used on a Mothers Mini Power Ball and a corded drill.

[Bagger John - #3785]

Head down to your local NAPA store or to Collinite's website and get yourself some "Metal Wax". Then, get a tin of Mother's Carnauba Wax and an empty wax tin. Mix half the Collinite with half of the Mother's in the empty tin and set aside.

Next, work on your wheels with progressively finer grits of emery and crocus cloth. I used plain ol' water to keep my abrasives from loading up when doing the '01 I/S's wheels. Started with 150, then 220...600, 1000 and lastly 1500 grit.

When they were smooth but not shiny I took the Metal Wax/Mother's combo to them. The stuff cuts like Hagerty's Metal Polish but IMO shines the wheels a bit more. This is a case where the sum is definitely greater than the parts, as the wheels come out looking almost like chrome - even with a hand application of the compound - and one treatment lasts several months.

I used to call the blend "Peer Pressure In A Can". That is, when I did a little spot on someone's dirty, neglected rims they felt 'obligated' to finish the job lest they get a good heckling. 

[Tundra]

I wouldn't blame it on Florida. Aluminum and 16 year old aluminum need to be maintained regardless. The Florida Valkyries I've seen are spotless and there's quite a few of them. They are all well ridden high mileage Valkyries. It just takes a little elbow grease. I wet sanded mine, buffed and final polish/shine with White Diamonds. I hit them once a year with White Diamond and a rag by hand to keep them looking like new...This wheel was installed last year due to a damaged wheel and slipping race on mine, and it looked like yours when I got it.