Polishing aluminum wheels, and original paint. What to use?

I

imported_animes2k

New member
So I'm picking up this bad boy later this week and I wanted to know what I could do to these bare aluminum wheels to polish them up really well. I was look at the Flitz polish, with the drill attachments, but am open to ideas.



As well, this is factory original paint (about 13 years old, Mexican model) and I think it's probably base/clear, but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or experience with one of these before I started testing myself.



Thanks!



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It's been through a few previous owners. The title says 1970 VW, so I just had to have it transferred. I believe the chassis is a 1970, while everything around it is modern. Fuel injection, hydraulic lifters, A/C, catalytic converter, disc brakes, decent seats, transponder ignition cutoff, 'security system' lock in the fender. ~42k miles/68k km.



FWIW, I tried cleaning up the wheels with Sonax, and with Meg's consumer Hot Rims Aluminum and they didn't make much of a dent.



I hit them today with the Flitz Aluminum Pre-Clean and holy crap that stuff took EVERYTHING off. Glad I was wearing long sleeves, rubber gloves and goggles, tho. I did part of a wheel by hand with the Flitz polish after that and it started to come up REALLY nicely. I also got new shoes on there, as the originals were total junk and scary to drive.



I'll get some after pics later - this is before the Flitz Pre-Clean.



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A full detail is in order. Clay, polish, seal/wax, Z12 the glass... It certainly needs it!



I also tried the Meg's cone system. Totally unimpressed. The smaller Flitz ball did OKAY, but honestly, I'm getting the best results by hand. I do like the Flitz polish with a paper towel, though. Does the job nicely.
 
Ok, quick update.



Here's where we started - that's not just dirt, that's baked-in crud:

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This is what they looked like after the Pre-Clean:

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And a wash:

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A pass with the Flitz Ball:

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My only complaint is that the ball (even the smaller/motorcycle one which fits into the lug recesses nicely) is hard to get into the detail areas.



To get them fully polished up still requires a good bit of hand work.
 
Wow, that's a hell of a job on the rims.



FWIW the only Megs hot rims that works really good for me is the chrome. The aluminum one doesnt do much.



I have aluminum rims on my truck, looks like I'm gonna have to pick up some flitz!
 
Brownbob: I was hesitant, but man does that stuff do the job! The polish itself is as good as anything else, maybe a bit better. But the Pre-Clean worked wonders. Wear full protection as it's some nasty stuff. Now I have to figure out what to protect them with. I threw some #16 on the rear wheel.



Thanks, Thomas! I finally started polishing yesterday and this is definitely going to be challenging, thanks to all the curves, protruding parts, and tight areas. I was making pretty good progress with the Flex, Meg's MF polishing pad and the Meg's cinnamon-scented Correction Compound. Finished down quite nicely and cut enough to take care of those nasty swirls. A couple of areas needed more than one pass, but even most of the deeper looking scratches came up well.



Unfortunately, I only got the passenger side done. I'll have to attack the rest at some other time, ideally before this weekend, as the BugOut is happening on Sunday!
 
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