Removing swirls from polished lip on nice rims? Help please, master gurus!

M

Mitchubishievo

New member
Update: Lips ARE coated...so what will my process be? Same as regular paint? Spot pads and polishes?



Good day sirs and madames,



I'm about to purchase a set of Volk Racing LE-28N wheels in quite pristine condition from a forum member for my Evo, and only one thing needs attention on those wheels: the lip.



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It's polished, but like many polished lips, has developed swirling from washing and an un-autopian cleaning regimen :chuckle: .



My questions are: what products do I need, what process do I take, and what can I expect?



The products related to metal that I currently have are: Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish, NXT All Metal Polysh, and English Custom Metal Polish (forgot which one exactly). I have the PC and spot buffs, but I'm sure this can be done another way? Do I have to wetsand? Do I use normal polishes like Menzerna IP and FPII?



Rims will be here next week and I need a plan of attack before I rush butt first into things.



Thanks in advance,

Mitch
 

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I would guess you could start with regular polishes to start and see where that gets you. I was reading some past post and that English Custom Metal Polish sounds like good stuff. Since my wheels on my LSX are half aluminum and painted I just use the same polishes as I do for my paint. For my chrome wheels(on the Cobra) I use Mothers Chrome Polish.
 
If the wheel rim lips are uncoated (hard to tell from the pics), your best method is going to be using a cotton buffing wheel drill attachment (found at most hardware stores) and start with a medium polish like the English Custom Polish.



You can polish these quite effectively with the buffing wheel and bring to a higher level with the NXT Metal Polysh.



The quick way to tell if they are clear coated or not is to take some metal polish and a rag and apply to a section of the lip. If rubbing turns the rag black from oxides, they are not clear coated and you would treat the clear coated wheels similar to painted sheet metal.



Here's what the end result of wheel buffing + NXT polish does.



Team3Wheels.jpg




Holler at us when you get them.



Totoland Mach
 
Totoland Mach said:
If the wheel rim lips are uncoated (hard to tell from the pics), your best method is going to be using a cotton buffing wheel drill attachment (found at most hardware stores) and start with a medium polish like the English Custom Polish.



You can polish these quite effectively with the buffing wheel and bring to a higher level with the NXT Metal Polysh.



The quick way to tell if they are clear coated or not is to take some metal polish and a rag and apply to a section of the lip. If rubbing turns the rag black from oxides, they are not clear coated and you would treat the clear coated wheels similar to painted sheet metal.



Here's what the end result of wheel buffing + NXT polish does.



Team3Wheels.jpg




Holler at us when you get them.



Totoland Mach
Click to expand...



Ahh........I love seeing that blue and green together. Simply some of the best products there is out........NXT that is.



Nice wheels Toto!
 
If you find out if the polished lip part is bare metal or clearcoated, please let me know since I have the same wheels and it too could use some polishing.
 
Totoland Mach said:
If the wheel rim lips are uncoated (hard to tell from the pics), your best method is going to be using a cotton buffing wheel drill attachment (found at most hardware stores) and start with a medium polish like the English Custom Polish.
Click to expand...



Pics of said buffing wheel? I would like to know how you can get in between the spokes as well...
 
RyanDe680 said:
Pics of said buffing wheel? I would like to know how you can get in between the spokes as well...
Click to expand...



Ryan: I don't have pics of the buffing wheel, but you'll see them in places like Menard's or Ace Hardware in the drill section. Usually they are 3" diameter cotton wheels with a 3" shaft (or without a shaft if you already have one).



Look in the drill section of most any hardware store.



Toto
 
Unless someone else has removed the coating they should be coated. To my knowledge, Volk doesn't sell wheels that aren't coated. A simple test would be to take some metal polish and rub it in. If it turns black then you don't have a coating.
 
Totoland Mach said:
Ryan: I don't have pics of the buffing wheel, but you'll see them in places like Menard's or Ace Hardware in the drill section. Usually they are 3" diameter cotton wheels with a 3" shaft (or without a shaft if you already have one).



Look in the drill section of most any hardware store.



Toto
Click to expand...



Thank you!
 
SpoiledMan said:
Unless someone else has removed the coating they should be coated. To my knowledge, Volk doesn't sell wheels that aren't coated. A simple test would be to take some metal polish and rub it in. If it turns black then you don't have a coating.
Click to expand...



Yes, I was also under the impression that all Rays/Volks were clear coated.
 
Update, rims are in fact coated. I washed them and went to town with NXT metal Polish on the rim...ALOT oo crap came off, but now I have some pits and light scratches/marring on there left...do I proceed as if it was normal paint? Spot pads and menzerna?
 
You shouldn't use a metal polish on a coated wheel, it's much too aggressive.



Just do the same things you would do to your cars clearcoat.
 
Okay, just got back from claying and doing a pass with IP on a spot pad. Pad is almost dead, and the coating looks alot glossier, but I've still got heavy scratches here and there and some pits/nicks. Should I resort to some wetsanding? Anyone know how far I can go?
 
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