Strongest wheel cleaner for NON coated wheels?

B

bigcat39

New member
I have a set of very neglected uncoated aluminum wheels on my Z06, polished aluminum. As a last ditch effort before replacing the wheels (at least the fronts) what product could I try? Diluted Meg's Wheel Brightner? I know I'm going to have to polish the wheels with abrasives.

The filth on these wheels LAUGHED @ P21S gel and a 2 hour dwell time....

Looking for a miracle here....

Thanks in advance
 
Your gonna have to polish them, they will look like new. Just a cleaner and elbow greese wont do it



Here is an example of what i did with VERY neglected polished aluminum wheels.

rimbefore.jpg




rimafter.jpg






Used a powerball mini and mothers aluminum polish. I didnt try to get them perfect but easily could have.
 
Let me be the first to say...:showpics

Now, I had some sorely neglected aluminum wheels (backside wheels and tires totally black. It wasn't until I started cleaning that I found that the tires had whitewalls! Anyhow, a good degreaser with perhaps a nylon bug scrubber sponge might be a place to start. Good Luck!
 
Tried that. I just wore out a powerball. I gotta get this black crap off first. These are track wheels, and VERY agressive StopTech brake pads.
 
I'll post pics tonite. But I would like to order product today too.

I had some luck with P21S and a 3M pad. 0000 steel wool? No luck.

I'm going to use rouge and felt polishing bobs to get the shine back.... but I'd rather polish metal than brake dust
 
If none of what you tried has worked then i have no idea how you will remove that stuff with any product.
 
Did you have the wheels polished or is Chevrolet delivering cars with uncoated wheels from the factory :think:



Coupe said:
Your gonna have to polish them,
Click to expand...



Yeah, I'm thinkin' this is the proper solution. Using a wheel cleaner isn't likely to help with the recovery effort (hard to gage without fotos). Don't use Meg's Wheel Brightener...it is not suitable.



I suspect you're going to have to spend the afternoon polishing and then be very diligent about cleaning them weekly so you don't have a massive polishing/cleaning project again. Soap and water might be adequate for frequent cleaning. I'd use extreme caution with any wheel cleaner.
 
tom p. said:
Did you have the wheels polished or is Chevrolet delivering cars with uncoated wheels from the factory :think:







Yeah, I'm thinkin' this is the proper solution. Using a wheel cleaner isn't likely to help with the recovery effort (hard to gage without fotos). Don't use Meg's Wheel Brightener...it is not suitable.



I suspect you're going to have to spend the afternoon polishing and then be very diligent about cleaning them weekly so you don't have a massive polishing/cleaning project again. Soap and water might be adequate for frequent cleaning. I'd use extreme caution with any wheel cleaner.
Click to expand...





Only problem that i see though is if the PBM and aluminum polish didnt work then i dont know what will becuase the PBM is VERY aggresive especially if used at a high RPM.
 
No, these are aftermarket wheels, bought for their light weight. <sigh> Oh well, I forsee MANY hours with a die grinder and felt wheels and bobs

Thanks again, all

BTW, 2wheels will be about $250 - $300
 
I'd try claying..perhaps even an agressive clay



Also curious if something like Acetone, WD40, Mineral Spirits or Paint Thinner would work



I don't see why he couldn't use Meg's Wheel Brightener if he's going to have to polish them anyways.



Just thinking out loud..
 
The most powerful and effective wheel cleaner I've ever used is the European version of 1Z Felgen Reiniger ("wheel cleaner"); it's acid-based and is fantastic (but you'd have to order it from a dealer outside the U.S.) The U.S. version is alkaline, and much milder.
 
If it was me and I owned a Z06, I would buy 2 now and the other 2 in a few months.



My guess is that you will ruin the wheels by using harsh methods. My opinion.
 
If you get another set, get the stock Z06 wheels. They are very light and IMO stronger then an aftermarket wheel. Best part is they are clearcoated.
 
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