Wheel Re-Polished
04-15-2009, 01:23 PM
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Wheel Re-Polished
So i just had the lip on one of my GT-S re-polished. Annodizing has been stripped and just bare Aluminium is left.
These guys have done another wheel for me previously but I'm dissapointed in this one. If you look at it in the light it looks slightly hazed from fine scratches. They tell me this is normal but I think not.
I should be able to achieve a pretty perfect mirror finish polish should I not. Anyone that knows Aluminium care to chime in?
Cheers guys.
These guys have done another wheel for me previously but I'm dissapointed in this one. If you look at it in the light it looks slightly hazed from fine scratches. They tell me this is normal but I think not.
I should be able to achieve a pretty perfect mirror finish polish should I not. Anyone that knows Aluminium care to chime in?
Cheers guys.
04-15-2009, 02:41 PM
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Bit hard to get pics of it.. But i will try again..
In the mean time for anyone that knows aluminium wheels. Should you not be able to get a perfect shine without hazing/scratches?
In the mean time for anyone that knows aluminium wheels. Should you not be able to get a perfect shine without hazing/scratches?
04-15-2009, 07:02 PM
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My JLines have a bare aluminum lip too. When I polish them, they have a mirror finish. It does take some work to keep up with it though. Luckily for me, I don't drive it daily even though it is my DD. 
However, without seeing your rim, it is hard to compare. You may want to go buy some aluminum polish and give it a whirl. See if it doesn't get rid of the haze.
However, without seeing your rim, it is hard to compare. You may want to go buy some aluminum polish and give it a whirl. See if it doesn't get rid of the haze.
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04-15-2009, 07:04 PM
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My JLines have a bare aluminum lip too. When I polish them, they have a mirror finish. It does take some work to keep up with it though. Luckily for me, I don't drive it daily even though it is my DD. However, without seeing your rim, it is hard to compare. You may want to go buy some aluminum polish and give it a whirl. See if it doesn't get rid of the haze.
However, without seeing your rim, it is hard to compare. You may want to go buy some aluminum polish and give it a whirl. See if it doesn't get rid of the haze.
04-15-2009, 07:16 PM
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i got mad water stains on mine...ehh they are getting worse by the day. I paid a guy to polish them before, he used buffing discs ,left them new!..... but he wants the bare rims without the tire...i cant really afford doing all that...what compound do you recommend?
04-15-2009, 07:38 PM
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Yeah, I had water spots/stains on mine too. It just took some work and patience to get them right. Definitely do it where you have time to polish more than once if they haven't been polished in a while. I use and recomend Meguiars Hot Rims Mag and Aluminum Polish.
Last edited by the7thsin; 04-15-2009 at 07:41 PM.
04-15-2009, 07:48 PM
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Now one thing I never got clear...when you polish, the cloth is supposed to get black with all the black residue right? Are you suppose to keep using it, or keep getting new cloths. I’ve heard many stories about this…
04-16-2009, 04:35 AM
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Your buy far the most useless member on these boards as far as I'm concerned. All your posts resemble this.
It is hard to catch on film. Doesn't show well at all. My question was to anyone that know's metals. Is aluminium the type of metal that will always show some fine imperpections and can it be a mirror perfect aka perfect.
It is hard to catch on film. Doesn't show well at all. My question was to anyone that know's metals. Is aluminium the type of metal that will always show some fine imperpections and can it be a mirror perfect aka perfect.
04-16-2009, 04:42 AM
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i've got the same rims as u and the previous owner took no care of them at all, i need to go get them refinished so i can take care of them like you guys
04-16-2009, 06:52 AM
#15
Yes, you can sand/polish the bare aluminum until it basically looks like chrome.
From what you've described, it sounds like you should use a high-grit wetsand to get rid of the light scratches.
When polishing aluminum, it's a matter of using increasing grit. Let's say you're starting out on unfinished (grey and textured) aluminum.
Sand with 60 grit to really destroy it
Wash with soap and water to get the debris off
Sand with 120 grit
Soap and water
Sand with 400 grit
Soap and water
mothers polish
sand with 600 grit
soap and water
mothers polish
etc
etc
etc
.... until you are wetsanding with a 2000 grit. By that time you should not be seeing "Streaks" or "scratches" in the aluminum. The metal polish is the key- using that and a buffer will turn that aluminum into a mirror.
Once you get them picture-perfect, you can either wax them really good or clear them professionally to make sure you don't have to polish them again. Chances are once you're done that wheel will look amazing and the other three will look dull by comparison and you'll eventually need to do the same to those.
From what you've described, it sounds like you should use a high-grit wetsand to get rid of the light scratches.
When polishing aluminum, it's a matter of using increasing grit. Let's say you're starting out on unfinished (grey and textured) aluminum.
Sand with 60 grit to really destroy it
Wash with soap and water to get the debris off
Sand with 120 grit
Soap and water
Sand with 400 grit
Soap and water
mothers polish
sand with 600 grit
soap and water
mothers polish
etc
etc
etc
.... until you are wetsanding with a 2000 grit. By that time you should not be seeing "Streaks" or "scratches" in the aluminum. The metal polish is the key- using that and a buffer will turn that aluminum into a mirror.
Once you get them picture-perfect, you can either wax them really good or clear them professionally to make sure you don't have to polish them again. Chances are once you're done that wheel will look amazing and the other three will look dull by comparison and you'll eventually need to do the same to those.
04-16-2009, 02:25 PM
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From what I understand, you can continue to use the "black" cloth as you polish. The black residue acts as a slight polisher as well (since it is the polish combined with the oxidation it is removing). You'll want to use a clean cloth for removing the polish and buffing. After the cloth starts to turn black as well, you should move on to a new cloth and keep repeating until the cloth comes away clean.
04-16-2009, 05:13 PM
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From what I understand, you can continue to use the "black" cloth as you polish. The black residue acts as a slight polisher as well (since it is the polish combined with the oxidation it is removing). You'll want to use a clean cloth for removing the polish and buffing. After the cloth starts to turn black as well, you should move on to a new cloth and keep repeating until the cloth comes away clean.
