New Wheels, Alum cleaning? & Tire ?

[JBrobeck]

I just got a set of used wheels for DIRT cheap, A.R. Baja 172's (gotta love family deals!) But as I am cleaning them up, I am having a hard time getting the discoloration out. All of the Dirt comes off and they feel really smoothe but there is a definate spottyness to them, kinda like water spots that I cant get out, these are Non clearcoated aluminum rims, any suggestions on how to clean them good? I have used #0000 steel wool and tried a little NOXON metal polish with no luck.......
Next question is that I need to wrap some rubber round these wheels now, I am at stock height but will be lifting this spring, I guess I must ask if it will be wise for me to just go 31X10.5 for the time being with a 3"BB? I do more snow wheeling, light trails/woods and stuff than rock crawling, If you have this set up, how do you like it, and what would you change? oh yeah, I am also ordering some bushwackers for it this spring when the lift and wheels go on....

By the way........ ROCKS

 

[egon]

I have a set of 589s (generic Alcoa style rim like yours) and use this stuff called DeNova Shine (www.denovashine.com). This stuff works great, it should take out those spots.

--Matt

 

[JBrobeck]

That looks like some good stuff, If that doesnt work, I guess I'll have to break out the polishing tips and wheels and get to work with the Dremel!

 

[JJ13]

Those spots are caused by using a cleaner that is too caustic for bare aluminum rims (armor all quicksilver, or Super clean comes to mind). The only way to get them out is to polish the wheels as those white spots are actually etched in the wheel. When I was polishing for cash I used to hate seeing wheels like that, they are a lot of work. Your best bet for cleaning them up is a cotton wheel (sears sells small ones in a kit with rouge) and a die grinder. I preffered electric die grinders as they have more power than air. A dremel will work but may take 42 years. Use the black rouge on the cotton wheel. Once you get the wheels polished hit them with Pledge and wipe em clean with a rag every time you wash your rig (takes 30 secs and saves you hours of work with the Mothers polish). B.T.W. Never use steel wool on anything aluminum, chrome, or stainless steel as it carbonizes the metal (leaves carbon deposits in the pores of whatever you are polishing). This will cause it to rust fairly quick. They do make stainless steel wool, but it is sometimes hard to find, and doesn't work as good as regular steel wool.


Happy polishing