How to Polish and Buff Aluminum Wheels to Chrome Mirror Finish
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- Опубликовано: 26 окт 2014
- Here is a simple technique on how to polish and buff aluminum to look like chrome. This procedure works well on alloy truck rims too. However this procedure does take some patience and time to the glossy mirror finish of chrome. One of the main things to keep in mind when you are polishing aluminum is that the smoother you get the aluminum, the more mirror-like it will be when you are finished.
How to Polish Aluminum Wheels to a Chrome Mirror Finish, this procedure can also be used to for polishing stainless steel, alloy fuel tanks and Alcoa truck rims.
Here is Step-by-Step Instructions:
First wash the aluminum using a detergent. We use a heavy-duty truck-wash, such as Chemtech’s Super Blue RL18 or CT18, mixed at a ratio of 1-part truck-wash to 16-parts water. On some of the more heavily stained wheels we also use degreaser to remove grease, brake-dust and bitumen. This will remove any debris, which makes polishing the aluminum easier. Allow it to dry completely. We also use household kerosene to remove the stubborn bitumen that sticks to the rim.
Check the aluminum for anodizing or oxidation. This is a substance that makes aluminum look brushed.
Some people suggest using regular oven cleaner to remove the anodizing. Here is one method, spray the oven cleaner on the aluminum and leave it alone for 10-15 minutes (less time if the aluminum is thin). Wipe the anodized areas with the towel using a circular swirling motion to remove the oven cleaner. When the anodizing is removed, the area will look very bad. This is normal. Rinse the aluminum with clean water, then dry the area. We don’t use oven-cleaner because it is pretty toxic.
We prefer to use Chemtech’s Blitz or California Custom’s Aluminum Deoxidizer, which gets rid of oxidation and stains quickly, easily and safely.
Today on these old Pontiac rims, we are using regular steel wool with soapy water to prepare the surface for polishing.
However in some cases you may find you’ll need to sand the aluminum. Depending on the condition start with a 320 grit sand paper. Wet the sand paper and the aluminum and begin sanding. This is called wet sanding. Take your time and make sure that you sand the entire surface. Continue sanding using the same method with sand paper of finer grits. For example, use 400 grit, then 600 grit followed by 800 grit, then 1200 grit and finally 2000 grit. With each new grit, you should remove all the marks from the previous grit. By the time you get to the 2000 grit, the aluminum will be very smooth, remember the smoother the finish the better the mirror effect will be.
There are a number of products on the market that can be used in the final buffing process. Today we are going for a simple polish and using SCA Cleaning and Polishing Kit from Supercheap Auto - the kit contains everything you need to remove abrasions, shine-up and return your precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum to their former glory. Great for applications such as jewellery restoration amongst other related uses.
You can also use Autosol Metal Polish with a Mothers PowerBall Mini fitted in an electric drill. We suggest to just dab the Autosol sparingly around the rim then using a slow to medium speed on the drill gently buff the surface. It will turn black, but don’t be alarmed keep buffing and before long you will see the mirror like shine.
We also use California Custom’s Purple Polish to maintain the shine every month or so. 
Авто/Мото
i havent tried the techniques yet, but bonus points to this dude for his awesome aussie accent and use of aussie slang.
Mother's aluminum polish has always done the job for me.
Mate. Great video very informative and step by step. Just brought a set of dragway pro wheels for my lx torana. A couple hours elbow grease and they should be shining like a star. Bewdy.
Nice T/A wheels, great job.
I like to occupy myself on dark winter's nights. For the ultimate MIRROR finish, and I am talking about total perfection, (you need dexterity, patience, lots of time, beer, etc) Wear reading glasses, and have really strong light. Use sandpaper to remove all imperfections, casting marks, etc, with 240 grit wet and dry, then move to 400, etc, until all scratches have gone from previous grade, then buff like hell with salvol autosol, if you really REALLY want to be super-cool. Expect to take a month to do a motorcycle rear wheel by hand, and you get the best finish ever. Machine mops are ok, but I see imperfections with them. I guess it depends on your level of being, and whoever out there wants to arbitrarily judge your intellect/understanding/knowledge/wisdom/character/motivation/dedication/mental condition, based on whatever pre-supposition/assumption/notion, or whatever they project.
I like shiny things.
Most talk
Most talk
great video , I just bought some old hot-wires and now i know what to do, thanks heaps
Cheers mate. I did the opposite and bought the kit from supercheap, (it was on sale, and i had member credits to use) so i basically got it free. Then i wondered if there was anything i need to know. Found your vid and now i gotta go polish my rims and my valve cover!
Fantastic video. Thank you!
Looks awesome man
Thank mate for an excellent video, cheers.
great job and very nice video!
Looks a great job.
Righteous, mate! Thanks 🍻
Fantastic video
The best video i have ever seen so clear and no bullshit. Good vid!! Most vids they have bad camera or talk to much! Keep on the good wordk!!
Thanks, Glad we could help
this looks better than mirror finish imo, nice vid.
absolutely brilliant, just what I was after. YOU DA MAN. off I go to super cheap.
Top
BEST PART OF THE VIDEO: *CUTE BUNNY* LOL
Love firebird rims.
Love the shirt! and those rims look mint! bet the beat they go on looks brilliant too ;)
many thks, u the man !
Great vid, kerosene tip worked a treat 👌
KERO! Thanks mate!
great video mate, cheers
Good vid....true blue aussie you are!!
Very well done! Great video man, thanks. I have two sets to do
is there any risk of damaging paint? I've got some painted alloys with a polished lip that need to be re done.
Very well done. "You call that a polishing video? Now here's a polishing video!"
1:03 best part!
Yo
Good job
why would you let anyone use clip on weights on rims with such a nice lip?
Could you get as good results with Autosol aluminium polish?
Doesnt the shine fade quickly? Is there a laquer to protect the surface from oxygising later.
I like Rabbits mate!!! and the video!
Can you post a list of everything needed for this process?
that will get any spray paint someone used to change the color?
thats Awesome
How did you polish the spokes?
How did you get around the air valve. Im doing the same process but i cant seem to get the around the valve nicely.
You have to be a tire tech like myself to do that. Best way to clean wheels is to dismount all 4 tires remove valve stems then replace them with new ones.👌💯
I can not find that kit can you attach the link somewhere please
Han quedado muy bien, pero qué alguien me explique por qué no has quitado los contrapesos, y si no tienes equilibradora los vuelves a poner en el mismo sitio marcando el neumático y listo,
Can you polish if wheels are painted?
What do u do for pitting ?
ok is there any reason I cant do this while they are on the car? I just don't have what it takes to take the wheels off. Teri
I'm gonna do it.
Great video thanks Just done my c4 corvette wheels come up just like new
Glad we could help
Can i use this for my exhaust too? or other parts?
I got same 8x15 Snowflake Grey Colored WS6 Wheels 78-79 Trans-Am bought them Brand New from GM $200 each back in 1987
Mount the weights to the inside of tire, it gives it a nicer look.All our cars are do e that way. Plus it's easier to clean
Not a bad video. Not as shiny or mirror like as it could be. I make my aluminum rim on my channel look like a mirror. Although the technique can used for both.
how bizarre, i searched for how to polish rims and low and behold you are polishing trans am rims. mine are the 1980 turbo slot rims. then i see your tshirt ....and yes im off to the bandit run this year. bizarre. great video i will follow your steps and video it as well
+evilswingythingy Thanks for the kind words. Hope your wheels look like new when you're done
what kind of adapter is that for the rotary drill hammer? Can it be used on a SDS type drill? and can those disc polishers be cleaned since they're material ?
arncj18 Not sure if they'll fit an SDS type drill, but we do wash our loose wheels, the stitched ones we don't.
Is bitumen the same as road tar? I am from California so the word bitumen is not commonly used. Nice job on the wheels. Now does this only work if the wheels were polished from the factory?
We believe that you're correct, bitumen is the same as your road tar. We've polished wheels that haven't been factory polished too. Glad the video was helpful.
That's what I was wondering. First I though it was another word for big oxidation pits. Must have just been far
Mothers wheel polish works awesome to get that shine
While you using a polish pad for the last step
What is the best way to strip the clear coat on my wheels before I polish them? Do I just sand it off?
yes.
I used gooey paint remover.Nasty stuff!!!!
u have sight to get that kit
Good video. Are they snowflake wheels as they look like the ones my son had on his trans am but he sold them and has appliance ones now
Yes, they are the snowflake wheels from a Transam. Not sure how common they are, but they are factory fitted 8-inch
Wasn't able to locate any elbow grease, even checked in with AOC, she had no clue, but asked if I needed a beer,heh.
1:03 Hahaha - priceless :)
I would have that wheel rebalanced to take that weight off the front, and put on the back..
What is the red stick you put against the buffing wheel ?
Polish
It's dried kangaroo poo.
I used to mount my alloy wheels on computerized wheel balancing machine & polish with a buffing pad on a pneumatic or electric drill , hold the pad in one place & let the spinning of the balancer do most of the work , I guess I'm just lazy or a genius or both LOL !
Work smart not hard lol
Frank Fitzpatrick Definately genius mate, Thats a great way of polishing a rim.
How long does it take to polish a set of wheels? I've got a set I'd like to do before the summer
+FishingObsessions It took us about an hour to polish each wheel.
+RoadtrainsInAction thanks!
+RoadtrainsInAction does the set do all four rims even when the cloth turns black?
Took about hour and a half each wheel
So which is it? Super cheap or relatively cheap?
Great work on the inside of the wheel. But outside is far from mirror finish...
where can i find that cleaner kit online
+adrian thomas Hi Adrian, you should be able to get that kit from www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/Cleaning-Polishing-Set-3-Piece.aspx?pid=272931#Recommendations looks like they've gone up a little since we did that video too
Your definition of mirror finish differs from mine. I want to be able to pluck nose hairs when I finish polishing
I just bought the same supercheap set after watching your video. The packet says it's for precious metals like gold and silver. Does aluminium fall under that category and will it strip the clear coat or I'm worrying about nothing? Haha Thank you
+Mervyn Stilinovic The kit is for polishing metal, if your rims have a clear coat the metal polish won't polish the clear coat.
The wheel counter balancing weights were on..
Whats the kit called?
dair805 We get the kit from Supercheap Auto: www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/Cleaning-Polishing-Set-3-Piece.aspx?pid=272931#Recommendations
Not really a mirror finish, it’s shiny but it’s no mirror. I would say it needs wet sanding first to make surface smooth like glass before you can make it mirror finish?
I do them for $ 20 - 30 ..... show and shine metal polishing :)
You talk funny. good video
GDay Mate
My only problem with this video is the clip on wheel weights... What's the point in polishing the lips if you have a big ugly chunk of zinc hanging off the side? Static balance those wheels and hit the spots you missed under the weights!
Lmao!! I was going to say the same thing!
Pull it off then put it back on. You can polish them too.
I don't believe they polish up...they're lead, right?
Kman zinc
when done use "ZOOP" can get it at Jegs or summit. I did a set of weld wheels when they were new and still looked like the day i got them 5 years later when i sold the car. All i ever did was hose them off. Retails for about 100US and takes a good part of a day but worth it, Google ZOOP. No im not a spokesman but will swear on it and passing it on. Makes polished Aluminum stay looking like chrome.
"Mirror"
Autosol made my mirror finish dull
👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
should tape up your lead weights .... stops you contaminating your buffing wheels
don't you guys say aluminium?
+drunk1kangaroo Imagine them saying it right back to us...they say it their own way- pronounced AL-EH-MINI-UM
Another one,man clean a wheel that has detail and see how good you can do that!!! I mean a rim that has details like grooves or flames.!!!
Nice polish work, but it looks nothing like a chrome mirror finish, more like a hi shine brush finish
Supercheap stuf is terible not to mention tht exposed screws or bolt can damage further ur wheels if u accidentally touch the wheel . I bought mother v shaped coned $55 but afyer a few poiiahes stil usable and safe
sorry, but this is far away from mirror...
its only aluminum. mirror finish aluminum rims come with clear coat.
Melody no they dont. I had a set of wheels that were a mirror finish and no clear coat from the factory.
Yeah ive been looking at new wheels, and since making that comment ive seen the aluminum lip ones like ricer style which are just polished. I wasnt aware that you could polish aluminum like that though
I have polished all kinds of metal. It's just a step process to get profection. Just takes time and a few beers.
I fifured it would scratch it up..wrongo bongo..thanks for the vid
it will take a long time, maybe we can give a better way, yoogle-metal.
Don’t forget to remove the weights
Here is a fast way ✅ to Polish Aluminum wheels 👀: ruclips.net/video/mem_eVxI2_8/видео.html
What is he saying/ Is he saying kerosine?
+Alvin H Kerosene yes Lol
Household kerosene mate.
This is how I polished some Billet aluminum wheels ruclips.net/video/dNyUW3iBCF8/видео.html
Is that a rabbit
Sorry.. but that is not a mirror finish a mirror finish is like looking into a mirror. However you did a great job. I think you did more results in washing and cleaning them then you did and buffing them. But that's just me.. good video
Omg !!!! .... NO way I would use kero on my wheels
Ooh & a tire mounting mounting machine works even better , THE ULTIMATE IN LAZINESS ,! dont work hard , work smart .
Frank Fitzpatrick
Oh no. Not left hand nuts. My little brain can’t cope with lh nuts.
gold mag`s with polished alloy rim = best colour combination for mag wheels anywhere = i so hate all this black magwheels really boring and drab ! i mean polish the rim edge at least = oh well that is just my idea !
And this polished? No mirror.
That is not a mirror finish, What are you talking about?
Using safety glasses and gloves is not necessary. Lol
we need a translator,......lol