Q:Best Way To Renew Cast Aluminum Slots

[special-K]

On old 5-slot wheels,what`s the best way to get the polish back?I assume I`d have to just use rouge and compounds with a polishing wheel.If they`re pitted can they be bead-blasted?If so,what would be the best media?If someone knows their stuff on this,could you lay it out step by step for me?I`d sure appreciate it.

[cdowns]

start with brillo or sos soap pads to cut thru the coarse crap then i use a hand held buffer wheel in a drill with mothers polish

don't have b-4 pictures but these sat outside in salt air for 15years b-4 i got them

[HeavyD]

If they are too pitted to look good after a polish at home, check out your local wheel refinisher for a quote. My 15 x 8 slots are only going to cost me $35 each CAD to be polished, and they can fix the wheel if there is something messed up on it. Just a thought in case it doesn't work out doing it yourself.

[special-K]

Those Pinto wheels came out nice.I appreciate the advice from both of you.I don`t know how bad or not these wheels are yet.I just bought them and they should show up by next week.I`ve never had wheels get too far gone.I have some turbines or finned aluminums which don`t have any polished surfaces.I`ve used scotch-brite with wheel cleaner to get them back when they start getting crappy.

[cdowns]

don't try schotchbrite!!! yhat'll scratch the hell out of the polished surface// believe me I KNOW!!

[1971LT1SWBPOSI373]

No brillo pads.

My slotted mags have some minor pitting. I tried several different approaches. What works best for me is wet sanding with soap and water using 2000 grit, then 3000 grit, then aluminum polish. I've tried about 6 different types of aluminum polish and it's all very slow going. Using the sandpaper with soap cuts off the oxidation, and smoooths out the minors pits, making the polishing go a whole lot faster because you rag doesn't load up with wheel scum. When sanding, follow the machining marks (circular) and keep the paper wet at all times. 1 8x11 of 2000 & 3000 will be enough to do a whole set.

[1971LT1SWBPOSI373]

don't bead blast. That will ruin the wheel

[special-K]

I figured glass-bead would be too rough.I was wondering about plastic or walnut shells or other softer media like those.
I would only use scuff pads on polished as a 1st step on the repolishing process.Still no go?I`ve only used this with the wheel cleaner(acid)on the turbines that only have either the "as cast" surface between the fins and the machined surface (grooves) on the fins,center,and rim/bead.

[1971LT1SWBPOSI373]

The scuff pads are too course and put depp scratches in the aluminum. Remember aluminum is pretty soft by itself. The 2000/3000 wet sand paper is incredibly fine, and if you keep it wet with soap and water the paper won't load up. I experimented on a piece of scrap aluminum sheet metal, and since my first rim is turning out beautiful. If your nervouse about using 2000/3000 you can go even finer. You can get it all the way to 8000 grit, which basically feels like a thin piece of leather, and is mostly used for polishing out scratches in plastic. Good luck!

[special-K]

Thanks,I`ll give this a try when they show up.

[SkyBlue72']

I have the 15x10 slots. I got them polished out , by using a scotch brite, some 400 grit, and up to 600. Then I buffed w/ a Die grinder w/ buffing will attachments.
The main thing that helped me was the polish from heavymetal products.
They carry different abrasives in the polish. I start from the red the work my way to the blue.
I polished it til the lathe marks were almost gone, and it gave me a new wheel look. I wish I had pics to show.

[special-K]

Thanks SkyBlue72,these wheels sure used some tight casting.I`ve had motorcycle parts that you can`t get all the pores out of for chroming.
I got the wheels last weekend.These had been running on dirt roads and were pretty dirty and from seal leaks or whatever,there was some caking.
1)I scrubbed them down with dish soap and a brush.
2)Sprayed DeeZee brite aluminum cleaner on them.First I tryed a wheel cleaner,but that`s too mild.(for wheels that aren`t this bad).
3)They turned alot less grey,more silver,kinda milky whitish and streaky.
4)Tryed to rub some old Mother`s I had laying in the shop.
5)I`m happy!!They`re shiney.Good enough for now.
I`ll prolly machine-buff them whenever the truck gets restored.This is on a 3/4t 4wd.So,this is how I wanted them for now.The main thing is they weren`t pitted.Those wheels around here get worse than these from not keeping the dirt,and mostly,salt off.