screwylouie
Active Member
You should try this first before you spend any money, this is dirt cheap and works like magic!! To get 'em clean and shiny any easier would require you to pay someone else to do it for you. Seriously, follow the link!
aluminum wheel cleaning problems
- Thread starter HOLY DIVER
- Start date
You should try this first before you spend any money, this is dirt cheap and works like magic!! To get 'em clean and shiny any easier would require you to pay someone else to do it for you. Seriously, follow the link!
screwylouie
Active Member
I've found that Mothers works the best for polising wheels especially with their powerball on a cordless drill. Makes easy work of my billet wheels and fork sliders. I tried the Bar Keepers Friend as suggested on this site and although it did a real good job of removing stubborn stains and spots, it left my wheels nice and clean but dull. I went back over it with Mothers and they almost look chrome when done. A lot of work by hand so if it's in your budget, i'd suggest investing in the Powerball, it's well worth it.
Oops! I missed this post, quite right about leaving a matte kind of finish with the bar keepers friend! This stuff works awesome but is not for mirror polishing! Sorry about steering you wrong, I guess I assumed all aluminum wheels have the same matte finish as mine.:newsmile030:
Chuck Bunyon
Member
I had to actually get a real polishing kit for a drill. It is the only thing that worked and looks nearly new once I went through all the steps.
No problem......your tip is an excellent one and helped me cut through some pitting and oxidation on a set of Street Glide wheels I had. Followed it up with the Mothers step and it worked great. I have both on my garage shelf now for tackling any aluminum cleaning and polishing projects
screwylouie
Active Member
No problem......your tip is an excellent one and helped me cut through some pitting and oxidation on a set of Street Glide wheels I had. Followed it up with the Mothers step and it worked great. I have both on my garage shelf now for tackling any aluminum cleaning and polishing projects
So, since the factory wheels on my Fat Bob are matte finish bare aluminum, maybe I should try the power ball thing and shine em up! Whaddya think?? My triple trees are polished aluminum and you really have to look to see that they are not chrome. I don't want to get myself into a regular maintenance thing though.:small3d007:
Taildraggerdave
Active Member
After I polish mine, I hit it them with a coat of quality paste wax like Turtle Wax (cheap) and they stay shiny for a few months at a time. I usually only need to do my wheels in the spring and fall. After a few months of riding and washings I notice them getting milky and I know it's nearing time to re-do them. The trick is to stay on top of them and not let them get real bad or oxidation and pitting starts to set in and cleaning them becomes more of a chore. I have this abnormality where I have to have clean wheels on my bikes and mine and the Mrs. cars too :newsmile040:
screwylouie
Active Member
Think I'll just leave 'em be. I like the "matte" look and the bar keepers friend keeps 'em looking good with virtually no effort. I'm SOOOOO glad the factory did NOT clearcoat the aluminum, it's a real nightmare dealing with corrosion then!:small3d007:
HOLY DIVER
Junior Member
my bar keepers friend came via UPS today i'm gonna get to work on this wheel saturday and i dont care if its not a shiny finish once i'm done anything is better that this oxidation that is covering the wheel now.my plan bar keepers friend,mothers aluminum polish,mothers paste wax in that order
screwylouie
Active Member
Make sure to let us all know how the process works for you!