How to Make Aluminum Wheels Look New Again

Before and afterwards pics of a partial restoration of blend wheels where sanding was feathered beyond the lug nut surface area followed by a total whole wheel restoration of a similarly corroded canyon wheel/rim on the right. The before image is later on stripping the mill polyurethane blanket.

Here's a do-it-yourself (DIY) method for restoring corroded aluminum alloy wheels to a mirror-like smooth using the popular stock canyon rims of the Jeep® Wrangler TJ,  as well equally the original aluminum alloy wheels on a 2000 Honda® Odyssey.  Detailed steps can be modified for other yard and garage aluminum restoration applications.

Maybe I should stick to horticulture, but I love my Jeep® Wranglers.  And at present I love their canyon rims with a whole new wait.

Originally painted black by the previous possessor because information technology was then corroded and pitted in numerous areas, I restored this unabridged canyon rim using these methods after the black paint was removed with acetone. Mounted on the back so some lugs are missing.

Even though the "coulee" rims are a mutual stock rim for Jeep® Wrangler TJ, the shine achieved by this DIY restoration process really makes them uncommon.  Not only will they look new, but the canyon alloy wheels will await actually dissimilar with a mirror-like shine in addition to the machined aluminum expect between the spokes — meliorate in my stance.  This divergence could be enhanced, of course, past painting the unpolished regions to make unique combinations.

What exercise you think?  And let me know what means y'all discover that work better and I'll update.

I'1000 planning a video, if in that location is interest.  Several existing YouTube® videos were helpful that show removal of the alloy cycle'south polyurethane coating with stripper and the sanding or polishing of aluminum via different methods.  But nothing this comprehensive and soup-to-nuts that I could find.

Despite many promises out there, I did not find any quick-ready silver-bullets to restore scratched, pitted and/or desperately corroded aluminum surfaces.  I discuss 1 of them at the very end of this post.  But, you can make them similar new with a mirror-similar end by merely sanding with an inexpensive low-speed sander-polisher across a range of increasingly effectively grits and and so polishing with aluminum metal polish.  Then either crystal-clear-glaze them or keep them polished and waxed.   Each bike takes several hours and some endeavour — endeavour fabricated a whole lot easier with the right power tools.

You may already have a lot of the tools and materials, but I've also researched the best value tools and materials readily on Amazon.com®, near with 2-twenty-four hour period shipping.  Let me know if yous find better ones.

Here are the high-level steps that I did.  These will be followed by some explanation and and so past the aforementioned outline with all the details, my own lessons learned and all-time practices that I found in the method to assist you do DIY right the first time effectually.

Restored whole canyon rim — sanded with 150 grit between the polished spokes — protected with wax.

High-level Steps:

1. Prepare work area & alloy cycle
2. Make clean/degrease
3. Strip-off the polyurethane articulate-coating and any pigment from the whole wheel
4. Sand, as needed, inside the holes for the lug-nut
5. Sand between spokes
6. Sand center, spokes and rim with low-speed sander-polisher and total range of grits
7. Aluminum polish until shiny
8. Either wax or de-wax/degrease & glaze with crystal articulate paint
9. Remount tire

Disclaimer: I'1000 non an auto-industry professional.  On the other hand, if can do information technology without any prior experience and some arthritis in my shoulders and elbows, then and then can you lot.  Apparently, apply these steps/ideas at your own take a chance, both from a personal holding and health standpoint.  Wear old clothes you wouldn't mind being ruined.  Be sure to follow all manufacturer labelled directions and warnings even if I do/did or not.  A high quality grit mask is key and I didn't exercise any sanding without it!  Of course, condom goggles, ear protection and protective gloves will be needed.  A kneeling pad, for sitting and kneeling, and/or knee pads are helpful.  I've tried to think of everything, simply you lot'll need your own mutual sense and a working knowledge of working with automobiles, tires, jacks, power tools and etc.

Each bike takes a few hours and there is some cost for the sandpaper, tools and other materials you don't already accept.  A fairly consummate list of recommended items is at the very end for items y'all don't take.

It's not-too strenuous with the right power tools.  I'm a v′ ix″ 163 pound 50-something male with arthritis in my shoulders, elbows, knees, etc.  I really found it therapeutic — feeling ameliorate in the days following than I had in a long time.  So, if I can practise information technology, most tin can, especially if you lot pace yourself.

The first "After" photograph is a partial job where I feathered the sanding out merely across the lug holes.  The bottom photo is my first whole rim job.

I did dry sanding,  The flexible pad with claw & loop attachment of sandpaper that I will recommend fabricated it like shooting fish in a barrel to plumage into spots.

Before and afterward of same bicycle from my 2000 Honda(R) Odyssey, including a new Honda(R) center cap. The earlier image is after stripping the polyurethane blanket.

Using a low-speed sander-polisher is cardinal.  On my beginning endeavour, I made the mistake of trying a dedicated 11,000 rpm grinder that I had on-hand.  Information technology shredded the pad on the first bicycle.  Then, I bought an inexpensive variable-speed 1,000-3,000 rpm sander-polisher.  There'southward fiddling sign of clothing on the pad after doing multiple alloy wheels and the sandpaper lasts well likewise.  Sure, a cord-powered drill could be used, simply I await it would bounce around the rim too much and be more tiring to command.  A sander-polisher you stability and the proper angle.  You also want to be able to set-information technology-and-forget-it on the low speed, which the sander-polisher does well.

Detailed Steps:

Note that each pace is central!

1. Prepare work area & wheel

• Mark position & remove balancing weight(south)

1. • Before removing, marker position on tread of tire with a permanent marker and/or take a film of its position relative to lettering on the tire.

• Preferably jack car so tire tin rotate. I recommend apply of jack stand(s) and cycle chucks on an automatic in park on level ground for obvious safety reasons.

1. • If jacked, to get around the issue of protruding lug nuts, remove all only a unmarried lug nut or other nut that size that does Non extend beyond the bike's surface, for obvious reasons, and don't' forget to put the other lug nuts back when done before lowering the jack.

1. • • Spinning freely is best, simply not necessary.  I was able to reach this by mounting on the rear of my Honda® Odyssey in park.  On my automated TJ, the forepart wheel turns in park with attempt (not with sanding), which is good enough.

• • Alternatively, working with the tire off and on the ground works as well.  But bending over the wheel is less ergonomic for me.  I'1000 don't know what yous could do safely with the tire on a manual manual vehicle.  And so this may be your only option if your tires are too big to fit on another suitable automobile.  It does, notwithstanding, get around the protruding lug nut issue.
• Protect valve stem
  • If the valve stem is longer than well-nigh, consider yourself lucky — you tin advisedly push button it back and put a stick between it and the insides of the wheel to keep it out of the mode.  Otherwise, yous may just need to be careful to avert it — merely, brand sure your tires have enough air to offset ;-o).  I sanded a couple of them shorter before I clued-in.  Only, they however took in air with a bicycle-pump.
• Tires — unless replacing your tires, you may want to mask them or have them removed from the rims.
  •  I didn't worry well-nigh that and had just modest effects on the tire surface.  But, it is possible that the stripper used below, which tin drift and/or run, could leave marks or injure white lettering if it gets on it (didn't on mine) or that sanding could scuff them if not careful  It is important to wash-off whatsoever stripped polyurethane from the tire before information technology dries or it may have to be stripped-off afterward.

2. Clean/degrease

• I utilize a degreaser to remove wax, dirt, and road-picture — you don't want to sand that stuff into the metallic or gum-up your sand-newspaper.
• Rinse well and let dry out — hit information technology with a leafage-blower speeds-upward the drying process.

three. Strip-off the polyurethane clear-coating and whatsoever paint from the whole alloy bike

• I don't think it will look good to strip only part of the polyurethane fifty-fifty if you only take to sand the inner part.  I stripped the entire rim.
• Annotation: I didn't practise the back of the wheel, merely y'all might consider doing that at the same time and so clear-coating the back after the terminal step regardless of whether you wax or clear-coat the forepart.  Some articulate-coat will come off the dorsum rim anyhow from over-spray if yous use the stripper spray.
• I sprayed with premium polyurethane "Stripper".  Programme on nigh ane tin can for every two tires.  I didn't do it, merely you may besides want to spray the back side, as well, because some stripper will become through to the back and take off part of the polyurethane blanket anyway.  You lot'll want to apply a crystal clear coat on the back side, regardless whether you lot polish or coat the front, considering it is too difficult to smoothen and wax the dorsum on a regular basis.
• Leave on for a good 15 minutes.  You may fifty-fifty encounter in come off in sheets.
• Wet the tire safety starting time and then hose or power-wash-off the stripper, including any balance off the driveway or whatsoever other valuable surface.
• Rinse, dry & repeat, as needed to remove all of of the polyurethane coating.

four. Sand, every bit needed, inside the holes for the lug-nuts

• Exist sure to where a good dust mask & prophylactic goggles.  Heavy gloves are also recommended.
• I institute that 100 grit sand paper taped onto a cone-shaped polishing attachment via a drill, gave a overnice machined look that contrasted with the outer polished areas that looked particularly groovy after waxing to protect and putting in brand new lug nuts at the end.  Look out for the sandpaper coming loose.  Wrapping it in the right management (direction the drill turns) will minimize this.
• You lot sand these holes beginning considering information technology is easy to scratch the outer wheel surface in the process.  If you practice, that volition be sanded-out in the next step.  I had to acquire this the difficult way

5. Sand between spokes

• For a machined look between spokes, sand those areas with coarse sandpaper (80-120 grit) in the same horizontal direction.
• NOTE: Originally, when I did my wheels, I sanded between the spokes Later the next step.  Only it's ameliorate to do this footstep offset to avert scratching those smooth-sanded areas.
• Folded sandpaper squares work well for big areas.
• Spiral sanding rolls/cones piece of work best for tightly curved hard-to-become-to inner areas.

6. Sand centre, spokes and rim with low-speed sander-polisher and a full range of grits

• Once again, be sure to where a good dust mask & goggles.  Heavy gloves are also recommended.

• I think it looks best to sand the entire smooth surface of the cycle like I did in the 2nd AFTER motion-picture show and subsequent pictures higher up.  I used aninexpensive variable-speed 1,000-3,000 rpm sander-polisher at 1,000 rpm (sometimes two,000) in 1 direction concentric with rim.  In the commencement Afterward movie, the wheel was but corroded in the middle, and then I feathered-out my sanding  but across the corroded middle area in the "After" movie shown in a higher place going out just a little farther each time with increasingly effectively grits. I think it looks fifty-fifty better to do the whole smoothed area of the cycle though.  Only, that is more piece of work.

• • Note: A high speed grinder (e.g., 11,000 rpm) will shred your sanding pad.

• They say it is best to start with the highest grit that volition remove the problem(due south) and every subsequent dust used thereafter is to smooth-out the scratches left past the previous grit.  If y'all can still see the pitting or ribbing (stock canyon rim surface texture) later a few passes, so either keep sanding or step downwards to a lower dust.

• • To detect the highest grit that still worked to remove the corrosion damage, I experimented with the worst wheel on my old 2000 Honda® Odyssey that had heavily corroded areas.  Starting with rubbing compound did nigh nothing to remove the pitting.  I thought starting at 400 grit would do information technology.  But when it was all done ending with 2000 grit, I could still run across the ghosting of the oxidation damage where it was worst when I was all washed and I wished I had started with 80 grit and patiently worked through each subsequent sequential dust to 400 before going through to 2000.  Nevertheless, it was good enough for my old minivan not to exercise information technology all over.  But, I recommend starting at 80 grit if your bike is heavily corroded or deeply scratched.  That is what I did on subsequent minivan blend wheels.  Yous don't want to get to the end and nonetheless come across scratches and the ghosts of corrosion.

• If you first at a grit higher than 80 and find that it is not removing all the lines or is taking too long (or using more than one sheet of sandpaper at the same grit) then back-up to a lower grit until it comes off fairly easy.  To efficiently remove the groove texture on all over the smooth surfaces of the Canyon rims I had to showtime with 80 grit even though that seems harsh.  But, a couple or iii passes with each subsequent grits listed below produced a smooth virtually scratch-free surface that polished to the mirror-like smooth y'all tin can see in the pics.

(A) Hit the very worst areas first, especially dings and such to polish those kickoff with your lowest dust used.

(B) Practise the ribs, noting which role of the wheel y'all start on, similar the rib side by side to the valve stem, or you lot'll cease-upwards duplicating effort unnecessarily.

My all-time practice was to put my leg confronting the wheel to keep in from spinning and start at the height of each spoke and go down with the pad with some bend in information technology at 1,000 rpms and feather off at the center of the wheel.  Then turn the bicycle a footling and go downwardly the apartment surface between the ribs.  Then practise the adjacent rib and so on all the way around.  Repeat ane or ii more times all the way around and do the outer part of the wheel and any other areas you desire smooth before going on to the side by side dust.

(C) You'll also need to practice the outer areas of the rim.

• 1. • • You may demand to sand the outermost part by hand to avert scratching the tire.

• 1. • • Be careful not to striking the tire or areas in between the 5 ribs/spokes.

• 1. • • NOTE: Some YouTube videos recommend having the wheel spin while sanding and working your way down from outer to inner.  Except for the outer rim areas where it was helpful, I did not notice letting the bike spin freely to work well on these alloy wheels having 5 large ribs/spokes — it left noticeable concentric waves.

• 1. • I used sequential grits of 80, 180, 320, 400, 600, 800, echo 800, 1200, 1500, 2000 available on Amazon.com® separately as sets of hook and loop 6″ discs

• 1. • • 80, 180 and 320 Assorted Automotive Grits,

• 1. • • 400 grit,

• 1. • • 600 grit,

• 1. • • optional simply recommended echo of 800 grit and

• 1. • • 800, 1200, 1500 and 2000 grits, all for employ on a6″ flexible backing plate or pad.
     • Start with a brand new sandpaper disc in each grit-step even though your disc should still be capable of sanding after the few passes you'll need for each dust.  Otherwise, expect to still run across scratches from a previous dust when you are all done.  If you see browning that remains after repeated passes, then you probably need a fresh piece of sandpaper.
  1. • Repeat steps A to C and with each sandpaper dust all the manner up to 2,000 grit.
     • Rinse off any residuum
     • Bear upon-upwardly sanding betwixt spokes
       • The last step volition likely polish some of the areas that you lot sanded in the previous step with coarse sandpaper.  Re-sand those areas with fibroid sandpaper for an fifty-fifty machined appearance.

7. Aluminum shine until shiny

• I  used Mother's® Mag & Aluminum Polish on the same areas sanded with the sander-polisher using a Black & Decker® WP900 6-Inch Random Orbit Waxer/Polisher to which I added Velcro® in order to applyMeguiar's® DFP6 6″ DA Foam Polishing Disc for claw & loop polishers.

• Be sure the pad is pre-moistened with water.

• Wipe blackened backlog with a make clean textile between polishes.

• Rinse (pad and wheel) and repeat several times until achieving desired shine.

• Pad should be rinsed between repeats.  I put a niggling dish soap in the rinse h2o.

• Repeat, as needed, to desired shine.

• • Don't identify any cover over the foam polishing disc mentioned above — it works fastest all by itself using the smooth.

• • Utilize these tools and smooth for touch-ups in the future too unless you meridian with a crystal clear coating.

viii.  Either wax or de-wax/degrease & coat with crystal clear paint

• Wash unabridged rim and dry out

• Either  wax all cycle surfaces (used Female parent'south® carnauba wax over the entire wheel) or degrease and coat with crystal clear paint.

• Regardless of which you practise to the forepart, it is probably a good idea to use crystal clear pigment on the dorsum side of the wheel if you stripped the polyurethane abroad.  I haven't tried this even so, and so permit me know what you recommend.

nine. Remount tire

• Restore:
  • balancing weights;
  • valve stem position and cap; and
  • lug nuts to recommended specs.
  1. • Consider new eye caps
  1. • • Center cap for canyon rims (Note: matches original texture and finish — permit me know if you find a generic centre cap with more of a mirror finish that fits these blend wheels)
  1. • • Center cap for my Honda® Odyssey rims.

Warning: Exist careful NOT to let harsh tire cleaning solutions, especially any containing bleach, get on your finished uncoated wheels. Wax will probably not protect them from that and you'll probably have to re-polish.

List of Materials and Tools:

[  ]degreaser

[  ]stripper (spray)

[  ]eighty, 180 and 320 assorted automotive grits — 6″ hook & loop sandpaper discs,

[  ]400 grit,

[  ]600 dust,

[  ]optional only recommended echo of 800 dust

[  ]800, 1200, 1500 and 2000 grits

[  ]6″ flexible backing plate or pad

[  ]variable-speed i,000-three,000 rpm sander-polisher

[  ]Mother'due south® Magazine & Aluminum Smooth

[  ]Black & Decker® WP900 six-Inch Random Orbit Waxer/Polisher

[  ]Velcro® (big size, merely information technology has many other uses)

[  ]Meguiar's® DFP6 6″ DA Cream Polishing Disc

[  ]Female parent'south® carnauba wax

[  ]proficient dust mask

[  ]safety goggles

[  ]kneeling pad

[  ]cone-shaped polishing attachment

[  ]corded drill

Another Method for Convoluted Wheel Surfaces that Aren't Badly Corroded, Scratched or Pitted

One particular method that looked the near promising for a quick fix uses the Nylalox®  aluminum oxide coated nylon brush  used in a method mentioned on world wide web.WranglerForum.com.  But, the aluminum oxide-infused nylon brushes I tried (fourscore grit coarse and fine) did Non provide a quick-gear up.  Both scratched the aluminum much like sandpaper — they're simply non supposed to wear out equally fast as wire brushes.  But, they would be useful to target minor areas that are hard to reach with the six″ round sanding pad I used. And I tin can meet why they'd be useful on the convoluted aluminum design of the blend wheels shown in the method linked in a higher place having many places a pad might not reach.  They might too be more selective at removing the softer oxidized aluminum with less scratching of the surface.  But, I question whether they'd remove the pitted surfaces from heavier corrosion that I encountered — pitting I removed efficiently with relative ease using equivalent grits of sandpaper on a sander-polisher.

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