Need help with wheels

[IOMCAMARO]

Ok so today I started working at a semi truck base. They have a fleet of 80 trucks. My job is to polish the wheels on these trucks. The wheels have to be as close to new looking as humanly possible. Some of the trucks have wheels that haven't been polished for roughly 10 years. My problem isn't polishing the wheels. My problem is cleaning them. The company is supplying an acid to clean the wheels. The problem with this is. They require me to wear a respirator and goggles anytime that I touch the stuff. With weather that is 90 degrees plus, The goggles fog up and the respirator is hard to breath through. My question is, is there any wheel cleaner out there that can break through the brake dust almost as good as the acid that isn't as harmful as the acid to where I won't have to wear the stuff? Would Wheel Brightener be good?

[IOMCAMARO]

BTW, these wheels are polished aluminum. Their entire fleet is Volvos.

[Setec Astronomy]

You can't use WB on uncoated aluminum. There are the products like Sonax Full Effect and the new Griot's Heavy Duty, but likely they won't work as well as the acid cleaner you are using. Are you using a real cartridge resipirator, or one of those cloth-type dust masks?

[IOMCAMARO]

You can't use WB on uncoated aluminum. There are the products like Sonax Full Effect and the new Griot's Heavy Duty, but likely they won't work as well as the acid cleaner you are using. Are you using a real cartridge resipirator, or one of those cloth-type dust masks?

A real cartridge 3M respirator. I just didn't know if the Wheel Brightener could be used on the polished aluminum since the wheels are being polished anyways. I figured that it might be a lighter acid than the pure acid that I used today. The acid that I'm using right now turns the wheels a milky white color until they are polished.

[D_Nyholm]

You'd need to use a respirator with Wheel Brightener as well. It isn't the same acid as they are giving you (they are probably giving you Hydroflouric acid), but it isn't safe either.

What about using something like sonax or the new griots wheel cleaner? They are both going to be much more expensive than the acids, but it may work for you. You'd just spray 2 or 3 trucks and by the time you get to the third one, you can go back and wipe/rinse the first one down. Though i do think you are going to go way above your pricepoint to be worthwhile.

Also, if you are using acids on the polished aluminum wheels, they will most likely get etched really bad and you'd have to polish the crap out of them. If you didn't use the acid, your polishing job would be MUCH easier.

[IOMCAMARO]

You'd need to use a respirator with Wheel Brightener as well. It isn't the same acid as they are giving you (they are probably giving you Hydroflouric acid), but it isn't safe either.

What about using something like sonax or the new griots wheel cleaner? They are both going to be much more expensive than the acids, but it may work for you. You'd just spray 2 or 3 trucks and by the time you get to the third one, you can go back and wipe/rinse the first one down. Though i do think you are going to go way above your pricepoint to be worthwhile.

Also, if you are using acids on the polished aluminum wheels, they will most likely get etched really bad and you'd have to polish the crap out of them. If you didn't use the acid, your polishing job would be MUCH easier.

I get paid hourly. The owner of the company wants my cousin and me to take the wheels off of the trucks and thoroughly clean and polish them. We're using rotary buffers to polish them. And I don't know what kind the acid is, but it is made by ZEP.

[D_Nyholm]

Well, maybe ask if they will buy you some of the Sonax and the Griots to try out and see how it is. I have a feeling it will be easier for you to use then the acid, though a little more expensive. You will probably be more productive but the cost involved may negate the production. I guess that is smething the owner will have to decide if it is worth it.

Are you backlogged on work or are you constantly waiting for wheels to come in to polish? If you are way behind, the Sonax may help speed you up to catch up with your work.

[IOMCAMARO]

No, we're not real backed up. The owner isn't in a hurry. He just wants them done right. And for the etching issues, these wheels are already pretty far gone. They let the salt sit in the back wheels, and they are just pitted like crazy. The pits can't even be polished out because they are down to the level where the metal isn't polished anymore.

[Setec Astronomy]

You'd need to use a respirator with Wheel Brightener as well. It isn't the same acid as they are giving you (they are probably giving you Hydroflouric acid), but it isn't safe either.

WB is an HF wheel cleaner, and they are probably giving him something non-HF, although since it's making them milky, perhaps it is an HF which would be, as you note, an improper choice for uncoated aluminum.

EDIT: Sounds like they are using Zep Super Concentrated Trailer Brightener which is a sulfuric and HF formula recommended for use on bare aluminum.


What about using something like sonax or the new griots wheel cleaner? They are both going to be much more expensive than the acids, but it may work for you.

Yeah, I meant to mention that in my post--unlikely they are going to spring for something as expensive as those two.

[IOMCAMARO]

I don't feel that they will go for something that expensive. I have a gallons of the Griot's Heavy Duty wheel cleaner on the way for my personal cars and details that I do on the side. :props: So I don't have a problem with them, I just don't think that they will go for it.

[IOMCAMARO]

Anyone else have any input?

[Setec Astronomy]

Pressure washer?

[IOMCAMARO]

Pressure washer?

Tried. The break dust is caked into the pits and etchings.

[mrj7500]

I hope I don't catch hell for saying this, but I would suggest giving Brown Royal by Flash detailing a try. I've used Sonax and it's great, just not noticeably better. Brown Royal is $18/gallon and its applied diluted depending on finish of wheels your treating.

[maximus20895]

That's exactly what I was going to say. You can dilute it and it's a ton cheaper. Safe on ALL wheels!