Need advice on neglected bare milled aluminum wheel barrels

[rebelextrm02]

I'm trying to clean up the barrels of a set of severely neglected factory polished aluminum WS6 wheels before I strip the faces and repolish them. The barrels are uncoated but have a milled texture that is making it quite difficult to completely clean. They are severely pitted but I can live with that if I can just get all the black specs off. So far, using a scrubbing pad, i've used Mothers Foaming Wheel and Tire Cleaner, Iron-x, Goo Off, Diluted Simple Green, and 0000 Steel Wool (given the factory texture of the barrels i'm not concerned with marring the finish). Below are pictures of what I've started with and where I've ended up. Any advice on what I should try next? A member of another forum suggested Flitz Aluminum Preclean and a stiff brissled brush. I thought I would see what everyone else had in mind before I started buying more stuff.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/RebelExtrm02/Race%20Car/th_HPIM2767_zpse90fa735.jpg (http://s20.photobucket.com/user/RebelExtrm02/media/Race%20Car/HPIM2767_zpse90fa735.jpg.html)

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/RebelExtrm02/Race%20Car/th_HPIM2768_zps6e89b409.jpg (http://s20.photobucket.com/user/RebelExtrm02/media/Race%20Car/HPIM2768_zps6e89b409.jpg.html)

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/RebelExtrm02/Race%20Car/th_HPIM2760_zps6e9b1daa.jpg (http://s20.photobucket.com/user/RebelExtrm02/media/Race%20Car/HPIM2760_zps6e9b1daa.jpg.html)

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/RebelExtrm02/Race%20Car/th_HPIM2761_zps1766a032.jpg (http://s20.photobucket.com/user/RebelExtrm02/media/Race%20Car/HPIM2761_zps1766a032.jpg.html)

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/RebelExtrm02/Race%20Car/th_HPIM2763_zps03ee8bc7.jpg (http://s20.photobucket.com/user/RebelExtrm02/media/Race%20Car/HPIM2763_zps03ee8bc7.jpg.html)

[Setec Astronomy]

Welcome to the world of GM wheels. I gave up on mine, next time I get new tires I'm going to get the wheels repainted, including the barrels and the back of the spokes, which, like yours, are unpainted.

[cardaddy]

You can check with a local industrial chemical supplier for undiluted hydrofluoric acid. It is the base in pretty much all wheel cleaners.

I used to buy it by the drum when I had a fleet of aluminum bed rollbacks. It'll clean a seriously trashed out bed, oil, antifreeze, trans fluid, rear end dope, you name it. Also is great on frames and painted surfaces, (not body paint, just frame paint).

Get a plastic pump sprayer, or a stainless unit (big bucks). Then you can play around with dilutions.

It's possible to put it on aluminum straight, but it'll darn near start smoking! It'll foam up in a heartbeat. On Alcoa wheels, (like you see on big trucks) I would cut it 4:1 and wet the finished side first with soapy water, hit it with a fine mist, and blast if off INSTANTLY. On trashed out stuff and truck beds I'd cut it from 1:1 to 2:1 and it'd work like a charm. Just be careful to not let it get on body paint, or glass. It'll etch the living snot out of them!

On a safety note.... DO NOT GET DOWNWIND! The fumes will reach down inside your lungs, grab them by the bottoms, rip them inside out and pull them back out your throat! :eek: Serious coughing will then commence. OTOH, I get something similar with XMT360 pad cleaner. ;)

[BillE]

Not to start a war...but using hydrofluoric acid is not something to be taken lightly. That stuff is damn'd dangerous...BE CAREFUL!!!!!

Bill