Cleaning Factory Wheels

[jnz]

Any recommendations on getting this white stuff off the wheel surface. It is above the surface. Factory wheels 2008 Cadillac sts http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/26/3777ba6f744319bbbb18a6c9e05f936e.jpg

[custmsprty]

Those look pitted and etched.

[ScottB]

The high polished Cadillac wheels are not chrome, they are clearcoated. You can use a paint polish to try and clean them up. Nothing will remove pitting and deep scratches. They always appear to have a little bit of a milky appearance. We have a CTS with similar wheels.

When cool:
1. Clean with a safe wheel cleaner like DP or Griots (Use Daytona Brush, Wheel Woolies)
2. Paint Polish as desired
3. Protect with a Coating like Pinnacle or G-technic

[jnz]

Whats under the surface is done, but that white is above the surface. What would be safe to remove it and not damage it worse.

[Brody]

Those white marks/spider lines would be the clear coat failing. I see it all the time.

[swanicyouth]

That is the CC failing. Been there - done that. It's fractured, so when you feel it - it likely feels like above surface contamination. But, it's the jagged edges of the top layer that peeled off.

You have to refinish the wheels or live with them. There is no detailing fix.



Whats under the surface is done, but that white is above the surface. What would be safe to remove it and not damage it worse.


Nothing. There is no legit way to remove powder coat style clear coat leaving the color coat in decent condition.

[jnz]

Best advice moving forward. Keeping things as nice as possible.

[chris11le]

My winter wheels are actually like this, and a whole lot worse. But for the price (free, with good winter tires!) I didnt mind.

There are a few DIYs out there on how to refinish them. Basically involves heavy duty paint stripper to remove the existing clearcoat and paint, then you sand and polish the corrosion off the wheel, then you re-paint and/or re-clear them. You could leave them raw aluminum but would need to keep a good coat of something on them at all times or else they will corrode again.

Mine are so bad that ANYTHING would be an improvement, so Im going to try to strip everything off, sand/polish and then clearcoat them.

Going forward there isnt much you can do....once the corrosion is under the clearcoat, its just going to spread like a bad disease. I suppose if it gets really bad enough it could cause a structural issue with the wheel, but that might take a while.

[Ebg18t]

Time to get the wheels refinished.