PDA

View Full Version : Suggestions to "Restore" a set of REALLY beat up wheels....



Rez90
11-01-2015, 08:55 AM
So today's project is a set of wheels i bought cheap from a friend. The wheel style i actually really like a lot and the tires themselves were worth what i paid for the set so i dove in.

The problem is....my buddy never cleaned the wheels and he tracked his car often. So there is brake material embedded in the metal.....a lot of it.

Yesterday i did a few test spots with a Powercone and Mothers metal polish....made some progress but came out far from perfect. I then tried steel wool....and while i think this might be the best tool doing it by hand will be nearly impossible. After that i drove to Lowes and got some cotton buffing discs and tried them on my drill....I got similar results to the power cone.

Another issue is that my drill is kind of weak.

My plan today was to go to Lowes and pick up a pneumatic drill, pull the wheels, and try with that.

One thing to mention is that the buffing discs came with 3 compound sticks. One gray, red, and white.....But there is no directions on them....so i'm not sure if i should try them or not. Leaning towards not.

I'm going to tackle this project today regardless....but this is something i'm green to. So maybe there's a method that i'm completely ignorant to that may work 10x better.

So...here i am. Looking for alternate or supplemental suggestions. Thanks for any insight. I can take pics if needed.

Goin Rogue
11-01-2015, 08:59 AM
Please provide pictures.

Rez90
11-01-2015, 09:02 AM
Please provide pictures.

right after i make my kids some pancakes :xyxthumbs:

Rez90
11-01-2015, 09:03 AM
Forgot to mention....as a potential backup...if this is even an option....i do have paint compounds as well....no idea if that would even be an option. I'll get some pics up in a few minutes.

Rez90
11-01-2015, 09:28 AM
Pics. Not sure how to edit first post.

http://i.imgur.com/ruFXoVf.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/p6lmli5.jpg

Test spot i did yesterday with a power cone and polish. Improvement but nothing to write home about....

http://i.imgur.com/TJec7Es.jpg

dcjredline
11-01-2015, 09:44 AM
If it is brake dust then why dont you try to clean the wheels with Iron-X or Sonax, something more like a wheel cleaner not a polish?

Rez90
11-01-2015, 09:57 AM
If it is brake dust then why dont you try to clean the wheels with Iron-X or Sonax, something more like a wheel cleaner not a polish?

Give me a little more credit......I Tried all of that. Iron X and every wheel cleaner i own. This stuff is part of the wheel.