Thread: Aluminum polish

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I've used Meguire's for my cars paint forever and wont change. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have a decent aluminum (and stainless/chrome)polish. I've also tried Mothers, Wenol, Eagle 1 and a couple of others. These all seem to leave a haze. I use clean applicators and clean rags, usually cotton T shirts or old bath towels. Since it's time to start doing some cleaning, want to try something that might work without the haze, or worse, scratching - and my car is FAR from billet proof. Any suggestions?

I've used mothers as well as Eagle 1 etching mag cleaner, and Noxon metal cleaner. Aluminum is a tough nut, and when it oxidizes it's damb near impossible to clean. My old mags need cleaning and polishing since the truck sat outside for 8 years or so before I got it. If you find something let me know as well!

Originally Posted by stovens

I've used mothers as well as Eagle 1 etching mag cleaner, and Noxon metal cleaner. Aluminum is a tough nut, and when it oxidizes it's damb near impossible to clean. My old mags need cleaning and polishing since the truck sat outside for 8 years or so before I got it. If you find something let me know as well!

Heck, my new Billet Specialties GTX01 wheels started to oxidize in the garage in 3 months. But, with that said, the cement is totally salt impregnated and I'm assuming that's the cause. That's one of the problems living here - salted roads from Nov to April, and it never completely goes away. Even my valve covers look bad but they are only temporaries as I have some new on the market for Ford Billet Specialties pieces sitting in a box just waiting

I'm probably going to look on a bike site as well - they seem to have some good products for their aluminum and chrome

English Custom Polish. Very good stuff. Know some who think it is the best.
They sell a variety of polishes.

http://www.englishcustompolishing.co...utomotive.html

Just ordered their metal restorer, it says will work on tough aluminum oxidation on aluminum mag wheels, and yellow amonia stains, so I let you know how it goes!

Originally Posted by stovens

Just ordered their metal restorer, it says will work on tough aluminum oxidation on aluminum mag wheels, and yellow amonia stains, so I let you know how it goes!

I'd appreciate that - my wheels while scuzzy, aren't too awful bad yet, but getting that way quickly.

Tried Wenol?

Works for me.

I resurrected a pair of old slot mags a while back.

240 grit wet/dry.
3M abrasive cloth - maroon - medium grit.
Buffer with red then white rouge.
Wenol.

They came out ok, but a higher polish would require more time on the 3/4 HP buffer, but after a while ya get tired of holding the wheel up.

Take a look at the polished to a satin finish wheels at Roadsters.com.
He did them completely by hand.
Lotta work, but they do look good.

Originally Posted by C9x

Tried Wenol?

Works for me.

I resurrected a pair of old slot mags a while back.

240 grit wet/dry.
3M abrasive cloth - maroon - medium grit.
Buffer with red then white rouge.
Wenol.

They came out ok, but a higher polish would require more time on the 3/4 HP buffer, but after a while ya get tired of holding the wheel up.

Take a look at the polished to a satin finish wheels at Roadsters.com.
He did them completely by hand.
Lotta work, but they do look good.

My wheels aren't ready for the satin.....yet. Possibly Stovens with his really weathered wheels would benefit.

I polished a couple of sets of swap meet valve covers that way - black crud and a pound of fuzzies all over my shop as well as me. I still have one set of OEM "Powered By Ford" script covers to do that wont work on my roller rocker engine.

i use mothers and a hand drill with felt bobs and muslin buff wheels and just keep working the pice then hand buff off the mothers works ok if real bad red 3m super duty compound my HALS have been in side and whey were going to milky takes about 3 hours a rim and thats just the front of them then power balls are junk heres is one done still have one more left hope to get it done before the snow flys i still have to buff the backs still. i will do them with my buffer

Dave, Steve, any of you guys, have any of you heard of Gibbs penetrant? According to the information I read, it's pretty amazing stuff, see what you think. Gibbs Brand penetrant

Mike

I used Metal Master on the "Z" parts. It's a 2 part Cut/Clean & Final Shine.
The final shine is a sealant to extend the shine life.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...edaluminum.jpg

Like you I have always used Meguiar's on paint and always will.
I had been using Mother's Mag & aluminium polish and tried the polish ball.
I recently tried Meguiar's Hot Rims mag & aluminium polish and it is amazing. I apply it with an old white tube sock and buff to a shine with a micro fiber cloth. Not sure how it is long term but it is easy to use and the results are very close to chrome.
I have not treid it on chrome or stainless but I highly reccomend it for aluminium.

This stuff is the schiznit

http://whitediamondpolish.com/whitediamondpolish.php

Lots of good suggestions and it looks like I'll be able to get the aluminum clean and shiny one way or another.

Now, with that said, has anyone tried Zoop Seal. One guy I asked at a show wasn't very happy with it but, who knows what his prep was and it's expensive (my 'tight' Scottish side shows up occasionally )

There is a product that has been out for many years and works great but is labor intensive. Semi-Chrome. Is a paste that has to be rubbed in by hand. I use an old sock on my hand like a mitten.