Thread: Mag Wheel polish - keeping it shining

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Hi Group -
I need some advise on keeping a "luster" on my wheels, and I know there are many of you - -that know the secret.
I have the Centerline wheels on my Rod, and I keep it covered in my garage. Even after cleaning all the wheels, if I go back in a week I can still get that black residue on my rag. How do you keep them looking like new? Thanks guys

Originally Posted by Simi Mike

Hi Group -
I need some advise on keeping a "luster" on my wheels, and I know there are many of you - -that know the secret.
I have the Centerline wheels on my Rod, and I keep it covered in my garage. Even after cleaning all the wheels, if I go back in a week I can still get that black residue on my rag. How do you keep them looking like new? Thanks guys

That's oxidation and unless you can find someone to clear them with something that wont yellow, that black crap will just 'renew' itself over night. The aluminum wheels on my RV are that way, those $$$ Billet Specialties on my '31 - ditto. An unhappy fact of life. (Zoop Seal says it prevents that, but it's way too expensive for some polyurethane sealer)

I still use just plain old Mother's and keep rubbing til the black is gone.....

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

I still use just plain old Mother's and keep rubbing til the black is gone.....

But you can bet it will be back. I worked for Reynolds Aluminum for 20 years and I can tell you if you don't seal them it just jeeps turning black.

The stuff you are using to polish the wheel is causing it to corrode quickly--after you polish it shiny you then need to wipe/polish it further with jeweler's rouge--you will develope a feel for how much more to shine it--once cleaned this way, don't ever go back to that other crapola polish

I've seen this stuff called Sharkhide on TV. They say a light coat of this after polishing will keep the shine .
Not a big believer of everything I see in commercials, so until someone actually uses this and then tells me it works..not buying it.

Seems to me that our friend Mike52, who lives in Florida, posted up some info about Sharkhide a year or two back, but I did not get a hit on a search. From their website Sharkhide it seems to be a good product, but "...let the buyer beware." Maybe Mike will see this and post up some comments.

If you guys look at the gallery pics of my nitro fuel dragsters and funny cars---those are Magnesiam wheels and take a lot of polishing to kkep nice--We used a product called Met-All. However after using it the wheels would quickly tarnish again--We started using a trick I learned while in the Army, after using Brasso to polish belt buckle and collar brass how quickly they would tarnish--I got a jewelers cloth dealie that was a double folded cloth that had jewelers rouge( the reddish stuff) on the inside and after using it my brass would stay shiney for weeks--

Well I convinved my buddies for us to try it on the halibrands and the engine parts---after that they stayed in very nice shape altho we did keep them up--it was a whole lot easier to do.

I have used Wenol polish for years. Wenol also makes a wax, and I have used it on my wheels since they were new in 2002. They still look shiney after 10 years. Rewaxing every year is a lot less expensive than Zoops Seal.

Originally Posted by rumrumm

I have used Wenol polish for years. Wenol also makes a wax, and I have used it on my wheels since they were new in 2002. They still look shiney after 10 years. Rewaxing every year is a lot less expensive than Zoops Seal.

Where do you find / get Wenol?

Wenol Hard Wax, Shines Brite

I tired SharkHyde on my Car last year-it works great (when you finally apply it correctly), but it's a bear to get on there and be happy with the results-they telll you to use a Baby Diaper (?) to apply it-I tried that, and it would streak terribly-I finally sprayed it on, and you have to be careful with your application-it looks great when you finally get in on, and they say it will last for Years, though-

I had a bunch of Aluminum to Polish, and tried a lot of different polishes-Mother's Billet worked second best (I tested a bunch of different ones (some I had never heard of)-2 kinds of Mother's, Busch, Speedy, Wenol, Nevr-Dul, Flitz and Sharkhyde even offers one-and the best one after testing? Speedy Metal Polish (if you are just trying to polish)-

THE ORIGINAL SPEEDY METAL POLISH SITE. SPEEDY SHINES ALUMINUM,SILVER,COPPER,BRASS,STAINLESS STEELL, AND ALL OTHER METALS

I had never heard of the stuff before (it appears they cater to the Semi Truck crowd)-I had to buy it online-

I wonder about about trying this next (after I get done polishing some more stuff)-it's the second one down, the clear Epoxy-

Squeeg's Customs

I do my wheels many times a year, 3 -5 times a year at least. It is easy and I have found some good products that produce good results quickly.

This one from speedway is very good, liquid rub it on let it haze and wipe off, hard to beat. What I like about it is that it cleans off the wheels easily and completely.
JEWELERS ROUGE MFX HAND POLISH
Polish - Speedway Motors, America's Oldest Speed Shop



They also sell a product called semi chrome, I have use it in the past on my harley 6-7 bucks a tube. It did a nice job but was hard to get all the polish off the part lots of rubbing.

The secret to polishing aluminum is to remove all the residue, even to the point of washing them. The best product that does not leave spots is;
Eagle One Aluminum Wheel Cleaner
You must get the exact cleaner, it is pH-neutral.

So when I read about metal-all my antenna went up and the link provided led me to a site that was heavy selling aircraft related parts and supplies. Well, we all know aviation merchandize is thought of as upgraded and of better quality.

So I ordered an 8oz can, notice I said an 8oz can, you will figure out why I high light that fact shortly. I received it today opened it up, and I think it is the same product as the semi chrome. The reasons, first pink, second smells the same, did a test on a brass clock I have on the mantel. It acted exactly like the semi chrome, hard to remove all the residue. I will find out how it works on a wheel this weekend, but I think I already know what to expect.

Conclusion I am going to stick with the speedway product, it does a great job on chrome, aluminum and stainless. Here are some interesting pictures of the metal-all they speak for themselves.








As you can clearly see I did get an 8oz can ...... not real sure they were talking polish ... live and learn

As said I would give the metal-all a shot on A wheel. Did that and ended up going all around the car. It worked very well, has a nice luster and happy to say it is impressive. Used it on the chrome and stainless fire wall as well.

I use cotton sports socks as applicator,and buffer, buff twice. I came up with that trick because of this harley with spoke wheels, need I say more. I like the metal-all gave a good shine, easy to remove makes you happy you polished your wheels.

So there you go, old dogs can be taught new tricks, thanks for the tip.

Looks good, glad you like it--we bought it at ACE hardeare

If you wipe it down with a jewelers rouge rag it will stay shiny longer before it needs shining again.