Clean my aluminum rims ??

[timothydog]

My front aluminum rims are really starting to turn nasty. I'm assuming it is from brake dust because the back rims still look pretty clean.

Anyway, I've tried aluminum rim cleaner, brake/carb cleaner, soap .. on and on.

What can I do to really get them back in shape? (Preferably not having to take the tires off)

 

[Way2QWK]

You need to try a wheel acid. I have used this stuff on a couple local TR friends wheels. I work at a car dealer, we use hydrocloric type acid and it works very good. BUt I dont think it can be purchased at just anywhere.

 

[timothydog]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I was able to find a previous thread where they were mentioning Muriatic Acid. I went to the store and bought some and it worked really well! The polished areas aren't 100% but the pitted areas cleaned super well!

 

[salvageV6]

Either clearcoat them or paint them silver since they will get dirty twice as fast now with no clearcoat left on them.

 

[timothydog]

Yah, I'm probably going to clear coat them again in a day or 2. Whenever I can get some time. Thanks.

 

[Mako]

I used Eagle one I think. Not sure. Checkers sells it in a black spray bottle. They make it in several varieties for rough cast, chrome, or polished rims. Not as good as dealership acid but after 4 applications and 10 minutes later wheels were looking real good.

 

[Drew L]

If the rims you are talking about are the T or the T-Type wheels, Eagle aluminum cleaner for "ROUGH CAST" works very good. Be sure that it is the ROUGH CAST or it will not work as well. Drew

 

[Night Train]

Someone I met said the best wheel cleaner he had ever used was Easy Off foaming oven cleaner (the one in the hand pump bottle like Fantastik). He had some really bad looding Z28 rims and it cleaned them up like new. I'm sure you have to be careful to keep it off of any painted surfaces and may have to rub it a little.

Bob

 

[scottyb]

I was leery about chemicals, but finally broke down and used Eagle-1 for etched wheels. It worked like a champ. Can't miss it, the pic on the spray bottle almost looks like T wheels.