Wheel cleaning (HELP!!)

I have a set of ET mags from the 70's that have been sitting in a barn and have calcified around the rims where it should be polished. Can anyone help me figure out the best way to clean and repolish the lips of these. I took a wire wheel to one, and it now looks like S**t. I think I can get it cleaned back up with a lot of wet sanding and repolishing, but what a pain. Please help if you know what I can do.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

I would try some etching wheel cleaner but it might still take some polishing.

 

Wire wheel? Man! You probably just made things worse. SOS pad would have been alot better. Id wet sand with about 600 to 1000 grit then rub on it for awhile with some Mothers mag wheel polish. Did this with some aluminum machined wheels before. Turned out great but took about 4 days on each wheel.

 

OK, start with a strong (acid) wheel cleaner.

Here is what I do, but I'm lucky enough to have picked up a brake lathe (free) just for this. Mount it on the lathe then wet sand it starting with 400 paper. Then work your way to 2000 paper. After that hit it with a buffing wheel. Last stage is 3M Marine Aluminum Cleaner.

If you don't have a lathe, mount it on a rear wheel, jack it up and let the car idle.

 

This may help... Its an old tech post I did.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109391

 

forget the mothers, for final polish get some Busch aluminum polish, made in USA too!


The best stuff you will ever use


Dave

 

Thanks for the ***istance. I will try the various sand paper to get the wire brush scratches out. I haven't touched the other three wheels. These are actually small ord pattern wheels that I have been talking to a guy about re-drilling to chevy pattern. They are all four eight inch. I will paint the centers dark grey if I can get them to work on my truck.

Thanks again,

Bryan

 

Have you tried buffing that Alum. yet ? I would use very fine sand paper to clean the **** off then buff them up till they shine !
I had the same ones on my 66 Chevy and loved those wheels ! That was in 1972 !

 

I have polished alot of aluminum wheels, if they are really oxidized you will have to sand them to get thru the oxidation, some of the wheels needed 240 grit to start. I always wet sand and probably go up to 1200 grit after that you can poloish with anything you like, I've tried alot of them and they all seem to work. Personal preference. I like to apply the polish with 0000 steel wool. Good luck..............