Tips on cleaning Torq thrusts?

does anyone have any tips on cleaning or keeping clean Torq thrusts (D or TTO) with the painted or bare spokes? Also, does anyone know if the polished lip is clear coated?

 

0000 steel wool or finer, I would say for bare spokes OR Flitz polish!

Painted D's(sell 'em! LOL) no, Try Simple Green full strentgh with a tooth brush!

 

I was thinking about using an SOS pad on the lip but thought it might be too abrasive, I think I used the wrong wheel cleaner at some point and have water spots (I guess) on the polished lip.

And yeah , about the painted D's, I know, but I've got disc brakes and it was the only wheel I could get in a size that would clear everything

 

I used a spray on mag wheel cleaner to brighten up the the uncoated rims on my gray centered TTDs (contains a very mild etchant) and / or a fine metal polish for stubborn spots every year or so. Other than that big "spring cleaning" (wheels totally off the car, cleaning both sides and the tires very well) I didn't use anything else but non-ammonia based window cleaner the rest of the time. For the most part, they were very easy to keep looking good. Gary

 

The polished edge is easy to keep looking good with a fine scotch brite pad. HRP

 

Here's a related question for you guys: I bought a set of old knock off Torq Thrusts for a little over $150 a couple years ago. The former owner coated the hell outta them with Gibbs oil to prevent corrosion over long term storage. It DID keep them from corroding, but now it will NOT come off.

I've tried degreaser, mineral spirits, acetone, and MEK. Nothing touches it. Next is physically sanding it off. Any ideas that aren't high dollar?

EDIT:
Oh, a (not great) photo:

I'd be fine with leaving the spokes as they are. I just want some shine on the lip!

 

I used a POR 15 product called Glisten to coat the spokes of mine. I seems to be holding up well and makes them easy to keep clean.

 

0000 steel wool is a must-have item for any garage. I use it with Mothers Mag Polish on the polished rims of my TTs. (Sometimes I follow-up with Nevr dull) Also agree with foz on the Simple Green/toothbrush combo for cleaning the rough cast/unpainted surface of the spokes.

And no, the rims are NOT clear coated.

HRP,
What 'grit/grade' of scotchbrite do you use?

 

I masked off the rim section and gl*** beaded [round beads] the spokes. The gl*** beads pounded the pores in the aluminum shut for a good satin-y look that stayed nice for as long as I owned the wheels..about 2 years.
2nd photo was the first Americans I installed on the front...some really old round-spokes.
!st photo was after installing a nicer pair of pointy-spokes and bead blasting the centers and polishing the rims.

 

can I high jack and ask about some vintage 200S with the gray porus center ?....use the same stuff?

 

Being an old fart, I don't care for polished rims. The originals did not have polished rims but just a machined surface. I restored these cheap knock offs using a brake lathe and 80 grit sand paper. The spokes are painted with the "stainless steel" spray bombs sold at every flea market along with the "cast iron" spray bombs. For me they need to reflect light in circles that were caused by the lathe that they used when they originally made them. That is the look that I like. I paid a hundred bucks for these less lug nuts and center cap. Hard to find 15X6. to fit the rear wheel of my 56 Ford.

 

so say for a brand new set?, to use precaution, would you wax the lip or use Rejex or something similar? or is this too obvious a solution?

 

The new ones are anodized clear on the lips (you can tell from the little rainbow refractions they throw off) versus the old Americans that were simply machined. Just clean them with a stiff brush and simple green, or a fine scotchbrite with the same if they're already etched/corroded. Once clean, a good spray-wax is a great way to seal and protect them for another year or so...