Which wheel polish to use? 3 choices?

[mike87]

Hi all,

First time posting here. I have a set of Ro_Ja Formula 5's forged aluminum wheels and the lip is oxidized and the insides are tarred + slightly corroded and oxidized. I believe the clearcoat is fine on the center of the wheel, but the wheels need a good polish.



Which one should i buy?:
Mag & Aluminum Polish
Billet Metal Polish
PowerMetal^®

People have recommended Billet Metal Polish but I just want to confirm before I purchase one of the top polishes and a Powerball + Powerball Mini.

Can anyone recommend something that will clean the wheel real well (i.e., remove tarring on the insides of the wheels) before I apply polish?

Also, is one 4oz Billet Metal polish enough? How many would I need for all 4 wheels?

Thanks

[admin]

Welcome to Wax Forum!

You would want to remove tar with a solvent like WD-40, Goo Gone or mineral spirits (paint thinner -- it's safe on aluminum or cured paints).

Whatever surfaces are bare, polishable aluminum, you would perform initial polishing with Mag & Aluminum Polish paste in a jar or PowerMetal liquid in a bottle -- your choice -- the are considered interchangeable, though I tend to like the paste.

Finish with Billet Metal Polish. Use sparingly, and one jar should do it.

You can use any of the polishes with the PowerCone, which is what you'd probably find to be the most useful polishing too; that and the PowerBall Mini.

If you do have pitting in bare aluminum that won't polish out to your satisfaction, you may have to lightly wetsand starting at about 800- and working up to 2000-grit.

If any portion of the wheel is clearcoated, you would want to mask off that section with painter's tape to prevent damage from the metal polishes. You can polish clearcoat with our PowerPlastic and a clean PowerCone or PowerBall Mini.

[mike87]

Hey thank you so much for your help! You'd pick the Cone over the regular-sized Powerball? How come? The insides of my wheels aren't exactly flat unlike regular wheels. I plan on using the bigger Powerball for the inside and the mini one for the lips. Is it because the Powerball Cone can get into the area where the center of my rims meet the lip?

Using the Billet Metal Polish, should I use that with the Powerball if used sparingly or should I apply by hand?

So I'm going to mask off the center of my rims and buy:
1. Mineral Spirits for cleaning (should I use a microfiber with this?)
2. Mag & Aluminum Polish paste for initial polishing
3. Billet Metal Polish for finishing
4. Powerball Mini for the lips
5. Powerball or Powerball Cone for the interiors

Am I missing anything here? Thanks again!

[admin]

Sometimes choosing the PowerCone over the PowerBall or PowerBall Mini can be a tough call. You can get the job done either way, but I'd still lean towards the PowerCone in the mix somehow; plus, the extension on the PowerBall Mini can be used with the PowerCone to make some tasks easier.

The PowerCone would be able to tackle the back side of the wheels even though they aren't exactly flat, as well as the lip on the face.

[admin]

Furthermore, you'd probably just want a cotton terry rag to clean the tar off the wheel.

But do get some good microfiber cloths for polish removal.

[mike87]

Thank you, I will make the purchase soon. Any recommendations on how to keep the rims shiny so I don't need to polish as often?

[admin]

Applying one our California Gold Pure Carnauba Wax Paste or one of our Spray Wax products would be a good way to protect the shine -- Spray Wax being the easiest solution.

[mike87]

Two more questions (and hopefully that's it)

1. Since the centers of my wheels are clearcoated, is the PowerMetal or Mag & Aluminum Paste safe for clearcoats in case I accidentally touch parts of them with the Powerball? I'm rather clumsy

2. Powerball/Powercone washable-reusable?

[Forrest T.]

1) Accidentally touching the coated part for a few seconds will not damage the clear coat - just stop and wipe the residue off.

2) Disassemble the ball and wash the element with dish soap and water. Rinse well; let dry and reassemble. The cone can be washed, but isn't removable - let it dry before putting back in the package..

[mike87]

Originally Posted by Forrest T.

1) Accidentally touching the coated part for a few seconds will not damage the clear coat - just stop and wipe the residue off.

2) Disassemble the ball and wash the element with dish soap and water. Rinse well; let dry and reassemble. The cone can be washed, but isn't removable - let it dry before putting back in the package..

I've read that Dawn dish soap does the trick, as well as most degreasing formulas

Ok cool, I ordered a Powerball mini, Powercone, Mag & Aluminum Paste, and Billet Metal Polish.

Thanks for all of your help!