71novaguy

iTrader: (2)

What is the proper way to polish my rims? They are the factory speedlines. Is there some kind of clear coat on it? I have a few chips in what appears to be a clear coat on it. I ask because I thought they were polished aluminum, but any attempt to polish them seems to fail

kyles2000z

iTrader: (8)

They are clearcoated.....so aluminum polish will do nothing to it. if anything it would probably make it worse.

71novaguy

iTrader: (2)

that explains the discolored film it caused. Can I strip the clear coat, polish the aluminum, and clear coat it again?

223HAWK

iTrader: (11)

You can strip them,but be prepaird to do some work. I wouldnt reclear them after I striped them. And more than likely..it wouldnt stick or hold up. Just stay up on the polishing and they will look fine. Theres a few threads on how to strip and polish the factory speedlines..search like striping factory wheels or something I cant remember..

BCKNBLK

iTrader: (3)

most dealers can strip/machine your wheels again to get the clear off.... and if you want a easy clean wheel get them to clear them again. If you like polishing every now and the leave em bare and polish them every couple months or so. you can always tell if your cloth is turning blackish grey real bad when useing alum/mag polish then you got no clear on there.... and yes useing alum polish on your clear will dull/scratch it and makem look like crap.

kyles2000z

iTrader: (8)

could he not just polish the wheels with a compound and polish by hand? i would think if he took Megs 105 and then Megs 205 and polished it by hand with a microfiber cloth, it would clean it just like the clear coat on your paint. shouldnt it? after all, its the same type of clear, or at least i would think it was?

71novaguy

iTrader: (2)

those came out looking great! Now I just have to decided on weather to clear or to zoop seal.

kyles2000z

iTrader: (8)

if you clear them, they're gonna be dull jus tlike they were stock. wasnt that the whole purpose of stripping the clear? to me thats taking one step forward and one step back. zoop seal is great from what i hear, but its pricey!

223HAWK

iTrader: (11)

I would just strip them and just keep polishing them..use good wax after your done polishing each time to seal it up..Meguires Gold Wax is what I use on my polished wheels..It works awsome for them.

The only problem I see in clearing..is its not going to stick..It needs something to bite to..Speis Hecker has a water based clear that has like a self eitching type of meteral in it or something like that..but its $$$. Iv never used it just heard how it works and how expensive it is..

Strip them..polish them and then just everytime or every other time you wash the car get your polish out and go to work!! Its worth it..

71novaguy

iTrader: (2)

Thats what I'm trying to figure out. Did they dull because the previous owner never cleaned/waxed them. If I clear them and wash/wax them occasionally, would they stay shiney?

f-bodyfanatic

iTrader: (2)

I took the clear off my speedline rims and never looked back. I polished my rims up with some Blingmaster polish and they look 10x better than they did with the clear coat on.

223HAWK

iTrader: (11)

Dude Im tryin to tell you that the clear will not stick to a polished surface..You cant just go get some clear in a rattle can or even good automotive clear..it wont stick..

If you find someone that has a product that says it will then Id try it out..

If you strip them, polish them up really good and somehow find aclear that will stick..yes they should be as shinny as they were when you got done polshing them..(should)...

kyles2000z

iTrader: (8)

^ incorrect. Clear will stick to aluminum (they do it from the factory...not sure how, but they do). The clear WILL dull the appearance of the aluminum as well. For instance.....the polished lips on aluminum wheels. You can tell the wheels that are cleared, and the ones that are bare aluminum. The cleared lips (while giving a layer that only requires normal washing and is easy to maintain) will not outshine polished aluminum that is not cleared.

223HAWK

iTrader: (11)

They are cleared yes from the factory..tahts why they are dull...10000& agree..but its dull like you said. Yes You can use a POR and other products to clear the wheels but its no different from the factory..You can not get a urethane clear (that is truley clear not a dull haze) that I know of to stick to bare aluminum..Im sure Iv heard of the Spies product that will but if I remembe it was over $500 a gallon..