Chrome detailing help
03-24-2010, 03:45 PM
#1
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Chrome detailing help When i bought my camaro it came with a set of summer tires and winter tires, and now its time for the summer tires, which are chrome c5 wheels. Problem is, the previous owner never took care of them and now they're in need of some major help, if possible. I cleaned one using rubbing compound, but it still has spots from who knows what and i need to know if its possible to remove the spots in the pictures.
Here's what I'm talking about, the spots: (they're not smooth, just a little rough)
This is the one i attempted to clean but it has the spots as well.
And here's what the other looks like (the dark area is water that is on them):
So can i sand those spots down or are the wheels basically ruined unless i get them rechromed? Or what can i do to clean them. I have no idea why the kid let them get that bad.
All help is appreciated.
Here's what I'm talking about, the spots: (they're not smooth, just a little rough)
This is the one i attempted to clean but it has the spots as well.
And here's what the other looks like (the dark area is water that is on them):
So can i sand those spots down or are the wheels basically ruined unless i get them rechromed? Or what can i do to clean them. I have no idea why the kid let them get that bad.
All help is appreciated.
03-24-2010, 03:50 PM
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Is it just on the inner parts of the rims? Cause if it is, I really wouldn't worry about it cause I doubt you'll see much of that once mounted and the rotor are covering it.
As for sanding, I would imagine that might stand out just as much as the spots.
As for sanding, I would imagine that might stand out just as much as the spots.
03-24-2010, 04:11 PM
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Have you put them on yet to see if the spots are visible? If they aren't I'd probably rechrome them if you can't get them off. Chances are that the previous owner never saw them till he took the rims off and it was too late.
03-24-2010, 08:50 PM
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That looks pretty good, but I'm not really a fan of the different coloring.
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03-24-2010, 09:12 PM
#8
I have those same wheels, and I had the same problem. Im pretty sure the inner part of the wheel is not chrome, and if it is its just a very thin layer. Either way I got a bottle at autozone called "hotwheelz" or some crap, its a spray wheel cleaner made for chrome, pretty sure its just a power solvent that kills road grime and brake dust. Anyways I let it sit on there for a few minutes and took a thick bristle brush and scrubbed the living hell out of it, and it got its shine back. The spray is always pretty good on the spokes when theyre very dirty, just spray, scrub, and rinse.
If that doesnt work, ive heard of guys using simplegreen, and a brillo pad, but that seems a bit too abrasive unless the wheels are really in bad shape.
Search on some detailing forums and see what you come up with, either way they cant be rechromed with all that crap on there so there is a way to get them off.
If that doesnt work, ive heard of guys using simplegreen, and a brillo pad, but that seems a bit too abrasive unless the wheels are really in bad shape.
Search on some detailing forums and see what you come up with, either way they cant be rechromed with all that crap on there so there is a way to get them off.
03-24-2010, 09:39 PM
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Yeah maybe I'll go to autozone tomorrow and see what they have. Simplegreen may do the trick too, because it took me about 5 mins of rubbing the same area to start seeing the chrome finish so I'd say thats pretty bad and i don't know how long its been caked on there. Know of some sites that deal with detailing that may have an answer? Just PM me if ya do.
03-25-2010, 10:52 AM
#10
when we first got my girlfriends t/a i thought the chrome wheels wouldnt even be salvageable, they look liked they were covered in rust and had zero reflection in them. i spent five minutes on one with chrome polish and it made them look new. it literally felt like i was resurfacing them, when i applied the polish all the stained looking grime basically washed off. i even used it on the barell inside the rim and made it chrome
i also bought a set of zo6 wheels from a junkyard. the guy at the yard gave them to me for $250 with brand new tires because he thought all of the chrome had come off of them. again five minutes with the polish and i had the wheel looking brand new.
just grab a bottle of turtle wax chrome polish. is like $2.49 for a bottle at wal-mart, probably like $3 at autozone. apply a generous amount onto a rag and rub it into the chrome sufrace, after you have rubbed it over the wheel go back over it wiping the surface with a clean cloth and all of those watermarks will be gone. the only time it wont work is if those spots are flake spots where the chrome is missing, but you would notice that it would look like a rock chip and have a noticable chip in the surface
i also bought a set of zo6 wheels from a junkyard. the guy at the yard gave them to me for $250 with brand new tires because he thought all of the chrome had come off of them. again five minutes with the polish and i had the wheel looking brand new.
just grab a bottle of turtle wax chrome polish. is like $2.49 for a bottle at wal-mart, probably like $3 at autozone. apply a generous amount onto a rag and rub it into the chrome sufrace, after you have rubbed it over the wheel go back over it wiping the surface with a clean cloth and all of those watermarks will be gone. the only time it wont work is if those spots are flake spots where the chrome is missing, but you would notice that it would look like a rock chip and have a noticable chip in the surface
Last edited by chrysler kid; 03-25-2010 at 10:58 AM.
03-25-2010, 12:21 PM
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My only concern is that the spots are rough and they stick out off the wheel and not dug into it. Can't hurt to try that chrome polish though for only $3. I'll see what i can do on the next sunny/warmer day.
03-25-2010, 12:48 PM
#12
they will come right off. kind of a bad pic but this was after i washed those chrome wheels, they look like dirt but even after scrubbing with a brush the black spots wouldnt come off. after using that chrome polishes they wiped right off. we asked the previous owner and in the 60k miles he owned the car he had never dome more than pay for $5 car washes over the weekend.
03-25-2010, 12:54 PM
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I have the same problem on the barrel of my chrome c6's. Turtle wax chrome polish seems to be the best especially for the price. Mother's always seems to leave a residue. If you solve your problem, let me know how you did it. Also, I haven't tried the polish on the barrels before, but plan to next time the wheels are off.
