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Polished Aluminum Rims - care of

14K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  Top_Speed1 
#1 ·
Anybody know the best way to protect a "polished aluminum" rim? From my reading on the web it appears if you use the wrong product you can mess them up. Surely there's a good polish or protectant for these type rims?
 
#2 ·
The big question is are they clear coated?

If they are clear coated, you treat them like you would treat the paint on the car.

If they are bare, expect to have to polish them regularly. Power tools are helpful. They sell the ones that are cloth balls that go on the end of a drill.

***, are they clear coated?
 
#3 ·
Here is what I have used over the years on my show cars.

Hollywood's Metal Polish - This stuff works great on polished aluminum!! It also works on Stainless, Silver, Brass, Magnesium & Copper well. This stuff will also help keep oxidation off you wheels.

Here is the web site if your interested http://www.hollywoods1.com/

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Allen
 
#4 ·
Are you confirming that the Volt polished wheels do not have a clear coat?

They don't look like it to me, but I wouldn't want to use a metal polish on a clear coat in case they are...
 
#9 ·
Thanks! That's very helpful info.

So it's back to good old paint care techniques for the wheels when they start looking bad (wash, clay bar, polish, wax).
 
#10 ·
On ordinary cars the big deal in cleaning rims is getting the brake dust off. Since the Volt has regen braking in addition to the normal friction brakes, I would expect the amout of brake dust to be much reduced, so the cleaning should be much easier.

I always wash the rims when I wash my car, I do this after washing the car, but use the same suds but a different sponge. Once a or twice year I use a mild polish such as Meguires Deep Crystal Polish to clean off the accumulate brake dust.

Here's an amusing story. I've been told the base allow wheels GM used on the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice are actually the chrome chrome wheels that have been painted over to look like polished alloy. I've been wondering if they did that on the Volt but I'm not interested in scratching the paint to see.
 
#13 ·
On ordinary cars the big deal in cleaning rims is getting the brake dust off. Since the Volt has regen braking in addition to the normal friction brakes, I would expect the amout of brake dust to be much reduced, so the cleaning should be much easier...
I can confirm this. I have not washed my Volt yet (I use a California Car Duster and wipe down with detail spray and micro-fiber towels). 2000 miles and I have only wiped the wheels down twice. Virtually no brake dust. The rotors are not even bedded in; they still have the machine tool marks on them.
 
#12 ·
What is the heavy duty hatch mat made of? Is it water and stain resistant? When we go to the NC mountains in the summer, we have to take our garbage to the dump. I'd hate to have anything leak out of the plastic bags on to the carpet.

Oops! Wrong thread.
 
#18 ·
I used Clay Bar to clean/oxidation on the polished wheels, then waxed (used ICE) ::::: Premo!

Zero brake dust, rotors still looked machined (circles/swirls) at 4K miles.
 
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