Tips for aluminum wheel restoration?

I have some aluminum wheels with very light curb rash and one with a slight gouge on the wheel face. Any suggestions on how I can make them look new again? Is there a aluminum filler?

 

There are places that specialize in aluminum wheel restoration. They can actually fill in the gouges, missing chunks, etc. Usually runs about $100 per wheel.

 

if the wheel is just damaged without much missing material?.. you can smooth out the heaviest damage with sandpaper(start at about 400-600 grit) and progressively work up to finer finishes with wet sandpapers. Final wet paper should be around 2000 grit to avoid "paper marks" and make things easier for final buffing.

For best result and to avoid slight polish/color mismatches.. you may want to buff the entire wheel out to restore original luster and blend everything together.

I usually polish the hell out of everything that can be polished.. so I'll warn you right up front.. don't bite off more than you can chew by deciding to do all the wheels and then stopping midway through the project. Unless you don't mind having one "good side" and one "decent side". lol Expect the repair job to take about 2 hours or more.. and all 4 wheels to run about 6 hours. It's VERY time consuming detail work.

 

The last set of wheels I did took my 16 hours total.

 

I had mine straightened and cleaned about 5 years ago. They used what looked like a giant sandpaper sponge on a buffer for the final cleanup. These rims had some nicks and one had kissed a curb.
http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=43452&highlight=wheel+repair
http://www.fixrim.com/

 

For aluminum slots, Brillo or SOS pads are your best-est friend.

 

I've used these guys:
http://www.weldcraftwheels.com/index-3.html

 

Thanks.....

 

What wheels have you got? I like seeing what other guys put on their Mavs!

 

Ford Ranger Deer Hoofs

 

Then do NOT use SOS or Brillo. Those (all the factory) wheels have a clear coat that is easily damaged. That's one of the reasons I steer clear of them, once the clear coat ages, there's almost nothing you can do yourself to restore them, then it's time for new wheels or a pro that does this.

 

I have a set of these taking up space in our shop...

 

Why does it need it?

 

Will this work?


http://www.thirdgen.org/sergiowheels

 

Need it ? Dunno, ask Ford. People are lazy I guess, Been my experience that while the clear coat keeps em looking good for awhile, if the wheels aren't cleaned regularly, it really does no good as the clear coat itself degrades, once it does, it looks like crap. I'd rather have a bare metal finish with aluminum wheels and maintain the shine with SOS or Brillo.