Ok i have been using the britex wheel and i have a ?

[fosgate99]

I am attempting to recondition a brushed aluminum car rim. I stripped the clearcoat and with the britex wheel set at 1000rpms very lightly cleaned the face of the wheel. It was making a black residue wich i assume was the dirt buildup? Anyway when the wheel was done it was perfectly clean but it was duller than the other rims wich were not done yet and the surface was scratched. Shouldl i now be using white polish and a spiral? Will it be brighter when i clear it?

[mcaswell]

Hmmm, that sounds exactly what a brushed aluminum finish should look like.

[fosgate99]

well the finish is definitly scratched. I was able to degrease the wheel and shine it up. Should i try the white?

[mcaswell]

Not if you want a brushed aluminum look, no.

Buffing it will remove the scratches (the brushed look).

[saiyan7]

The term brushed aluminum finish is used very loosely when it comes to car rims. The original finish on the rim is normally a milled finish that was created with a huge machine. the machine would leave scratches the were an exact size, in an exact direction, and only a couple of microns deep. You will not be able to reproduce this finish no matter what you do. The only true brushed finish I have ever seen has been on plumbing fixtures. The imperfect finish is what those type of manufacturers are looking for. I hope this helps. I have been trying to reproduce a milled finish on a set of old Saab wheels for a while now, but to no avail. Post some pics so we can see what you came up with.

[fosgate99]

saiyan i am not trying to create the brushed finish. I am just cleaning it. When i hit it with the britex it cleaned it but scratched it at the same time.

[saiyan7]

Caswell can you suggest a cleaner that merely bightens up old aluminum (light oxidation, dirt, grime, whatever). I think old typhoon and I are in the same boat when it comes to making old wheels look new with out polishing.

[marsfrogie]

Try using S&N Products Aluminum brightener. It is used mostly for machined aluminum wheels and aluminum boat pontoons and such. All you have to do is dilute it about 10:1 with water and brush it on. Then rinse clean.

[fosgate99]

thanks for the tip! Do you know their website? I just typed in s&n and nothing came up.

[marsfrogie]

Sorry, don't know of a website. I buy mine at the local parts store. I am relatively sure that they sponser Nascar driver #192.