MasterofDisaster
Senior Member
About a year ago, I noticed that my rims had developed a milky or beige mess in the clear coat. I couldn't get it off with a Dremel wire brush. The Dremel and rubbing compound might have made it look worse. It looks sort of like
![wheel before polishing.JPG wheel before polishing.JPG](https://www.s197forum.com/data/attachments/50/50395-d291ef043bcc6a684c4af240d5b36be3.jpg)
but to the naked eye it was milky white or pale yellow/beige.
I tried some #3 steel wool and elbow grease on it, and that removed enough of the clear coat that I was able to remove the rest with the Dremel w/ wire brush. I also tried the Dremel 320-Grit Finishing Abrasive Buffs. The abrasive wore off pretty fast, even at lowest speed and light pressure.
The good news is that the buffs make a good carrier for Soft Scrub and rubbing compound. Soft Scrub seemed to be more abrasive and removed clear coat faster.
I used the Dremel and a regular fabric buff with polishing compound to polish the aluminum. I also tried jewelers rouge, and both were about the same polish. The jewelers rouge keeps your work area a little cleaner because polishing compound flies all over the place. Sprayed with generic clear coat, the rims look like
![wheel polished.JPG wheel polished.JPG](https://www.s197forum.com/data/attachments/50/50396-3ce484d8d71bf1bcc53d0ef19c3d4cb6.jpg)
You can see the stripes where I masked off the original clear coat. I'm going to let the clear coat dry for a week or so before polishing it. It's not perfect, but it's better than the scaly crap that developed in the last couple years.
On Sun, 30 Aug 20, I hand buffed the rims with a Scotchbrite non stick pad and rubbing compound. Then I polished them by hand with a Scotchbrite non stick pad and polishing compound.
View media item 8468View media item 8467I think they look nice - at least as good as they have looked in years.
![wheel before polishing.JPG wheel before polishing.JPG](https://www.s197forum.com/data/attachments/50/50395-d291ef043bcc6a684c4af240d5b36be3.jpg)
but to the naked eye it was milky white or pale yellow/beige.
I tried some #3 steel wool and elbow grease on it, and that removed enough of the clear coat that I was able to remove the rest with the Dremel w/ wire brush. I also tried the Dremel 320-Grit Finishing Abrasive Buffs. The abrasive wore off pretty fast, even at lowest speed and light pressure.
The good news is that the buffs make a good carrier for Soft Scrub and rubbing compound. Soft Scrub seemed to be more abrasive and removed clear coat faster.
I used the Dremel and a regular fabric buff with polishing compound to polish the aluminum. I also tried jewelers rouge, and both were about the same polish. The jewelers rouge keeps your work area a little cleaner because polishing compound flies all over the place. Sprayed with generic clear coat, the rims look like
![wheel polished.JPG wheel polished.JPG](https://www.s197forum.com/data/attachments/50/50396-3ce484d8d71bf1bcc53d0ef19c3d4cb6.jpg)
You can see the stripes where I masked off the original clear coat. I'm going to let the clear coat dry for a week or so before polishing it. It's not perfect, but it's better than the scaly crap that developed in the last couple years.
On Sun, 30 Aug 20, I hand buffed the rims with a Scotchbrite non stick pad and rubbing compound. Then I polished them by hand with a Scotchbrite non stick pad and polishing compound.
View media item 8468View media item 8467I think they look nice - at least as good as they have looked in years.
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