Polished aluminum rims look fine when they come off the assembly line in mint condition. The problem arises when they have been subjected to the atmosphere, which causes oxidation. Then mud, grime and various road chemicals can also attack the aluminum's surface. Once the protective coating wears off, aluminum rims collect stains and impurities that pass into the porous metal, and if left unattended, cause pitting and surface deformities. Sometimes vigorous polishing techniques must be used to bring back the aluminum's luster. To protect the rims and bring them back to original condition, a few available products and some spare time are required.
Use the floor jack or regular jack to lift the vehicle off the ground. Place jack stands under the frame, giving yourself enough room to remove all four tires. Using the lug wrench, remove each tire, then set them aside.
Align the wheels on the ground, face up. You'll work on one wheel at a time. Don the protective rubber gloves. Dip a two-inch wide paint brush into some full-strength paint stripper. You will remove any clear coat that exists on the rim that has faded, peeled or chipped. Apply a liberal coat of paint stripper on the rim and let it sit for 15 minutes. It should start bubbling, eating the old clear coat away. Look for patches on the rim that do not seem affected by the stripper and add more coats there.
Use the coarse steel wool, dipped in paint stripper, and scrub the surface of the rim, making sure to change out another wool pad once it loads up. It might take several passes and many wool pads, but be sure to lift any signs of the old clear coat from the rim's surface. The color of the aluminum will look milky white, and will be very greasy to the touch--normal for the chemical reaction.
Wash the rim thoroughly with dish-washing soap and water. This will allow you to see any clear coat left behind or any stains and scratches. Dry-buff clean. Use the coarse grit (wet, #320) sandpaper to sand down the complete surface until you have removed all surface blemishes, stains and scratches. Be sure to use plenty of water on the sanding surface. Wash and rinse.
Using the fine sandpaper (# 800 grit), sand the entire rim surface down again. This will bring the aluminum surface to the smoothness that you want before chemical polishing. Wash and dry-buff.
Apply the brass-metal polish to the rim surface, using circular polishing motions, until you have brought back the rim's original luster. Use as many applications as necessary. Wash and rinse thoroughly and then dry-buff, so that no moisture remains on any part of the rim.
Mask off the rubber tire surface with tape and newspaper. Shake the urethane paint can to agitate and mix the contents. Starting at one end, spray a light coat across the surface of the rim and work your way down to the bottom. Repeat with another light coat, covering the entire surface. Let this set for a few days to cure.
Wipe any dust that might have accumulated on the rim during the drying process. Apply a thick coat of organic, non-abrasive wax to the rim. Dry-buff until a sheen appears. Repeat the above steps for each wheel. Wax each week to protect the clear coat.
