RE: Hazing on/in Chrome
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RE: Hazing on/in Chrome - 1/24/2008 8:48:19 AM
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99 GT vert
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quote:
ORIGINAL: blkthndr03
a little off topic but are my wheels chrome or polished aluminum i assumed that they were chrome they are the stock wheels that came on the gt premium (wheels in sig) thanks
yours are the 03 cobras and they should be chrome
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RE: Hazing on/in Chrome - 1/24/2008 9:16:10 AM
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Jim D.
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Keep in mind...
That polished alloy (and polished alloy with a clearcoat for that matter) can be confused with chrome.
That some aftermarket wheels have cheap chrome -- and if you don't know what you've got, you've got to play detective almost. A neighbor bought a used pickup and he went to polish his chrome wheels so I thought I'd give him a little advice and the chrome was actually worn off that you could see the nickel and copper plating below the chrome (this is bad, by the way).
That factory wheels -- polished or painted -- are clearcoated, so be careful what you use since you probably don't want to wear through the clearcoat (generally speaking, this is bad). If they are indeed factory, then you know they have a clear if they're not chromed.
That clearcoated wheels that have been polished with the wrong kind of polish can appear hazy -- effectively having introduced scratches in the clear and it's being reflected by the polished finish underneath.
That if they're not factory wheels -- even though they may look like factory wheels with factory center caps -- they could be any finish, and that finish could be quite inferior to factory wheels. Deep Dish wheels that look like factory wheels are aftermarket.
That front wheels see more abuse than rear wheels, so that's often why you see a difference.
That previous owners could have neglected the heck out of the finish of the wheels so you need to keep that in mind.
That if you're polishing a clean wheel with mag polish and you're getting "black" transfer, you're polishing bare aluminum. Clean it up as best as you can with the aluminum polish and a quality microfiber cloth, and then try some Mothers Billet Polish on a quality microfiber (or with a nitrile glove) for a finishing touch.
Good luck, and please let us know how you make out.
(edited to fix minor spelling errors)
< Message edited by Jim D. -- 1/24/2008 9:21:34 AM >
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RE: Hazing on/in Chrome - 1/24/2008 9:35:00 AM
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Derf00
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quote:
ORIGINAL: joeybutts
I do believe that it is possibility two. It has a nickel copper look to it. Damn it. Time for new rims. Is there anything i can do with these rims for chrome/aluminum look or are they only going to be good for stripping and painiting and garbage???
if it is polished aluminum then use the powerball
http://www.microfiber-products-online.com/mopo2cowipop.html
if it's coated aluminum don't. The yellowing/bronze haze you see makes me think it's a sealed aluminum rim. If the seal is breaking down (similar to orange peel on car paint) then you will need to have the rims professionally cleaned (stripped) and recoated. It might be cheaper to get new rims instead of going through that process.
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RE: Hazing on/in Chrome - 1/24/2008 9:46:28 AM
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Jim D.
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quote:
ORIGINAL: joeybutts
I do believe that it is possibility two. It has a nickel copper look to it. Damn it. Time for new rims. Is there anything i can do with these rims for chrome/aluminum look or are they only going to be good for stripping and painiting and garbage???
Of course if it is this scenario, while the chrome won't normally create a black transfer to your applicator, though the nickel and copper will -- so polishing certain areas will likely give you some clues.
Also, if it's cheap chrome, often looking at the back side of a wheel can give some clues... or if there is a nick, scratch or gouge on one of the rims, there's usually evidence of flaking of the chrome plating.
If it is chrome wearing thin, there's not much you can do besides re-plate, but it's often cheaper to replace than re-plate. Check some options next time you have to buy tires, and this spare set might be nice to have around for track use or winter use.
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RE: Hazing on/in Chrome - 1/24/2008 9:51:53 AM
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Jim D.
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Derf00
quote:
ORIGINAL: joeybutts
I do believe that it is possibility two. It has a nickel copper look to it. Damn it. Time for new rims. Is there anything i can do with these rims for chrome/aluminum look or are they only going to be good for stripping and painiting and garbage???
if it is polished aluminum then use the powerball
http://www.microfiber-products-online.com/mopo2cowipop.html
if it's coated aluminum don't. The yellowing/bronze haze you see makes me think it's a sealed aluminum rim. If the seal is breaking down (similar to orange peel on car paint) then you will need to have the rims professionally cleaned (stripped) and recoated. It might be cheaper to get new rims instead of going through that process.
I'll agree with this theory that clearcoat can yellow, especially if neglected. And it can wear thin so that you're getting chemical reaction (black) with true metal polishes. You don't have to polish long with a true metal polish (Like Mothers Mag & Aluminum or PowerMetal anyway) to polish away clearcoat, and I'm not getting that feeling from what joeybutts has told us that this is happening... it would likely look blotchy as it wears away, versus pretty much an even haze except where the other metal plating is showing.
But yes, the PowerBalls are great... and they can be used with just any polish for the particular wheel finish -- add moisture if necessary to provide lubrication.
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RE: Hazing on/in Chrome - 1/24/2008 12:12:25 PM
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Jim D.
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Horarik
What kinda of problems will you have if you use alum polish on chrome or chrome polish on alum?? Cause i have some Mothers alum polish (little tin can) and it says not to use on chrome. just wondering if it will wreck anything or if it just wont work.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Juztang
Another option for a good metal polish/protectant is my OD Metal Rx. This polish works great on chrome,alum,stainless,etc. Not only does this polish do a good job of bringing back shine it also leaves a layer of protection behind.
Is that safe to use with the mothers power ball or just hand app?
Metal Rx > Wheel Seal??
Just to clarify for Horarik's sake...
Since the American Racing website is indicating these wheels are only offered in chrome or black, and also based on what I can see of your wheels, I'm leaning towards the notion that your wheels are chromed, but the plating is worn on the front lips. It's very possible that a previous owner used the wrong product on the chrome and wore it thin. It happens all the time.
Using an aggressive polish that is intended for bare aluminum is, in the long run, bad for anything but bare aluminum. I am very familiar with Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish and while it's a great polish for aluminum, it's not intended for chrome -- though on rare occasion you can use it discretely on lightly pitted or otherwise very neglected chrome -- but if your finish is smooth, this wouldn't be the case.
Test an area on the back wheels -- rub lightly for about 5 seconds with Mag & Aluminum Polish and tell us what happens.
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RE: Hazing on/in Chrome - 1/25/2008 5:12:56 PM
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Horarik
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From: Minnesota
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Jim D.
Just to clarify for Horarik's sake...
Since the American Racing website is indicating these wheels are only offered in chrome or black, and also based on what I can see of your wheels, I'm leaning towards the notion that your wheels are chromed, but the plating is worn on the front lips. It's very possible that a previous owner used the wrong product on the chrome and wore it thin. It happens all the time.
Using an aggressive polish that is intended for bare aluminum is, in the long run, bad for anything but bare aluminum. I am very familiar with Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish and while it's a great polish for aluminum, it's not intended for chrome -- though on rare occasion you can use it discretely on lightly pitted or otherwise very neglected chrome -- but if your finish is smooth, this wouldn't be the case.
Test an area on the back wheels -- rub lightly for about 5 seconds with Mag & Aluminum Polish and tell us what happens.
Wow, thanks man. Wont have a chance to try anything for a little while due to being put away for winter but I will deff print this thread off and bring it up when i check out my car next. What am I looking for when i rub lightly for 5 seconds? And this wont wreck my rear wheels too now will it? I dont want to have to buy 4 rims..... however i think black may look nice....
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RE: Hazing on/in Chrome - 3/18/2008 5:55:28 AM
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Horarik
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Back from the dead. Went to get the car out of storage and snapped some pics. Its gotta be someone using the wrong products and wearing off the chrome layer or whatever. On the back of the rim there is 1 strip for balancing and like 2 more places when they have been previusly balanced so these rims i guess have been around a lot.
Here are some pics. The circled area seems to still have the coating and is shiney.
     
< Message edited by Horarik -- 3/18/2008 5:56:16 AM >
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RE: Hazing on/in Chrome - 3/18/2008 7:22:16 AM
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Horarik
Posts: 97
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From: Minnesota
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Yeah i kinda wanna do some photoshop and see what the black rims with polished lip would look like on my car but its only the front that are bad so i cant justify buying all 4. Prob wont even replace the fronts this year aswell. O well.
sticky this **** so it done happen no more lol.
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RE: Hazing on/in Chrome - 3/18/2008 11:46:59 AM
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ryan1994mustang
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horarik, those definatley look like neglected chrome wheels. and i think the black bullits or fr500's with a polished lip would look great on your car...
< Message edited by ryan1994mustang -- 3/18/2008 11:48:33 AM >
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