Saw this on youtube. Makes it look easy!
polishing aluminum wheel.avi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Tv0duY-Vo#)
see ya
ken
Certainly does look easy. Looks like grinder, rag wheel of sorry and ? Polishing compound?
I'd like to see how he does the duals.
I have done it this way, and the cloth buffing wheels are sold in most auto stores. The buffing bars are a red (resin kind of compound) jewellery style and to do the duals you use a smaller buffer and a round ball like pad on an extension tube to do holes. It really is easy but you have to hold onto the motor.
Once it is washed after polishing you can spray the wheel with a sealer that Alcoa sell and this stops tarnishing and dirt. I do mine once a year
JohnH
When I brought my new (used) wheels, they did both as part of the deal. Ones on the coach need doing.
Anyone now what year the Alcoa rims had the sealed finish, only needed washing as they had a finish that stayed bright ? I think my 2001 has the newer finish as they stay nice.
Just did all of mine, it is not that easy especially if they have not been polished regularly. The next time I will be searching for the wheel polishing guy at one of the Chrome shops around a truck stop. I did find a product that is easy to use after you get them cleaned up from Dr Shine works great on chrome and aluminum. I'll see if I can get the phone number or the web site off the bottle.
On Youtube there are a number of videos showing how to polish wheels. Doing the rears is shown, with smaller buffing wheels, or ball shaped buffing wheels used. I was amazed by the few minutes it took for the process, with the wheel off the ground.
Took two full days to do mine.
Used METALL aluminum polish that I used in AF to polish T29.
Large and small buffer and a lot of "hand buffer" in the lightening holes
I polished my wheels ONE time, what a PITA, last year had them done in CG in FL, 20 bucks a wheel if I remember but they looked like mirrors and now are easy to clean.
Gary B
Alcoa sell a cleaning kit that is 3 part. First a cleaner that REALLY works to remove muck and tarnish. Then wash it and buff with their compound, wash again and let dry then spray on the sealer and give it a quick water spray. Worked great and the sealer does keep the finish for a long time.
The Durabrite wheels should not be cleaned except with water, as they are protected at factory.
John H
Everything about Alcoa wheels, except the answer to Dave M. I think that if your wheels dull down and oxidize then you don't have the newer finish though.
http://www.alcoa.com/alcoawheels/north_america/en/info_page/wheel_service_manual.asp (http://www.alcoa.com/alcoawheels/north_america/en/info_page/wheel_service_manual.asp)
Keith
Thanks for the info. I looked at both the front and back videos. I can do that, I might remove the hub cover for the rear wheel though. Wonder if it would be possible to rotate wheels and shine up the side that was never polished.
I think the dura bright wheels were introduced in 2001, the same
year the inner dually went from aluminum to steel.
My 2002 U270 has the no-polish wheels (and steel unner duals). Much easier to keep clean than the 1990 U280 was!
Hi Dave, my GV is a 2001 that was built in 2000. It was the show coach that year and was the one in the brochures and cd's. It came with the duralite, but with a catch. Mine, and the rest of the first ones made were all processed individually, one at a time by one individual. After the trial period, they started mass producing them. The finish on mine failed, and they replaced them all with the new series for free, including free shipping. They also paid for the labor of mounting and balancing, and included new nut covers, two top hats, and two moonies, all on them. Couldn't top that.
Happy travel,
LynnD.
'01 GV