How to make cast AL look new?

[Bent6]

How do you make cast AL look like new cast AL? I have some hubs I want to clean up. Between dirt and oxidation they look old. I want them to look new. Any suggestions?

 

[letsride24-7]

Well i know 2 ways..

1) start with Brillo or sos soap pads to cut through the coarse crap then i use a hand held buffer wheel in a drill or dremal with mothers polish

or clean them real good and find look for a paint i believe it's called cast renew. But it is only paint that will wear off..

 

[wirefryer#85]

What has worked well for me is first clean the part with 4ought steel wool soaked in rubbing alcohol. Then go at it with a "buffer ball" chucked in a drill soaked in Mothers aluminum polish.

Unless your willing to remove the spokes, hubs are a beast to get shined up good.

Tim

 

[Ol'89r]

If you want them to look brand new, the best way is to unlace the wheel and remove the bearings and bead-blast them. Then take some 00 steel wool and buff them.

Unless you take the time to unlace the wheel you will never get them completly clean around the spokes.

Just my $ .02

 

[just_a_rider]

They have some wounderful new paints out by metal cast, 7 bucks a can but well worth it, it has metal flakes in it. I redid my old grody looking swing arm and it looks new, it's actualy a restore paint for mag wheels, aluminum or steel, it resist cimicals and does not chip. I redid my hubs and rims with metal cast ionized blue, you can not tell them from the real thing. I used purple power to clean them along with a brillo pad. I will post a pic when I get a shot of it tomorrow.

 

[Bent6]

If you want them to look brand new, the best way is to unlace the wheel and remove the bearings and bead-blast them. Then take some 00 steel wool and buff them.

Unless you take the time to unlace the wheel you will never get them completly clean around the spokes.

Just my $ .02

I like this method the best. I'll try it soon. I have a bead blaster at the home shop. They use vibratory polishers at my old job. I think I'll also try BB then vibing the parts. I'll use the paint on parts I can't BB. Thanks for the replys.

 

[Ol'89r]

I have a bead blaster at the home shop. QUOTE]


Bent6.

If you have access to a bead blaster, use walnut shells for the finish blast and you won't have to hand finish it. :cool:

 

[Bent6]

If you have access to a bead blaster, use walnut shells for the finish blast and you won't have to hand finish it. :cool:

That's great! I have a new bag of shells. Never tried them yet. Do you know what air pressure I should use? Will it still help to steel wool them when done to get a little more brightness?

 

[Ol'89r]

I use 120 - 150 psi. The shells will leave a nice finish. If you want them brighter you can hand buff with 00 or 000 steel wool. If you have access to a lathe, you can spin them while using the steel wool. Makes them look almost polished.