Distraction can be dangerous behind the wheel or cleaning a wheel.

[1olbull]

I had 000 steel wool here, I used that and then Barrasso on a micro fiber cloth. (I use Barrasso on the chrome and it works great.) After the Barrasso I used the Mother's Polish with the power ball again and it looked great. I went out to the garage this morning and I can see the most severe stain coming back. Overall the rim looks good. I will mount the tire and put it back on the bike. If it bothers me to the point of insanity, which it probably will I will powder coat the wheels black next Spring. Its funny, not much bothers me except a damaged or dirty polished wheel. The bike could have 3 layers of grime and dead bugs on it but if the wheels are dirty it makes me crazy. In fact I would even go so far to say putting a car tire on the back wouldn't bother me as much as a dirty Aluminum wheel. I should talk to someone about this.

You might consider trying "Plasti Dip" instead of powder coating.
It is non permanent, durable and colors can be changed.
I have purchased some and intend to do mine ASAP.

 

[cr0ft]

 

[IMFASTTOO]

Yeah, me too. Though I could certainly learn to love chrome!

Oh, the heady days when my rear rim looked like this:

Triumph Rocket 3 Touring Hinterrad.- Felge Wheel Assy, Rear non ABS

... gotta take the wheel off the bike and really get to polishing this weekend I think... Never taken it off the bike before, should be interesting, the brake disc has to be removed, there's just no way to work around it with the wheel on the bike.

you dont have to take the wheel off the bike just jack it up and then you can rotate and polish

 

[1olbull]

What convinced me to try it was its use and durability on a couple dirt bike front fork plastic guards.
We shall see . . .

 

[Rick Morris]

You might consider trying "Plasti Dip" instead of powder coating.
It is non permanent, durable and colors can be changed.
I have purchased some and intend to do mine ASAP.

This stuff looks pretty cool. I may try this on one of our dirt bikes first.

 

[Sensfan]

I can attest,the plastic dip works well, to help you decide if you want powder coating. My buddy used it on the parts he was considering to powder coat,easy to apply,easy to take off if he didn't like it. Then he was absolutely sure what he wanted powder coated.
As far as everybody's comments about steel wool /sod pads, etc. I have metal specialists who build stainless steel, and polished aluminum handrails for me in my buildings,they wet sand everything with high grit sand paper,getting higher and higher in the grit until they make it look like chrome,tedious,yes,but their results are always fantastic. ...IMHO.

 

[IMFASTTOO]

So dont do what I did. It is time for a rear tire change, while the wheel is off and the tire is off the wheel, I took the time to clean the wheel. I sprayed it with a wheel cleaner I use all the time. One of my neighbors came over to shoot the s&*t and I was distracted for about 20 minutes while we talked.

What a mistake. As I walked over to the wheel I could clearly see the colossal mistake I had made. The wheel cleaner had etched into the wheel and it looked like a dark gray grungy coating out of the septic system had attached itself to my wheel. I started to lose my s&^t. I never get stressed over anything. This had me in a cold sweat as my heart was pounding out of my chest. I was pissed and disappointed that I allowed myself to let this happen.

I destroyed a brand new Mother's powerball trying to polish the cleaner off the wheel surface. I was able to get most of it but there is a stain where the cleaner flowed to the bottom of the wheel on both sides.

I am now contemplating powder coating the wheels black as I am sick to my stomach at the stains I cannot remove.

So let my mistake be a good learning lesson for all. When using any wheel cleaner or brightener, always have water ready to rinse it off within a minute or two. If the dirt and grime does not come off the first time reapply and wait a little longer. DON'T let it sit longer than ten minutes as most wheel cleaners will etch into a wheel weather it is clear coated or not.

I am trying to upload the photos so you can see the tragedy, but I am having some pixel issues I believe.

DONT ever spray any caustic cleaners on bare metal I had a friend that sprayed his whole bike with an engine cleaner and ruined ever surface on the bike even the painted parts and he owns a body shop but hes always been an A HOLE we call his business BAD PAINT. COM

 

[cr0ft]

you dont have to take the wheel off the bike just jack it up and then you can rotate and polish

Yeah, I tried that but I simply can't reach the hub on the side where the brake disc (excuse me, I mean brake satellite dish...) is. Not even with a Flitz polishing-ball-on-a-stick is there a good angle, not even right now when I have the entire rear fender off the bike. I have the bike up in the air, got a really nice Bahco lift that's the greatest thing since sliced bread...

The left-hand side is a doddle, nothing in the way there, but the brake disc is really in the way.

 

[cr0ft]

I have metal specialists who build stainless steel, and polished aluminum handrails for me in my buildings,they wet sand everything with high grit sand paper,getting higher and higher in the grit until they make it look like chrome,tedious,yes,but their results are always fantastic. ...IMHO.

Yeah, I've been considering doing something drastic. I still have some coating left on the rear wheel that's actually interfering now with polishing the pure aluminium.

This video starts out with wheels that were never polished to begin with and then he just works on them with abrasives until they shine like mirrors. I have shine envy.

This seems kind of like insanity but I'm a desperate man so now I'm considering it.

 

[Rick Morris]

DONT ever spray any caustic cleaners on bare metal I had a friend that sprayed his whole bike with an engine cleaner and ruined ever surface on the bike even the painted parts and he owns a body shop but hes always been an A HOLE we call his business BAD PAINT. COM

I used Meguiars Wheel Brightener. I have been using this product for years without an issue. As long as you wash it off within a minute or two it works fine. I just left it on too long and it etched into the surface.