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best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:48 pm
by themadness
i started sanding the gtz wheels i got as b-day present and noticed that what i was sanding off really just appears to be old hard everyday filth from sitting in a yard. i have tried common degreasers and scotch pads with out even making a dent. sanding gets it off but i was wondering if something like carb cleaner or brake cleaner would get it easier with out damaging the metal. its mainly around the inside of the lip.

any suggestions?

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:14 am
by heavywoody
Simple green, purple power.

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:36 pm
by Money pit Beretta
Fast Orange hand cleaner works well. I'm not big on sanding due to the clear coat. Not that the hand cleaner doesn't mess it up some. Any hand cleaner that has grit will work. Goop does not do much of anything. Nor does brake cleaner.
I did a set of Z26 wheels with Fast Orange and they had caked on grease and road dirt(on the inside). I had to use a piece of wood to knock off the grease. Someone went crazy with that stuff, there were grease globs everywhere. I'm sure it changed the balance.
Be ready to have very sore hands and fingers.

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 4:21 am
by scd88ga
Get yourself a scrub brush, a sponge, safety glasses and some rubber gloves! Use straight Purple Power or Super Clean! I poured out the jug into a spray bottle to make it easier and waste less. I also kept the hose nearby to keep them wet because those chemicals can and will causing staining if they dry on! Do one rim at a time! Mine were disgusting on the inside and all 4 took me roughly 2 hours. Good luck! :D

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Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:38 am
by 3X00-Modified
slicks? LOL

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:43 am
by themadness
super clean will even get the tread off!

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 9:00 pm
by scd88ga
3X00-Modified wrote:slicks? LOL
themadness wrote:super clean will even get the tread off!
Aha! lol Another reason I had the wheels off was to get new tires put on! As you can see, I had a bit of fun doing some *spirited driving* right before taking them off, and no, I didn't do any e-brake burnouts either! hahaha :burn: :good: :O:

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 9:12 pm
by heavywoody
scd88ga wrote:and no, I didn't do any e-brake burnouts either! hahaha :burn: :good: :O:
Ahh, the beauty of owning a manual trans car...

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 9:25 pm
by scd88ga
heavywoody wrote:
scd88ga wrote:and no, I didn't do any e-brake burnouts either! hahaha :burn: :good: :O:
Ahh, the beauty of owning a manual trans car...


I have done plenty of racing and know the proper way and lines to take in and out of a corner, but I still find extreme enjoyment in driving too hard into a corner, dumping it into the wrong gear and pulling out of the corner in an epic cloud of tire smoke! ;)

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 8:53 pm
by berettaboi
hahah looks like you had fun for sure. and yeah they come out clean with some time. what did you use to scrub it or just pressure wash after soaking?

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 10:24 pm
by scd88ga
berettaboi wrote:hahah looks like you had fun for sure. and yeah they come out clean with some time. what did you use to scrub it or just pressure wash after soaking?
I scrubbed them with the nylon bristled scrub brush that's sitting on top of the Super Clean bottle. :Yahoo!:

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 8:55 am
by 3X00-Modified
I bet the brush was white when you started... LOL

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 9:49 am
by berettaboi
and that's why i complete overpassed it... lol i saw the jug of juice

Re: best way to clean aluminum?

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 5:31 pm
by scd88ga
3X00-Modified wrote:I bet the brush was white when you started... LOL
Nah, it was a black brush, but still, I know what ya mean, it was a messy ass job to do!