how to polish/resurface Fuchs wheels
12-01-2001, 02:08 PM
#1
Track Day
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how to polish/resurface Fuchs wheels
I`ve used Fuchs rims during winter time and road salt (damn that thing, people should drive according to weather conditions instead of salting) has treated them not so gentle...the outer metal part is quite dim and maybe oxidized, I´ve tried Autoglym metal polish (the best in market in Europe at least) but the result is not that great, any suggestions
12-01-2001, 03:01 PM
#2
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There is a website out there with details on polishing phone dials, the same process may be used on fuchs as well...
Rennsport in Atlanta, GA will polish your wheels for you, I've heard great things about their work, you might want to give them a try.
Here is the link to their website. http://www.rennsportsystems.com/~porsche/
Rennsport in Atlanta, GA will polish your wheels for you, I've heard great things about their work, you might want to give them a try.
Here is the link to their website. http://www.rennsportsystems.com/~porsche/
12-01-2001, 05:59 PM
#3
Race Director
The surface on your Fuchs may too rough for metal polish (not really a polish, but a chemical etch). You may want to back up a bit and use a rougher abrasive. Try this sequence:
That should give you some Fuchs like mine:
That should give you some Fuchs like mine:
12-01-2001, 06:47 PM
#4
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Danno did you strip and polish your wheels? Im in the middle of polishing my fuchs now, as well as misc engine parts. A buffing wheel works much better than rubbing compound (mothers for ex) from my experience. I would love to know how to get in the lug holes and other nooks and crannies.
LL all fuchs wheels are treated with an anodized coating and then dipped in paint. Your wheels (unless they have been refinished already) are anodized therefore any attempt to polish your wheels with polish is futile. Only the alumminum under the anodizing will polish to a high luster. In order to remove the anodizing (and Im speaking from personal experience) is to either hand sand your wheels which takes FOREVER or bead blast the wheels with glass media which is the option I took. I tryed just about everything and found blasting the wheels to be the most efficiant way of removing the anodizing. Once you have bare alumminum you can start hand sanding for a smooth surface. I think I went 180, 220, 400, 600 grit sand paper. Once hand sanding is finished you can start buffing. Its just a bench grinder with a buffing pad and compound. You should be able to purchase these things at any local hard ware store. This is alot of work!
I was originally going to polish the entire wheel but I changed my mind and decided for just the outside like Danno has on his wheels with a black inside. I have three more wheels to go.
By the way Danno your wheels are awsome!
LL all fuchs wheels are treated with an anodized coating and then dipped in paint. Your wheels (unless they have been refinished already) are anodized therefore any attempt to polish your wheels with polish is futile. Only the alumminum under the anodizing will polish to a high luster. In order to remove the anodizing (and Im speaking from personal experience) is to either hand sand your wheels which takes FOREVER or bead blast the wheels with glass media which is the option I took. I tryed just about everything and found blasting the wheels to be the most efficiant way of removing the anodizing. Once you have bare alumminum you can start hand sanding for a smooth surface. I think I went 180, 220, 400, 600 grit sand paper. Once hand sanding is finished you can start buffing. Its just a bench grinder with a buffing pad and compound. You should be able to purchase these things at any local hard ware store. This is alot of work!
I was originally going to polish the entire wheel but I changed my mind and decided for just the outside like Danno has on his wheels with a black inside. I have three more wheels to go.
By the way Danno your wheels are awsome!
12-01-2001, 09:12 PM
#5
I have read that oven cleaner will remove the
anodize finish from Fuchs, I am in the process of removing the paint now, I am using Klean-Strip Aircraft Remover and it makes short work for removing the paint I guess I will try the oven cleaner next.
Russ
86 951
anodize finish from Fuchs, I am in the process of removing the paint now, I am using Klean-Strip Aircraft Remover and it makes short work for removing the paint I guess I will try the oven cleaner next.
Russ
86 951
12-01-2001, 10:43 PM
#6
Race Director
Like that mirror-like polish, eh? I couldn't get the right lighting on the ones that were standing up, but the ones that are laying down look chrome-plated (notice reflections?). Anyway, it is a fairly long process if you have the original anodized surface on it. I started by taping off the center section and then I used a die-grinder with a 4x1" buffing wheel on the skinny edge with some abrasive 200-grit paste (use some glycerin in the water to keep wet). Then hand-sanded wit 400-grit sandpaper, then the rubbing/polishing compound. About once a month, I re-do the metal polish.
Booster, let us know how the oven-cleaner works. Aluminum anodizing is a hex-shaped crystaline oxide structure and I'm not sure how a chemical reaction with the sodium-hydroxide in the oven-cleaner works. Perhaps it's a reduction reaction that conteracts the original oxidation...
Booster, let us know how the oven-cleaner works. Aluminum anodizing is a hex-shaped crystaline oxide structure and I'm not sure how a chemical reaction with the sodium-hydroxide in the oven-cleaner works. Perhaps it's a reduction reaction that conteracts the original oxidation...
