USNA89

My '84S has the stock platinum anodized wheels installed. They have stain marks on them that look like running drips from being cleaned with the wrong material. The stains arent dark, but are visible because they contrast with the anodizing. I tried rubbing vaseline on the rims, but that didnt work. The anodizing is still shiny so I am not really looking to improve the luster, just get rid of the stains. Maybe I need to strip some material off thats not supposed to be there. Any ideas? This is a metallic bronze car and the platinum wheels go very well with the paint so I would like to keep the look and just try to clean them up for now. I already know there is a re-anodizing servize available etc., just want a cheap fix for now.

Karl

okbarnett

I dont think you can improve them once the damage is done. You can re anodize but its the same material and it will just happen again. Consider painting and clear coating or polishing and clear coating or chroming. The bronze color looks very nice with shinny wheels.

borland

Try using liquid Dawn fabric softner. I've heard it removes hard water spots on finished paint.

Anoziding is a process of surfacing etching and color dying. The dye penetrates and fills the etched cavities of the etch. You may be loosing the dye that makes is looked stained.

perrys4

My girlfriend has the same problem on the wheels of her Sequoia. I have treid everything to no avail. What sucks is I thought they were just dirty when she bought the truck only to find out later they were stained. If you find something that works, please follow up with the solution.

Bernie

Guess what?
Some degreasers will screw the anodized finish in a heartbeat. Ask me how I know??
When it comes to anodized finishes now, I use soap and water. I NEVER trust any sort of cleaner on these finishes.

If you are serious, take them in and have them re-anodized. Its not as painful as you think? I am going to have some parts anodized soon and will post pictures and pricing over on my MSN site....

http://www.msnusers.com/thediygang

low miler

USN,

Read what I have to say and you will be forever grateful!

I have owned roughly 40 different 928's in 15 years and went thru a period of probably 10 of those years infatuated with those damn platinum anodized wheels. I think I fell in love with their look when I saw the car in the movie Weird Science.

Anyway, I have probably spent more hours with this one issue than anyone else could have.

I have tried having them painted to look like platinum wheels............not even close! I have gone to a local anodizing plant to see about having them re-anodized, but that is quite an expensive proposition. Did you know that in order to have them re-anodized, that you first have to have them professionally stripped. After that, you have to have them professionally polished. The wheels must contain absolutely no pitting or the polishing won't come out right, also leading to the anodizing not coming out right.

Here is what works. After cleaning your wheels with soap and water and letting them dry, spray a liberal amount of WD-40 (that's right, WD-40!) directly onto the wheels and then use a wash cloth to spread it evenly over the entire surface. Work it into the surface until it is even throughout. Follow up with a clean dry wash cloth to remove any excess (any extra WD-40 left on the wheels, will collect dirt), therefore it must be rubbed in and wipped off.

This will work better than any other advice your going to get from anyone else on this one particular issue.

WD-40 will work on any of the anodized dish wheels (both silver or platinum) to revive that deep original shine and luster. It is absolutely incredible! Try it and you will thank me.............guaranteed!

But, you must do this everytime you re-wash your car. That is just the way it is.

Otherwise, you could always trade your old set for a nearly perfect set of used ones from 928 Intl. This would guarantee originality and would be much, much less expensive than re-anodizing would ever be.

Your welcome!

USNA89

Your not going to believe this but I was about to try some WD-40 . I have been in the automotive manufacturing business for 10 years (since I left the Navy) and we use that stuff liberally at the plants. Its great for all kinds of uses. Most people don't know it was designed by the space program as a CLEANER, not as a lubricant. I am going to try it out tommorrow. Have to head out soon to go Karting with some of the other Rennlisters. I'll let you know how it turns out. Something tells me the PO etched these rims with some sort of corrosive though. Anyways, thanks for the tips.

Karl

low miler

I'm sure he did. Either that, or one trip thru an automatic carwash with the "wheel cleaner" upgrade for $2 will have done it!

I already know you'll be pleased with the results. They will never be as dark as they were originally, but they will at least lose most of those lines and return to some of their original sheen.

Good luck, and let me know how they turn out!

Garth S

That, unfoutunately, is almost always the case: The 'stains' are generally not stains at all, but a loss of the protective aluminium oxide (anodized) coating through contact with (too) alkaline cleaners. The WD-40 or vasoline treatments work well to modify how light reflects on the semi-porous anodizing to make it look more uniform. However, it cleans nothing in this case - but treats whatever anodizing is left in the attacked area.
To anodize, the base metal is etched by alkali, and then a film of aluminum oxide is 'grown' is an electrochemical bath of sulfuric acid: the aluminium (wheel) is the anode=anodizing. The process can be destroyed by more alkaline agents - choose your soap wisely, for the anodizing, once lost - remains so .....