Shark Attack

So far I have a lot of hours in to cleaning my stock s slotted wheels. I have two done and they are very clean. But the things only look good for a few hours then they are all oxidized... I do not want to paint them. I assume the cleaners I am trying to use are reacting with the metal. What can I do to stop this?

Thanks
Kyle

leperboy

Kyle,
After polishing, degrease them with Simple Green or a citrus degreaser, then apply Boeshield-T9. It's available online and is a paraffin-based wax created by Boeing for aluminum. It will protect the wheels from oxidation for about a year. I use it on the aluminum trim on my Galaxie and can go two years between applications because the car is in the garage when not driven.

Matt

Lizard928

What meathod are you using to clean them?

http://924.org/techsection/wheel_refinishing.htm try that

Shark Attack

thanks! These wheels are not clear coated as far as i know or can tell lizard. to clean them up, they were so bad with wheel dust I took sandpaper to them at spots. The sand paper didnt do ANYTHING to the wheels.. I was shocked of how hard these things are. But they oxidize at the drop of a hat.

85fortheDrive

Kyle:

Got pix?

karl ruiter

I use Mother's mag wheel cleaner and an orbital polisher. You can shine them up very nicely in a few minutes. I like the idea of using the Boeshield, but have never tried it.

JHowell37

Are your wheels polished aluminum? Unprotected aluminum will get that chalky appearance in a very short time. The reason they seem so hard is because they're forged which does result in a harder surface. In addition, most fine grade sandpapers are aluminum oxide, which isn't going to cut into aluminum very well. A lot of wheel cleaners are lye-based which can react with the metal. At a minimum all aluminum wheels leave the factory with at least a clear coat on them. They have to or else they'd turn white before leaving the factory. See if the Boeshield works. It's worth a shot. If it doesn't they do make clear powder coat which is about the only thing you can get at the consumer level that will be as tough as any factory applied coatings.

Jim bailey - 928 International

The S wheels are anodized. ALL CLEANERS STAIN THEM ! The electro chemical anodizing creates a very hard BUT porous surface which is why it can be dyed red, blue, black,gold as you see all kinds of alloy bits and pieces. The ONLY thing Porsche wants you to put on the wheel is vasoline it fills the holes resists staining.

Shark Attack

Thanks JB, That explains a lot. this past weekend I took one and just scrubbed the hell out of it and it looks pretty good. Ill do the vasoline thing.

leperboy

If the wheels are oxidizing, though, one of two things is happening: Either the anodized layer is compromised, allowing air and moisture to oxidize the aluminum below the thin anodized layer, or they have been polished or cleaned too aggressively in the past and the anodized layer is gone.

Anodized aluminum does not oxidize quickly, but bare aluminum does. So, it sounds like he has bare aluminum and needs to put some sort of protectant on it.

Matt

RSKY BIZ

Kyle,
Fortunate that you are able to get yours 'very clean'...Mine got etched by a dealer's tire detailing spray...
They have been replaced w/ some spiffy D-90's so I can get original platinum manhole covers back to where I want them.

I just had this conversation here at the ALMS Lime Rock Grand Prix with a multi-porsche owner in the know re: Concours Detailing...

He DID recommend the vaseline (which I had opted out of for blonde intuitive purposes -- like a brake dust magnet)....
only he stated it must be rubbed & rubbed so it is 'in and not on' the wheel...

Happy Lubing!
Kim

Jim bailey - 928 International

I assume that what he is seeing is not oxidation but the results of the wheel being stained (dyed) by the use of cleaners in the past usually shows as whitish streaks and runs on the surface of the wheel. Even though aluminum is very active (never is found in nature by itself) it takes a bit of time for the oxide to form on raw aluminum and polished wheels usually look good for several months or more. When he said sand paper did nothing I was pretty sure it was anodized since the result is a surface nearly as hard as diamond !

Gary Knox

I have polished aluminum Fikse wheels on my track car, and Earl Gillstrom had some S4 manhole cover wheels on his car that he had de-anodized (I think he used oven cleaner). We protect both of these with "Rejex". I also use it on my Cup II wheels that are painted silver (on the paint) to minimize brake dust adhering to the wheels.
Rejex was developed by/for the army or air force to use on Aluminum areas of their helecopters so the black exhaust did not stain the aluminum. A container of ~16 Oz will last for many years (re-treat once or twice a year - very easy to do. I use 50% simple green and 50% water when I wash my car on all of my wheels, including the polished aluminum (per Fikse's recommendation). Never had any spotting or corrosion appear on any of them.
Rejex can be ordered over the internet, just do a search for Rejex.

Gary Knox
West Chester, PA

JHowell37

Actually the oxidation process starts almost immediately. I just might take a while for it to get to a level where you can see it. This is why welders and metal workers groan with disgust when presented with our paper thin cracked fenders in need of repair.

The problem with most wheel cleaners that you buy off the shelf is they are lye-based. Lye is cheap, it will clean well, but it is also hard on a lot of things. As an example, take a piece of cheap stainless steel that's shiny and new. Run it through your dishwasher. It will come out with that same chalky appearance and no longer have a slick feel to the surface.

There are several wheels cleaners out there that do not contain lye such as P21s and Menzerna. Both claim to recommended by Porsche, Audi, BMW, etc. And they also claim they are safe for anodized surfaces.

Where I live, smearing my wheels with vaseline is not an option. I don't care how well you rub it in, it's going to make a mess in my environment (half-mile dirt driveway.) I've been using a product called Klasse All In One polish and sealant for a few years now. It works pretty well and is easy to use.

Ispeed

Oven cleaner like Gary said will de-annodize the wheels, but you have to lather/rinse/repeat while the wheels are laying flat on the ground. Set aside at least half a day for just de-annodizing and some polishing.
I had some club sport wheels and ended up with like 20+ hours into polishing them. Not easy if you are a perfectionist. Hate to say it but I'm glad they are gone.

A professional annodizing may be the best way to go.