INTRODUCTION TO WHEEL POLISHING

THE INFORMATION PRESENTED HERE APPLIES TO THE KIT SELECTIONS PRESENTED UNDER WHEEL POLISHING KITS. FOR OTHER BUFFING SYSTEMS, PLEASE SEE VARIOUS KITS UNDER ZEPHYR BUFFING PRODUCTS. MANY POLISHERS DEVELOP THEIR OWN PREFERRED SYSTEM, IN WHICH CASE THEY WILL CUSTOMIZE THEIR SELECTIONS. WITH THIS IN MIND IT MAY ALSO BE HELPFUL TO SEE THE ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE UNDER ENKAY METAL POLISHING PRODUCTS OR BUFFING SUPPLIES.

THE WHEEL POLISHING KITS ARE DESIGNED FOR ON-VEHICHLE POLISHING,  ALLOWING YOU TO EASILY MAINTAIN A MIRROR SHINE. THERE ARE KITS FOR MODERATE TO HEAVY OXIDATION, AND THERE ARE KITS FOR SIMPLY MAINTAINING A DEEP MIRROR SHINE. MAKE YOUR CHOICE UNDER THE "KIT SELECTION" PAGE BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF OXIDATION OR CORROSION PRESENT. NONE OF THE KITS ARE INTENDED FOR WHEELS THAT ARE EXTREMELY CORRODED OR PITTED. ON SATIN- FINISHED WHEELS, THE KITS WILL PRODUCE A BRIGHT, LUSTROUS FINISH, BUT IT WILL NOT BE A MIRROR FINISH. DO NOT USE THE KITS ON CLEAR-COATED WHEELS. A SIMPLE TEST TO DETERMINE THIS WOULD BE TO APPLY A DAB OF POLISH TO A SMALL AREA AND RUB WITH A SOFT CLOTH. IF THE POLISH FORMS A BLACK RESIDUE AND THE METAL BRIGHTENS, YOU ARE MOST LIKELY  WORKING WITH BARE ALUNINUM. IF NOT, ASSUME THAT THE WHEELS ARE CLEAR-COATED. 

HOW THE KITS WORK

THE WHEEL POLISHING KITS USE A COMBINATION OF WOOL PADS AND FOAM PADS FOR CORROSION REMOVAL AND POLISHING. THE PADS ARE ATTACHED TO A BACKING PLATE WHICH IS POWERED BY A 3/8" DRILL. THE WOOL PADS ARE USED WITH AN AGGRESSIVE GRADE OF POLISH (NUVITE "G6" METAL POLISH, EASY CUT METAL POLISH, OR SPEEDY METAL POLISH) FOR CORROSION REMOVAL. THE FOAM PADS ARE USED WITH THE FINISH GRADE OF POLISH (NUVITE GRADE "S" METAL POLISH, FINAL SHINE METAL POLISH, OR MASTER'S TOUCH FINISHING POLISH) ON ALUMINUM THAT IS IN RELATIVELY GOOD CONDITION. POLISH REMOVAL, AFTER USING THE WOOL AND FOAM PADS, IS DONE WITH MICROFIBER TOWELS. MICROFIBER REMOVES THE POLISH EASILY AND LEAVES A BRILLIANT SCRATCH-FREE FINISH.

THE FOLLOWING 6-STEP SEQUENCE WILL DEMONSTRATE POLISHING AN ALUMINUM WHEEL WHERE SOME OXIDATION OR CORROSION IS PRESENT (SEE THOROUGH KIT). IF YOU HAVE ONLY LIGHT OXIDATION OR HAZINESS, TAKE NOTE OF THE LAST THREE STEPS IN THE SEQUENCE. (BASIC OR STANDARD KIT).

SPECIALIZED PADS FOR HARD-TO-REACH AREAS

FOR OWNER-OPERATORS OF BIG RIGS, THE BIG RIG POLISHING KITS WILL MAKE AN EASIER TASK OF MAINTAINING A MIRROR SHINE ON THE WHEELS. SOME WHEELS ARE DEEPLY DISHED MAKING ACCESS TO THE AXEL AREA DIFFICULT. THE BIG RIG KITS HAVE A PAIR OF FOAM  PLUG PADS THAT ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. THE LARGER PLUG PAD IS 4" IN DIAMETER AND FITS DOWN BETWEEN THE AXEL HUB AND THE WHEEL. THIS PAD IS USED TO POLISH THE INSIDE BACK "CORNER" OF THE WHEEL. THE SMALLER PLUG PAD IS 2" IN DIAMETER AND IS USED FOR POLISHING BETWEEN THE LUG NUTS. A THIRD PAD, THE LONGER CYLINDRICAL PAD, IS USED FOR CLEANING OUT THE RIM SLOTS ON THE PERIMETER OF THE WHEEL.

THE PLUG PAD KIT, WHICH COMES WITH THE BIG RIG KIT, ALLOWS YOU TO POLISH AREAS WHICH PREVIOULY HAD TO BE DONE BY HAND. THESE PADS ARE FOR WHEELS IN RELATIVELY GOOD CONDITION, SMOOTH TO THE TOUCH, AND NOT SEVERELY CORRODED. FOR SEVERELY CORRODED ALUMINUM, MORE AGGRESSIVE MEASURES WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN. THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ILLUSTRATE THE USE OF THESE PADS: