Discoloration on Aluminum Wheels

[Brad59]

Hi! I'm new to the forum. I have a 2002 Camaro SS with Torq Thrust wheels. A few days ago I wash about to wash the car and I discovered weird white marks all over the outer rim. They are super white and look like seaweed or miniature snail tracks. I bought aluminum wheel polish and rubbed away. It didn't do a thing to remove it. The last person to wash my car was my son and he may have used tire cleaner or wheel cleaner. In another thread, Michael Stoops indicated that this is a bad thing but didn't elaborate on why or if it can be repaired or fixed. I'd be grateful for any comments and/or suggestions as to how to restore my wheel back to new (they are only a few years old). Thank you!!!

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Discoloration on Aluminum Wheels

First off, welcome to MOL, Brad!

If these wheels are bare aluminum they will be easily stained if anything other than a pretty pH neutral cleaner is used on them. Strong acid based cleaners (including our Chrome Wheel Cleaner) will stain them white, and so will stronger alkaline based cleaners (including our All Wheel & Tire Cleaner). The good news is that this staining is usually quite easy to remove simply by polishing the aluminum with even a halfway decent metal polish. Or you could use a really good metal polish like our new Medium Cut or Finish Cut Metal Polish to get a super high gloss, mirror like finish.

If, on the other hand, the wheels have a clear coat on them, damage to that clear coat can often appear somewhat similar, but that's where the similarities end. If the clear has been seriously damaged you can't buff it back up to a high shine with a metal polish as those are designed for metal, not clear paint. You could use a paint cleaner like Ultimate Compound, but if the damage is really severe even that won't fix the problem.

The easiest way to tell if you've got bare metal or a clear coat is to apply any mildly abrasive product (metal polish, UC, even a cleaner wax should suffice) to the surface with a clean, white terry cloth towel. Make sure the surface is totally clean first so that loose dirt doesn't throw this test off. If that white towel comes up black as soot, you've got bare metal and a metal polish is the way to go. If it does not start turning a deep, rich black almost immediately, you've got a clear coat on the finish (or they're chrome).

Any chance we can see a picture of the damage? That will certainly help us to formulate a plan of attack.

[Detailing by M]

Re: Discoloration on Aluminum Wheels

you'll have to polish those out.