Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 23

Thread: care of polished billet wheels...

  1. #1
    Maximus Horsepowerus
    Name:


    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Houston, tx
    Posts
    1,572
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    care of polished billet wheels...

    what's it like to care for billet wheels? Do the need to be regularly polished or just cleaned?

    I do NOT have time to polish wheels...

    Still considering some lightweight billet wheels. Boyd's will now chrome plate any of their wheels per a customers request...

    Ken

  2. #2
    Still Around...
    Name: Ron

    R126's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    1,554
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    I have a set of Performance Wheels on my motorcycle and they are One-piece Forged Aluminum,and they are a pain in the azz to clean.I wish I would of got them chrome plated.I would never buy another set of polished wheels.Chrome wheels are easy to clean..

    Click Signature Pic For Gallery...

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Name: Chris

    Ayrton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Atlanta, Georgia
    Posts
    3,826
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    I keep meaning to send an e-mail to RobG, to get him to write a “how to” on the care, and shinning of billet wheels, but I am sure he will see this, and chime in.

    I know the best polish you an get for billet is Mothers billet polish, but I haven’t had mine long enough to really give any advice.

    The big difference for me was that I wanted a lightweight wheel, and a two-piece billet wheel fit the bill. I would love to have the ease of chrome, but you cannot chrome a two-piece wheel with out it coming out wrong.

    I understand that it will require more maintenance, but it is worth the weight savings.


    Before anyone even asks, yes I have the camera, and yes I will take photos on Saturday.
    Last edited by Ayrton; 02-28-2003 at 04:40 PM.

  4. #4
    Maximus Horsepowerus
    Name:


    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Houston, tx
    Posts
    1,572
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    chrome for me.... mothers? I did that on my motorcycle years ago... ain't happening again... I figured that high polish would stay that way.... guess not.

    Ken

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Name:


    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    616
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Hope you don't mind the move Ken.

    Here's my advice. I've owned a few sets of billet wheels and I've owned a few sets of chromies on my Mustangs and Lightning's. Polishing billet wheels is almost as time consuming as waxing your truck. You basically need a whole day to do both. If the truck is a daily driver I'd say that the billet wheels are out of the question unless, you either get them chromed or anodized.
    Water spots are a bit** on billet so everytime you wash the truck you have to keep up with the wheels.

    Chrome is easy as pie. You can put a coat of wax on it and clean it with Windex. The maintenance can't be any easier. The downside to chrome is that it can crack, peel and scratch. All things that neccitate a re-chroming. If billet scratches or gets oxidized it can still be repolished ( much cheaper than chroming ).

    Good luck dude
    '03 H-D # 553

    NHTOC # 38

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Name: Chris

    Ayrton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Atlanta, Georgia
    Posts
    3,826
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    What should I do when I wash the truck, and what can I do to cut down on the maintenance?

    Can I borrow your copy of “Billet wheels for Dummies”?

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Name:


    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    616
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Air compressor...or leaf blower

    Blow off as much water as you can, chamois the wheels and after they dry a quick squirt with detail spray and buff to a shine

    If you get lazy and let water sit on bare aluminum you're screwed. It'll take a good day to get all of the water spots off. Not fun. Learn from my mistakes people

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Name: Chris

    Ayrton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Atlanta, Georgia
    Posts
    3,826
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Hmmm. I had the water spots right after I washed the truck. Oh well, I guess this will be a learning experience.

    Rob, I will shoot you some photos tomorrow.

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Name: Chris

    Ayrton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Atlanta, Georgia
    Posts
    3,826
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Rob, once I get the wheels all shiny and perfect, what can I put on them to help maintain the look, or is there anything?

  10. #10
    Registered User
    Name:


    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    616
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mothers INCREDIBLE BILLET polish. Makes billet look like chrome and repels water Only Mother's product I own. Good stuff.

  11. #11
    Registered User
    Name:


    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Cypress, TX
    Posts
    1,272
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Ken,
    Take it from an old hand that has had 20+sets of billet wheels. SCREWBILLETWHEELS!!! On a daily driver they totally go beyond suck! They MEGA suck! If you are even remotely anal about keeping them clean, and shiny, you will hate them. I almost never say never, but I will never own another set of billet wheels for a daily driver again.

    I have tried just about every type pf polish, sealer, wax, etc on the market. Plan on spending at least an hour per wheel doing some nasty rubbing, and buffing trying to get the spots and streaks off. It's a lesson in futility.

    Just so you know where I'm coming from. I go so far back with these things, that I knew Alan Budnik when he was a shop boy for Boyd.


    It's your choice though, a few hours with polish, or a few minutes with Windex. You decide...

    Click it ^

  12. #12
    Maximus Horsepowerus
    Name:


    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Houston, tx
    Posts
    1,572
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Originally posted by RobG
    Hope you don't mind the move Ken.

    It's all good

    Ken

  13. #13
    Registered User
    Name:


    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Cypress, TX
    Posts
    1,272
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Originally posted by Ayrton
    Rob, once I get the wheels all shiny and perfect, what can I put on them to help maintain the look, or is there anything?
    Ayrton, don't take all my ranting about hating billet wheels personal. I really like the looks of them just hate the maintenance on a daily driver.
    Anyway, to answer your question, take a look at this new product by Zoops-Zoopseal It's supposed to be the shiznits...

  14. #14
    World's Fastest Street HD
    Name: Josh

    Harley#356's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    NJ
    Posts
    31,073
    Like
    0
    Liked 6 Times in 6 Posts
    Before anyone even asks, yes I have the camera, and yes I will take photos on Saturday.
    LoL! where have i heard that sentence before? i think last time it ended with monday though LoL, j/k ayrton


    while we're on the subject of billet, i assume the same applies to a billet antenna? I noticed the brand new one out of the package had some dark spots on it that i need to buff off....so Mothers billet polish? would the Mothers mag and aluminum polish work also? i've got a jumbo size container of that stuff.

    M.HYDE: 2000 HD F-150 #0356 of 8197, Built 05/18/00, Bought 07/03/00, 700/784, 09.89@138.78
    *Worlds Fastest Street HD: '08/'09/'10/'11/'12/'13****Worlds Fastest Eaton Powered HD: 12.19@112.48 11/17/07*
    D.JEKL: 2000 HD F-150 #1552 of 8197, Built 06/20/00, Bought 06/25/09, 372/450, 13.75@099.46 (*SOLD* 10/15/11)
    REPTAR: 2012 SVTF-150 #2893 of ????, Built 01/19/12, Bought 08/26/11, ???/???, 14.93@091.30
    HASTIE: 2011 GT Mustang 5.0 6-Speed, Built 10/29/10, Bought 11/11/10, 392/352, 12.00@117.79 (*SOLD* 05/14/13)
    BADGER: 2013 Explorer Sport 3.5L TT, Built ??/??/??, Bought 05/14/13, ???/???, 14.53@096.25
    GEN.0L: 1985 XL F-150 w/'94 Lightning Donor Engine Swap, Holley Projection EFI, 03 HD Paint

  15. #15
    Registered User
    Name:


    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    616
    Like
    0
    Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Dark spots ???

    Mothers Billet polish is about 10 times better than the Mag & Aluminum polish.

    So what do you think. Are the parts s**t or what ???

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •