Anybody take the wheels off their class A to polish them?

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rsbolo

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Feb 16, 2009
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I have a clean, flat warehouse that I store my Discovery 40G in (Pertinent to option #1 below). I just polished the wheels today and I am frustrated by the area around the front wheel lugs.  Nothing I tried could get that area polished like the outer rim.  I worked most of the day getting the wheels close to mirror-like and I am frustrated that the results aren't what I'd like. Here are my options as I see them:

1. Remove the wheels. (I've never done this, but I do have the appropriate impact wrench, compressor, jack, and jack stands...) Then polish to my heart's content.
2. Hire someone to finish my job. (Do Chrome shops at truck stops do RV wheel polishing?)
3. Stand back about ten feet and pretend the whole wheel is shiny.

Suggestions? Comments? Real world experience?
 
rsbolo said:
Suggestions? Comments? Real world experience?
Click to expand...

2. Hire someone to finish my job. Yes, Chrome shops at truck stops do RV wheel polishing.

I used to do stainless steel fabrication and once had the wild hair notion of mirror polishing a motorcycle engine.
My lesson has been learned.

Not having seen your rims... I'm going to guess that the issue is BELOW the surface chrome that you are polishing just fine.
Something in the casting or maybe a weld... but *something* and you won't ever get it out without stripping the chrome off, dealig with the imperfection, and then re-chroming.

Have fun.

If it were me I'd mask off the inner circle and paint that part black.
 
There's a product made by a co. Called mothers that make a polishing wheel on a rod that you would put in a drill to get in the hard to reach areas I used it on my box truck awhile back and it worked great for me I got it at a parts store it's made just for wheels
 
Your aluminum wheels may have a clear coat sprayed onto them. So, what you have done so far may be the best they are going to look.


Bill
 
Yeah, I think I will look into having someone finish the job at a professional shop. If that turns out to be too much money I will go with option three (and 4)   

The wheels are definitely aluminum with no clear coat.
I will give the mothers drill accessories a try to get into the tight places. I used the Mothers polish to bring the wheels up to their current shine and I was pleased with it. Nevr Dull did a great job on my other chrome bits and bobs but the wheels needed something with more oomph.

Boy my arms are sore.

Thanks for all the advice!
 
I would stay away from the truck stop stuff, or streakin beakin wash bays.  Are the wheels Alcoha, or Acc-u-ride? Stop by one of the truck dealers, Kenworth,freightliner,Pete. and ask who they use to do their trucks, that is where you want to go. If you want the best shine. 
  If you  have pits in the wheels use wet dry paper, depending on how bad they are, you can start with 320 and stop around 2,000.  If you are going to do it, take the wheels off and go to town. 

I am just guessing that your using a alum polish wheel on a small angle grinder or buffer? if so check into a jewelers rouge, not at the truck stop though.  there is a brand called LA HAUM A DO, not sure on the spelling, it used to come from Penn. Was the best stuff out there for years. My shop used it, and it only, one step not 3 or 4 types, but that was 8yrs back, so I'm sure alot has changed. good luck. Kevin
 
Fortunately my wheels are new, they just weren't as shiny as I'd have liked. The Mothers product and elbow grease was all I used. If I could remove the wheels easily then using some mechanical assistance would have been more feasible. As it stands just the area around the lugs doesn't match the very polished outer part of the wheels. (only a problem on the front wheels.)
 
A lot of this depends on the size of the wheel.

I have, in my time (last spring) removed one pair of duals from a Workhorse, 22.5 inch steel rims with simulators.. Of course removing the simulators and polishing them is a very simple task (Two low torque nuts hold them on) but removing the wheels (The owner had a flat and wished to replace it before he drove to the tire store 30 miles away.. Can't say as I blame him) that's another issue.

Took my biggest impact wrench and 120PSI to loosen the nuts
Took all my strength to load the wheel into his Tacoma

I'm 6'3" by over 300 pounds and used to heavy lifting.

Getting it out of the truck and back on to the MH was way easier :)

Now, of course if you have smaller wheels.. then it won't be that hard.
 
It's all in how you work them, if your a tire guy, big trucks, and tractor tires are cake, no matter how big or little a guy you are.  It's kinda like anything else, if it's your job, you find a easier way to do it.
 
One bit of caution about removing your front wheels to polish.  Some of them are very hard to get a good balance on.  Position of the wheel on the hub can make a diffference.  If you have a nice vibration free ride now, you should polish them in place.  JMHO  I used the Mothers polish, and the drill and after taking the lug covers off, came out with a pretty good looking wheel. 
 
If your hub is that out, then you got problems. Never had any issue with  taking any tire and whell off then putting them back on to find a balance problem other than a wheel weight falling off ???
 
Another vote for Mothers.  I used a cleaner compound wax, and it turned out just fine.  My battery for my drill (for the buffing) lasted about a wheel and a quarter, so I got to rest ever so often.  The wheels look great, in fact so good I am in the process of waxing the whole thing.  Slippery slope there, guys.
 
You say you have everything to do this with including the air gun.  But, do you have that big torque wrench, so that you can properly torque them when you put them back on?
 
I ended up removing the the lug nut covers and using the Mother's cone on my battery drill to polish the nooks and crannies. Now I am content. Not quite as good as some wheels I have seen, but at least I don't cringe when I look at the wheels either. Thanks to everyone for the advice.
 
Many Home Depots have a bunch of unemployed people standing around outside looking for a job. I bet if you parked in the lot you could find a guy who would do the job for about $10.
 
I was kind of in the same boat as you were, but didn't have access to the jacks and stands beefy enough to support the weight of my motorhome.  What I did was remove one lug at a time, polish the area around the lug bolt, then replace and torque the nut... then moved onto the next one.  Took a while, but it worked...
 
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