Shiny Aluminum Wheels?

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Yonder

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 23, 2017
Posts
84
Location
Whitefish, MT
I'm an obsessive neat-nik. It makes me feel good to have the ring spotless and shiny clean. How is it I can go to a truck wash and get 'er all clean but then pull into the next CG and the rig next to me has the same 22 inch Alcoa wheels but his shine like he spent eight hours polishing each one? What are the tricks ya'll are using out there?
 
He might have done just that!!  It's just like the most expensive coach,, someone will always have one better.>>>Dan
 
I think that if you have extremely shiny wheels it means you are either rich beyond compare or you have way too much free time on your hands.
 
There is also likely a difference in the finish. Some Aluminum wheels are clear-coated so that they don't require endless polishing, but the downside of that is a more satin finish. The uncoated ones can be polished to a higher gloss, but it take effort and has to be done regularly.

Alcoa calls the clear coating Dura-Bright. Accuride calls theirs Accu-Shield.  Accuride also offers thier wheels in Standard Polish and Extra Polish finish grades, but the Accu-Shield models are all Extra Polish grade.
 
Another area where your killing your self is the use of truck washes. Almost all municipalities today require the water to be recycled, and that means your wheels are being dulled with etching that is used in the cleaning process, no mater what they may tell you,, it cannot be removed with the recycle process.>>>Dan
 
Using the Mothers Power Ball and/or coarse polishes on coated wheels is a major chore and an ongoing commitment to future polishing. Once you scratch or wear away that coating in one spot, you need to remove it all and be prepared to (re) polish wheels forever. 

I can't tell if the 2008 Horizon came with coated wheels or not.  The chassis specs just list "Polished aluminum wheels with trim
kit" and the brochure just says "stylized aluminum".    Freightliner supplied both types, whatever the motorhome maker spec'ed. Accushield coated wheels come with a decal on both sides, so you might look for that.    Or maybe a call to Winnebago could answer that? Or another Horizon owner?
 

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