Machined Aluminum Rims

85_Ranger4x4 · Mar 10, 2008

What is the best way to clean these? I just picked up a set at a swap meet and there is a little oxidation getting started on them them. Does the Mother's Powerball work well for this kind of thing? The recesses are painted black, so I wouldn't have to do anything with that, just the face and around the rivots.

Also what is the best way to protect them from further oxidation? They are plain machined "Ultra" brand wheels with no clearcoat.

94 lngbd · Mar 10, 2008

are these like the outlaw wheels /modular with several holes in them around the outer surface & rivets between them & the rim?

I had a set several years ago & used a combination & process of cleaning them & getting them better then new,first I washed them really good using Eagle brand Wheel cleaner,letting it sit on each wheel for about 1 1/2 minutes,then hosed them off followed,by a good cleaning with Simple Green & then a combination of mothers wheel clean paste & 000 grade ultra fine steel wool,& another cleaning with Simple Green & dried them with a high absorbing cloth,then I used some cotton wuading stuff called NEVRDULL on the wheels, this will bring any oxidation to the surface if it still remains & it will turn the cotton wuading greyish/black & will leave a haze on the wheels.
Wipe the haze off with a clean cottn towel & then once more clean them completely with Simple Green & then dry them completely.

I followed up the process with two coats of Duplicolor Clear wheel coating paint per wheel that i found to be the cheapest priced when purchased from a Pep Boys auto parts store,so if you have both a schucks/checker auto parts store & a Pep boys near you go to the schucks/checker store & mentiuon the price difference & you will receive an additional discount from the competition's price.

This was done like I said afew years back ,before digital camera's & cell phone camera's so i dont have any pics

85_Ranger4x4 · Mar 10, 2008

94 lngbd said:
are these like the outlaw wheels /modular with several holes in them around the outer surface & rivets between them & the rim?

Kind of sorta. If you take a Outlaw 1 (same as the Outlaw II but without holes) and cut triangles in it to give the effect of having 5 angled spokes thats my wheel. They were really popular a few years ago, but everyone has seemed to have discontinued them. I will try to get some pics tonight.

Thanks for your help on the cleaning, I am on the fence about the clear, I have had problems with balance weights making it look nasty in the past, so I am sort of leary of going down that road vs fighting oxidation. However I have heard wax is good at preventing oxidation on rims.

85_Ranger4x4 · Mar 10, 2008

I rinsed them off, and hit them with Mother's and Neverdull. I made a world of improvement, but the stupid rivots are a pain, my fingers are plain and simple too big.

Right before, left after.

Jspafford · Mar 10, 2008

My stockers are starting to corrode too.. I may have to try that steps above once it warms up.

Sunk · Mar 11, 2008

I picked up a set of 15x8 Ansen Sprints/American Racing 5 slots yesterday and a couple friends recommended Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish with the Powerball. I've seen that stuff work, it makes stuff SHINY. I'll probably shine em all up and drive it for a while, then get em muddy and not care anymore, lol.

94 lngbd · Mar 11, 2008

at one time in the late 80's Enkie wheels made a wheel exactly like that. I beleive it was called the enkie 26, I had 4 off them on my first ever 4wd project, 73 datsun 510 2dr sedan ,custom made lift blocks to go between body & Nissan maxima fwd struts,custom made blocks for the rear to go between body & rear coil springs,car already had IRS ,but opted to usea stringer 280zx IRS diff,4.10 LSD,L20B 4 cyl,280zx 5 spd, divorced Samari transfer case, '83 Nissan 4x4 IFS diff 4.10 LSD,custom made front drive axle shafts & all drive lines, had 30x9.50/15 BFG mud terrains, 165 hp from the 4 cyl, was able to go into places that even the CJ5's & Samari's had problems. Wish I had pics to show ,& even more I wish I still had it.

Got married in 88 & b 92 had 2 kids ,so had to sell & buy a 4 dr wagon DAMN,but even the wagon became a new project ,but not 4wd

85_Ranger4x4 · Mar 11, 2008

94 lngbd said:
at one time in the late 80's Enkie wheels made a wheel exactly like that. I beleive it was called the enkie 26

I could almost swear that about a year or two ago American Racing had a style like them on their website, there were probably others too. Given the shift to 17"+ rims I think these older 15" styles are getting discontinued.

Mine only say "Ultra" on the center caps (I had never heard of the brand before but they do make rims) and they don't say anything brand specific on the rims, so it is hard to tell if someone just stuck the centercaps with them or if they came together originally.

85_Ranger4x4 · Mar 12, 2008

Does anyone know what the diameter of the D35 lockout hub is? I need to get some centercaps (the ones that came with the rims look downright nasty) so I am going to hopefully either get some with a hole already in them or that I can drill out with a hole saw to fit the manual lockouts on the front. I only have a D28 right now, but eventually I wouldn't mind snagging a D35 which I think has slightly bigger hubs, so I might as well drill for it now, rather than try to enlarge it later.

Destroyer000 · Mar 12, 2008

the dana 35 hub an 28 hub are the same diameter.

Captain Ledd · Mar 14, 2008

Mothers powerball works wonders! My room mate used in on his rims and I was sold!

(sorry for the big pics, they're his not mine)

Quote SBCYJ (from another forum, I'm just copying it)
"Mothers power ball, mothers alum. polish, and steel wool. took me about an hr. per rim"

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Machined Aluminum Rims

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member

94 lngbd

New Member

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member

Jspafford

Logan Andrew Feb 17, 2012

Sunk

New Member

94 lngbd

New Member

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member

Destroyer000

January 2009 STOTM Winner

Captain Ledd

Well-Known Member

Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad

Members online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

Latest posts

Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Follow TRS On Instagram

Latest Album Photos

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store

Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad

Amazon Deals