Aluminum Rim Questions

[MaxOwner]

Hey all.

Was looking at rim cleaners and polish's to use on our Landmark.

Started reading the bottles of the products and they mentioned about coated rims and non coated rims.

Are the rims coated or non coated?

What kinds of stuff do you guys use to clean and polish your rims?

 

[SJH]

Many RV manufactureres use rims made by Sendel. Most of these are coated with some type of clear coat. Although it does help keep the wheels looking good longer, most will eventually corrode under the coating. My truck tires corroded and the coating bubbled. My trailer tires are corroding and it looks like a white colored spider web. To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing you can do to "polish" the wheels without first removing the clear coat. I have done this and it is labor intensive. Plus...it will require regular maintenance to keep the polished look.

 

[westxsrt10]

Our rims are clear coated something like the paint on your car. The clear coat will last longer if you wash them then wax , no polishing.

Wheel Wax is all I use. Link

 

[MaxOwner]

Thanx guys.

Greatly appreciate the info.

Hafta see if there is a local supplier for Wheel Wax.

 

[GOTTOYS]

There are shops that repair and restore aluminum automotive wheels. The cost was around $150.00 per wheel back a few years ago when I was still in the car business. They would strip the wheel, polish it and put on a heavy clear coat. The results were really nice. I'm thinking you can probably replace your trailer wheels for not much more..Don

 

[JohnDar]

Other than as Don mentioned, there is no fix for filiform corrosion of clear coated aluminum wheels.

 

[trvlrerik]

I have repaired chips and areas where the clear coat is lifting off of my wheels. I have had good luck using MEK (methyl ethyl Ketone), a strong paint thinner rubbed on the chipped area only and applyiing clear coat auto paint over the chip, using the little pen style applicator found at auto parts stores. This keeps the chip from growing or the clear coat from peeling any further.

Do not go crazy with the MEK because it will "melt" the clear coat and remove it if you rub to hard. It will also destroy rubber and plastic items.

I get the MEK at Sherwin Williams or other paint store, there are some states that you cannot get it due to enviromental issues.

 

[Chainsaw]

Well thankyou! You guys just stopped me from ruining the rims on our landmark. I brought the aluminum polish I use on my hot rod wheels and was going to get at the trailer rims today, I noticed that they are not a nice as when we got the coach. It is so nice to not always have to study at the school of hard knocks. Don

 

[MaxOwner]

Well........

Found some Wheel Wax that is made by American Racing (so container says....)

Seems to be the same stuff as "Wheel Wax" down to the descriptions. Hope American Racing just put their name on this product and it is thee same stuff.

 

[lwmcguir]

There are shops that repair and restore aluminum automotive wheels. The cost was around $150.00 per wheel back a few years ago when I was still in the car business. They would strip the wheel, polish it and put on a heavy clear coat. The results were really nice. I'm thinking you can probably replace your trailer wheels for not much more..Don

You are right on. It is about the same cost to replace the wheels. On the trucks however it does pay to polish them. All the larger truck shops have wheel polishing machines.