Technical poishing magnesium wheels

What is the best way to re polish my magnesium wheels. They just need a light polish to clean them up. I tried Wenol and it seemed to work ok. Any better Idea's. Thanks, Jim

 

I've polished more magnesium wheels in my life than I care to remember. Have used everything ever put on the market. I am currently using Adam's #2 metal polish with a Mother's cone to apply it. Rub it off with a microfiber towel. This gives the best shine I have ever gotten.

 

Since yours aren't heavily oxidized, skip the fine scotchbrite. Mother's is all I've ever used. Watching this thread to broaden my options.
A fixture with a motor to slowly turn the wheel is going to happen. I'm thinking a potter's wheel arrangement driven by a gear reduction. The wheel turns, all you do is work the compound in.
At least that's what I'm thinking about while I'm rubbing. Let's see your wheels.

Shown here needing elbow grease.

 

I gave up on that 40 years ago...to each his own. Just sumpthn' about that ol' charcoal gray:

439918.jpg by bowie posted Jan 13, 2013 at 8:24 PM

 

Bowie I agree with you. I love the color old mags turn.
But as a kid in 1984 I can remember my dad using flour and water and we would hand rub his out on his 65 impala. 409 4 speed car, man that thing was badass. He had slots in the back and same as yours up front. Just flour and water. Poor mans polish.

 

If they have not become rough to the touch I would go old school and use Brasso. I had Halibrands all around on an AA/GS mustang, polished on both sides, can't beat it. Think Big John Mazmanian look. Another good product is found at big truck supply stores or truck stops, Zephyr Pro 40. especially good on aluminum and works well on mag also. Don't be surprised if those rears turn dull faster than the fronts due to their close proximity to the exhaust pipes. We used to get ours looking great and then trailer the 50 miles to Orange county only to find all the sparkle was gone. Sixty five chevy wagon exhaust exits on the passenger's side. It took a couple of trips and we figured out what old tee shirts were for.

 

We've gotten the best results using Busch's polish and a Mother's cone attachment.

 

Flitz,then a wipe with Gibbs.

 

Thanks, A friend highly recommended Brasso. I never thought about gibbs. Does it help the shine last longer?

 

That look of polished magnesium is second to none.

 

I recently tried White Diamond (Advanced Auto) and am very happy with it.


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It's a lesson in futility,like a new penny the shine disappears pretty fast,Heed Deans advice,He knows what he's talking about.HRP

 

Yes it does.The Flitz pulls the shine. the Gibbs helps keep it.Try a spot on the back side to make sure you like it before you commit..

 

I have a pair of real Halibrand magnesium wheels on the rear of my flathead powered dragster that have been polished to perfection. There is nothing that can match the brilliant shine of polished magnesium. As everyone already knows, polished magnesium wheels tarnish and become dull looking in a very short period of time. It takes constant care, time, effort and money keeping the brilliant shine on these wheels. I have tried virtually every polish currently known to mankind and probably then some. I have never been afraid to try any new product, even if it meant spending what I would call big money for a can or bottle of polish. I do a lot of hand rubbing and use a nice big soft cotton buff on a cordless drill. Mothers polish is far down the list. Mothers takes a lot of hand rubbing to achieve a 5 out of 10 shine that will quickly tarnish. Autosol and Flitz are slightly better but are still a lot of work to get just a nice shine. Brasso is a lot of work as well but a nicer shine is the end result. Simichrome works really well on magnesium, takes less time and a great shine can be achieved that can last up to 3 months before my wheels have to be polished again. Simichrome is used in the jewelry industry to polish fine jewelry. The best polish I have found so far is NuShine made by Nuvite Industries.Works fantastic on polished magnesium. It is used to polish aluminum airplanes and can be purchased at aircraft supply outlets. It is quite expensive but what a shine!! There are about 5 different grades of polish from coarse to fine depending on the finish shine you want to achieve and how much tarnish buildup there is. I use the 3rd grade down the list to remove the tarnish and finish up with their finish polish to get a brilliant shine with a lot less work involved. The shine will also last about 3 months before you have to do everything all over again. All of these products require work and a lot a hand rubbing, there is no way of getting around it. You have to put in the work to get a great shine.

 

Plate them. Gary

 

Quickchange - Your post is true. Also the reason Bowie is sane and the rest of us may not be!

 

I ran American 5 Spoke for many years . In the weather that I live in once a week job . A dog could pee 2 houses away and my wheels would look green ! I offed them , a big mistake . I always polished and followed up with Renaissance Wax , worked the best for me . If I had to do over they would still be on my 32 gray as a battleship

 

I use WD40 on mine

 

Like Dean I've been polishing the Americans on my MG since 1964. Tried Noxon, Brasso, Wenol and products I can't remember, the best I found has been SimiChrome.

Pat

 

SimiChrome here too. I've got Gibbs here, but always reach for WD-40 when it's time to wipe them down.