ranchhopper Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 I found a guy last week with some aluminum budds style wheels he was willing to sell them to me at a great price so today I went out and picked them up I plan to use them as the outside wheels on the rear. As seen in the pics they will need a good going over I took an hour or so to get all the oil, paint over spray and dirt off them then a light acid to dissolve what I missed and they don't look to bad. They were the inside set so where they bolted to the hub needs to be cleaned up I didn't even attempt to clean the centers yet does anyone have any suggestions what I can get the rust and corrosion off with without making a mess out of it. I have not decided whether Im going to polish them out myself or for 50 dollars a wheel have it done by a place here in town Im probably going to go with the style moon that covers the whole hub and center of the wheel anyways so the corroded centers wont matter. 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmyb Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 Steel wool or sand paper. Get a few courses, start rough and work your way fine. Use soapy water or kerosene as a wetting agent. They look pretty good, I'd say you got a good deal. Can't wait to see the finished results. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-294864 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Superdog Posted June 27, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted June 27, 2015 No.1 I'm lazy and no.2 I hate polishing,these old 5 holers looked way worse than yours before I took them to the wheel polisher,well worth the $50/wheel he charged me I thought 5 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-294866 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 I have to see how much get up and go I have left after work I may do one and if its not real bad I may do them myself one every couple days I am planning on switching the rear hubs at the end of next month so time isn't an issue. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-294870 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coenut Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 The bristle discs at Eastwood sell for removing paint should work and not chew up the wheel. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-294905 Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdog2 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 I just sent 4 wheels ruff lookin came back lookin like brand new for 83,00 a piece 1 Quote Ed Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-294907 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtymilkman Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 We can buy new alcoa lvl 1's here for $230. I'd have a hard time paying someone to much to polish old ones. The polish shops in town here get $34 wheel no matter how bad it looks. Theres also a handful of shops around with robotic polishers so I'm sure that drives price down Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-294914 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 Im going to do the first one this week myself I have decided to use beauty rings on the centers so the corrosion no matter how bad in the center wont matter anyways. I am going to sell the tires that were on my parts truck they are virgin rubber and would make great trailer tires that will more than pay for the wheels I have a set of steer tires 80% rubber Im going to sell from the same truck if I can find someone who still runs 24 inch rubber. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-294916 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladislav Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 (edited) When I polished mines I also didn't do the centers since I could cover them with chrome parts. This is what I've got after putting everything on. The covers were from Big Rig Chrome Shop. Edited January 31, 2020 by Vladislav 1 Quote Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012 Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-295922 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 Wheels are done I did one every couple days the pitting in the centers is pretty bad they will be covered up with beauty rings so that's all taken care of. They turned out to be machined wheels the crap on them was to thick to tell but they are not to bad for junk yard wheels. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-295944 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmyb Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 They came up really nice! When can I drop off mine? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-296005 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 This old guy hasn't the energy to do another set for a while its too much like work. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40682-picked-up-some-aluminum-wheels-today/#findComment-296006 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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