Popular Post ranchhopper Posted January 16, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted January 16, 2016 A month or so back I found an ad for a pallet of ten 24.5 aluminum wheels for sale in western iowa I called and he sold me the whole pallet for five hundred dollars plus the one hundred ten dollars I paid to get them here. The guy said they were polished they must have been off a readymix truck they had a lot of concrete on them and they turned out to be machined but for the price I didn't care. I only need to do the four outside rears and fronts anyways I started by sanding them with 400 grit paper then went to 800 grit they smoothed out pretty good and finally got the machining ridges out you can see in the pictures where I had the one final sanded and touched it with the heavy cut wheel in the lower right corner. I bought zephyr airway buffing pads and compound three different pads with three different bars of compound well they turned out better than I could have imagined. I saw a tutorial on using these buffing pads and compounds on u-tube and couldn't be happier with the results they claim they make things shine like metal mirrors you be the judge that's why my hand is in the pics to show the reflectivity. Im going to do the fuel tanks after a bit that superliner is going to shine like a new dime when its done between cleaning up all the aluminum and new paint. 7 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlotpilot Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 the kw dealer here in town has an automated polisher that does a really good job but that is as good as i`ve seen for hand polishing. not all that expensive either Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-320235 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apple dog Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Looks real good. Quote This is Mack country. On a quiet night you can hear a peterbilt rust away. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-320237 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 The pictures don't really do them justice they are unbelievable when out in full sun. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-320238 Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogg rescue Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 They look good, how long did it take to do a wheel? I had a set done on an automated polisher, they looked great, but I wasn't crazy about the way the holes in the wheels kinda got "streaked" over. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-320242 Share on other sites More sharing options...
b61mack Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 That is what I don't like about automated wheel polishers they make the holes out of round. I guess its better than nothing. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-320250 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladislav Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 They look fine from the pictures.Could you delete small rusty cavits and scratches?From my experience fuel tanks are made of different aluminium (softer?) and more difficult to get polished nice. Quote Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012 Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-320255 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 They still have some pitting around the lug nut holes but for 29 year old rims they will look fine for what Im using them for I don't really keep track of the time Im laid off for the winter and have lots of time on my hands anyways. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-320267 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladislav Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) I put stainless hub full caps onto the rear wheels. They have a sort of a "magic ring" as the producent calls it - the ring that closes the over the stud area. So you don't need to fight pitting there that way. Edited October 1, 2017 by Vladislav Quote Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012 Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-320277 Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomastractorsvc Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 You going to change them all out or sell the other 6?? Quote Robert"I reject your reality and substitute my own." Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-320279 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 I have not decided yet whether Im going to keep them all yet I have a set of aluminum wheels already on the front of the truck. Im kicking around the idea of putting the truck on the road when I retire to make a few bucks here and there and running all aluminum rims will help cut the weight down. I have a set of those stainless hub covers on my RS Im leaning toward buying another set for the superliner. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-320285 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murf716 Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Finished product look great! Especially considering how rough they were to begin with. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-321578 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 Got around to polishing up and adding some paint to the airchimes going on the RS they really shine in the sunlight. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-321655 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Nothing like a big set of Nathan's to wake up the sleepy drivers on the road! Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-321665 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 Yes how true Larry that's a K5LLA I think they are the best sounding Nathan out there they don't sound like a passenger train. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-321672 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ranchhopper Posted January 31, 2016 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 31, 2016 Just mounted some tires on the rims I polished up got some nice trailer caps on first time capped bridgestone casings for fifty bucks apiece Im going to put them on my RS parade truck. I figured those caps would work good on the RS its never going to haul any weight or see rough service I will switch the tires from the RS to the superliner because that already has a like new set of good drive tires on it. 3 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-322473 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior9009 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Where can the zephyr pads and compound be bought? How would you remove pitting? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-325311 Share on other sites More sharing options...
b61mack Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Iowa 80 truckstop has it. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-325325 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted February 22, 2016 Author Share Posted February 22, 2016 I bought mine as a kit from a guy in Missouri off of ebay pretty reasonable too. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-325333 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior9009 Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 How many pieces were in your kit ranch hopper? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-327442 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted March 14, 2016 Author Share Posted March 14, 2016 You get three wheels and three bricks of compound yellow,green and white. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-327449 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseliner82 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 How much per wheel do you think it cost you to do it yourself? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-327976 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchhopper Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 I never paid attention to cost which was minimal the time on the other hand was what would have cost me if I had to do it for someone else. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43545-aluminum-wheel-restoration/#findComment-327987 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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