pro's and con's of Polished wheels
03-08-06, 04:15 PM
#2
My first set of wheels ...RH T5... I believe that they were clearcoat/polish but then my DAD curbed my wheels one day when he was moving my car 
..so I had to strip the clear and polish the lip ....it looked very nice... very shinny ..it looked sweet ...but after a week the lips dulled out and I never got that shine back ...back then I didnt know about all these different products that i could use to bring back the shine ...but from what I hear there still a pain in the neck to get that shine
..so I had to strip the clear and polish the lip ....it looked very nice... very shinny ..it looked sweet ...but after a week the lips dulled out and I never got that shine back ...back then I didnt know about all these different products that i could use to bring back the shine ...but from what I hear there still a pain in the neck to get that shine
03-08-06, 04:52 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by LEXISM
My first set of wheels ...RH T5... I believe that they were clearcoat/polish but then my DAD curbed my wheels one day when he was moving my car ..so I had to strip the clear and polish the lip ....it looked very nice... very shinny ..it looked sweet ...but after a week the lips dulled out and I never got that shine back ...back then I didnt know about all these different products that i could use to bring back the shine ...but from what I hear there still a pain in the neck to get that shine
..so I had to strip the clear and polish the lip ....it looked very nice... very shinny ..it looked sweet ...but after a week the lips dulled out and I never got that shine back ...back then I didnt know about all these different products that i could use to bring back the shine ...but from what I hear there still a pain in the neck to get that shinewhat products my good man
03-08-06, 05:34 PM
#5
Well My comments are based on experience with high end wheels which use better aluminum which yields better shine.
I go for Polish with no clear coat on the outside lip and (for those with inner barrels polished) I go for polished with clear coat on inside only.
Chrome vs Aluminum shine? Well a high quality aluminum will shine about 95% of what a chrome wheel will. I have had people think the rims on my wifes polished HREs were chrome.
Add clear coat and the shine drops to I'll say 88%.
Upkeep? I have to polish about once a month just to keep the polish to a show look, but I can go easily 6 monhs with normal cleaning and the rim will stay about 90% shine from the original. Still looks good IMO.
Repair - The chrome or coated cannot be repaired cheaply. I guarantee you will scratch/chip your rims from just normal driving. The road debris alone will do this. I won't even get into curbing. Let's not forget about dropping lug bolts, socket scratches and scratches near the valve stem from adding air.
I can repair a scratch with 1000 and 2000 grit sandpaper and buff by hand back to original shine in a half hour.
I have repaired 2 inch long curbed rim edges with 80 then 220 then 400 , 600, 1000 , 2000 grit sandpaper and hand polished back up to perfect condition in about an hour.
I love the shine of chrome and it s very low maintenance, but what i hate more is seeing small pits and minor scratches (over time), with the probability that I will have to look at them for the lifetime that I own the wheel.
Curb rash of any type is unacceptable, so for me that means re-chrome or a new wheel. That's minimally a $125 hit right there.
If you don't enjoy polishing wheels up to a show shine a couple times a year and if you are able to be super careful not to curb your rims, go for chrome.
In my case, that's not me.
I go for Polish with no clear coat on the outside lip and (for those with inner barrels polished) I go for polished with clear coat on inside only.
Chrome vs Aluminum shine? Well a high quality aluminum will shine about 95% of what a chrome wheel will. I have had people think the rims on my wifes polished HREs were chrome.
Add clear coat and the shine drops to I'll say 88%.
Upkeep? I have to polish about once a month just to keep the polish to a show look, but I can go easily 6 monhs with normal cleaning and the rim will stay about 90% shine from the original. Still looks good IMO.
Repair - The chrome or coated cannot be repaired cheaply. I guarantee you will scratch/chip your rims from just normal driving. The road debris alone will do this. I won't even get into curbing. Let's not forget about dropping lug bolts, socket scratches and scratches near the valve stem from adding air.
I can repair a scratch with 1000 and 2000 grit sandpaper and buff by hand back to original shine in a half hour.
I have repaired 2 inch long curbed rim edges with 80 then 220 then 400 , 600, 1000 , 2000 grit sandpaper and hand polished back up to perfect condition in about an hour.
I love the shine of chrome and it s very low maintenance, but what i hate more is seeing small pits and minor scratches (over time), with the probability that I will have to look at them for the lifetime that I own the wheel.
Curb rash of any type is unacceptable, so for me that means re-chrome or a new wheel. That's minimally a $125 hit right there.
If you don't enjoy polishing wheels up to a show shine a couple times a year and if you are able to be super careful not to curb your rims, go for chrome.
In my case, that's not me.
Last edited by RMMGS4; 03-08-06 at 06:02 PM.
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03-08-06, 06:42 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
03-09-06, 06:39 AM
#10
J if you are **** and love "the labor of love" than go Polished no clearcoat. If you Love something really shiny with no labor issues just wipe and walk away than go chrome. If you want something inbetween than go polish with clearcoat. My centers are chrome, my lips are hi-polish with no clearcoat. My inner barells are hi-polish with clearcoat so I have all 3 on my wheels. I am as **** as they come but I still can't get my lips to look like my centers. Too much work and up keep. I can get get my lips to look great but when you look closely you will still see marks or dry faded water spots. very slightly that can't been seen from stading up but when you kneel down you can see. I'm sure that there are other products out there and that are pros out there than know how to use fine grit sand paper or powerballs machines but ask yourself do you really want in the middle of the summer when its really hot to sit there and start polishing your wheels? or when its colder in spring mornings and your hands are cold to sit there and be rubbing you whole wheel? Also you can make your wheel looks great but when you drive through a rain storm guess what? spots. you can't just go and wipe them off cuz your wheel is very hot that would make it worse with polish. you can't just wipe water and it will go away like you can with chrome. when your driving to a show or meet you don't want go crazy cleaning your lips and than when you get to the meet wipe away the brake dust and see small hair lines cuz that what happens. there are techniques to cleaning your polish wheels but why have all these things to worry about when you can just wipe and walk away>? put a little reg wax on the chrome and wipe it off and its like new again and again every time. I'm not knocking poilsh, for those that have all the tricks and techniques down its easy but still labor. I'm going to take my lips and chrome them later this summer and forget all these issues. I call it the 5 W's -Water,Wipe,Wax,Wipe and Walk away everytime.
03-09-06, 08:19 AM
#11
Originally Posted by RMMGS4
Well My comments are based on experience with high end wheels which use better aluminum which yields better shine.
I go for Polish with no clear coat on the outside lip and (for those with inner barrels polished) I go for polished with clear coat on inside only.
Chrome vs Aluminum shine? Well a high quality aluminum will shine about 95% of what a chrome wheel will. I have had people think the rims on my wifes polished HREs were chrome.
Add clear coat and the shine drops to I'll say 88%.
Upkeep? I have to polish about once a month just to keep the polish to a show look, but I can go easily 6 monhs with normal cleaning and the rim will stay about 90% shine from the original. Still looks good IMO.
Repair - The chrome or coated cannot be repaired cheaply. I guarantee you will scratch/chip your rims from just normal driving. The road debris alone will do this. I won't even get into curbing. Let's not forget about dropping lug bolts, socket scratches and scratches near the valve stem from adding air.
I can repair a scratch with 1000 and 2000 grit sandpaper and buff by hand back to original shine in a half hour.
I have repaired 2 inch long curbed rim edges with 80 then 220 then 400 , 600, 1000 , 2000 grit sandpaper and hand polished back up to perfect condition in about an hour.
I love the shine of chrome and it s very low maintenance, but what i hate more is seeing small pits and minor scratches (over time), with the probability that I will have to look at them for the lifetime that I own the wheel.
Curb rash of any type is unacceptable, so for me that means re-chrome or a new wheel. That's minimally a $125 hit right there.
If you don't enjoy polishing wheels up to a show shine a couple times a year and if you are able to be super careful not to curb your rims, go for chrome.
In my case, that's not me.
I go for Polish with no clear coat on the outside lip and (for those with inner barrels polished) I go for polished with clear coat on inside only.
Chrome vs Aluminum shine? Well a high quality aluminum will shine about 95% of what a chrome wheel will. I have had people think the rims on my wifes polished HREs were chrome.
Add clear coat and the shine drops to I'll say 88%.
Upkeep? I have to polish about once a month just to keep the polish to a show look, but I can go easily 6 monhs with normal cleaning and the rim will stay about 90% shine from the original. Still looks good IMO.
Repair - The chrome or coated cannot be repaired cheaply. I guarantee you will scratch/chip your rims from just normal driving. The road debris alone will do this. I won't even get into curbing. Let's not forget about dropping lug bolts, socket scratches and scratches near the valve stem from adding air.
I can repair a scratch with 1000 and 2000 grit sandpaper and buff by hand back to original shine in a half hour.
I have repaired 2 inch long curbed rim edges with 80 then 220 then 400 , 600, 1000 , 2000 grit sandpaper and hand polished back up to perfect condition in about an hour.
I love the shine of chrome and it s very low maintenance, but what i hate more is seeing small pits and minor scratches (over time), with the probability that I will have to look at them for the lifetime that I own the wheel.
Curb rash of any type is unacceptable, so for me that means re-chrome or a new wheel. That's minimally a $125 hit right there.
If you don't enjoy polishing wheels up to a show shine a couple times a year and if you are able to be super careful not to curb your rims, go for chrome.
In my case, that's not me.
Can you tell me your process. to fix them back up. I assume you are wet sanding it at 2000 grit. then you throw some mothers polish on it? and take it off by hand or do you use a machine to buff it with something?
03-09-06, 11:34 AM
#12
Originally Posted by bluelex
J if you are **** and love "the labor of love" than go Polished no clearcoat. If you Love something really shiny with no labor issues just wipe and walk away than go chrome. If you want something inbetween than go polish with clearcoat. My centers are chrome, my lips are hi-polish with no clearcoat. My inner barells are hi-polish with clearcoat so I have all 3 on my wheels. I am as **** as they come but I still can't get my lips to look like my centers. Too much work and up keep. I can get get my lips to look great but when you look closely you will still see marks or dry faded water spots. very slightly that can't been seen from stading up but when you kneel down you can see. I'm sure that there are other products out there and that are pros out there than know how to use fine grit sand paper or powerballs machines but ask yourself do you really want in the middle of the summer when its really hot to sit there and start polishing your wheels? or when its colder in spring mornings and your hands are cold to sit there and be rubbing you whole wheel? Also you can make your wheel looks great but when you drive through a rain storm guess what? spots. you can't just go and wipe them off cuz your wheel is very hot that would make it worse with polish. you can't just wipe water and it will go away like you can with chrome. when your driving to a show or meet you don't want go crazy cleaning your lips and than when you get to the meet wipe away the brake dust and see small hair lines cuz that what happens. there are techniques to cleaning your polish wheels but why have all these things to worry about when you can just wipe and walk away>? put a little reg wax on the chrome and wipe it off and its like new again and again every time. I'm not knocking poilsh, for those that have all the tricks and techniques down its easy but still labor. I'm going to take my lips and chrome them later this summer and forget all these issues. I call it the 5 W's -Water,Wipe,Wax,Wipe and Walk away everytime.
so freaken true A!!
(My wheels Chrome centers/polish clearcoated lips)
my wheels little by little are getting nicks here and there on the clearcoat and Im very **** about it ...but its not to bad yet..........in a yr or so
(this is my daily driver)I am planning to have the wheels refinshed and chroming the lips to avoid the nicks ..the clearcoat is so delicate ...they look very pretty ..but after a while Im goign to get more and more nicks and tiny scratches ....
so we'll see what I end up doing ....maybe I'll just reclear them again
who knows of a good chroming shop !
03-09-06, 01:13 PM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
enough reading CL members !!!post up your personal experiences or questions
May this become the thread to answer all of our Polished wheel questions
May this become the thread to answer all of our Polished wheel questions
03-09-06, 02:16 PM
#14
i agree a lot with rmmgs4's post, and i'd just like to add couple more points
1) when absolutely new, high polish with clear coat is pretty much the same as high polish without clear coat, i bet not that many people can tell the difference at all. the reflections and shinieness are almost identical. however the problem is after some use. clear coat will start to get swirls, and those are completely painful to repair. and especially on wheels, over time the clear coat will just get dull and yellowish. there is nothing you can do about that
2) high polish without clear coat, yes you can polish them to as shiny as you want, basically the more you polish the shinier it gets. however, that might not be the easiest task. unless you have some nice tools, it's virtually too hard to use buffing tools to buff wheels, especailly when tires are on the wheel and the wheel is on the car. so that leaves you with your bare hands. it's doable, but it's going to be really tiring
3) another problem with high polish wheels without clear coat is the maintenance interval, you will NEED to upkeep your wheels pretty often. without any clear coat protection, brake dust is your biggest enemy and they will EAT INTO the polish fast. especailly if it rains and then sunshine. happened to my hre several times, and let's just say i ended up spending my whole weekend polishing those damn marks out. i can't imagine what it'd be like if i left the wheels with brake dust uncleaned for 2 months
4) regarding "fixing" wheels, as long as your wheels have no clear coat, yes, just use rought sand paper to take out chips, etc... and then use up to 2000 grid sand paper to wet sand the area to completely smooth surface to fingers. then use industrial chrome polish rubbing compound, from rough all the way to fine rubbing (probably with different grade of rubbing cloths or material as well) until it's all shiny and swirls gone. just using those meguair's rubbing polish it's not close to enough to bring you the look you want
hope this helps
1) when absolutely new, high polish with clear coat is pretty much the same as high polish without clear coat, i bet not that many people can tell the difference at all. the reflections and shinieness are almost identical. however the problem is after some use. clear coat will start to get swirls, and those are completely painful to repair. and especially on wheels, over time the clear coat will just get dull and yellowish. there is nothing you can do about that
2) high polish without clear coat, yes you can polish them to as shiny as you want, basically the more you polish the shinier it gets. however, that might not be the easiest task. unless you have some nice tools, it's virtually too hard to use buffing tools to buff wheels, especailly when tires are on the wheel and the wheel is on the car. so that leaves you with your bare hands. it's doable, but it's going to be really tiring
3) another problem with high polish wheels without clear coat is the maintenance interval, you will NEED to upkeep your wheels pretty often. without any clear coat protection, brake dust is your biggest enemy and they will EAT INTO the polish fast. especailly if it rains and then sunshine. happened to my hre several times, and let's just say i ended up spending my whole weekend polishing those damn marks out. i can't imagine what it'd be like if i left the wheels with brake dust uncleaned for 2 months
4) regarding "fixing" wheels, as long as your wheels have no clear coat, yes, just use rought sand paper to take out chips, etc... and then use up to 2000 grid sand paper to wet sand the area to completely smooth surface to fingers. then use industrial chrome polish rubbing compound, from rough all the way to fine rubbing (probably with different grade of rubbing cloths or material as well) until it's all shiny and swirls gone. just using those meguair's rubbing polish it's not close to enough to bring you the look you want
hope this helps
03-09-06, 06:19 PM
#15
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Another owner (in the past) of both finishes chiming in. I went from American Chrome to JDM Chrome Paint to Polished.
It basically all comes down to the individual. I kept up with the Techniks pretty well (it was like a little something to do before dinner, quick wheel buff), but by the time the Trials came D2 had me really busy. They only thing that annoyed me about polisehd was the rain on the way to carshow issue. Then you have to clean them back up. Other than that, its was cool.
I really loved the shine of the polisehd better than chrome, its such a clean and smooth shine.
It basically all comes down to the individual. I kept up with the Techniks pretty well (it was like a little something to do before dinner, quick wheel buff), but by the time the Trials came D2 had me really busy. They only thing that annoyed me about polisehd was the rain on the way to carshow issue. Then you have to clean them back up. Other than that, its was cool.
I really loved the shine of the polisehd better than chrome, its such a clean and smooth shine.