2000 7.3 Wheels

[bandz7]

Hey everyone, I’m wonder about how to clean these wheels when I do a detail on my fil’s pickup


His are no where near this shiny, completely dirty and dull. I remember washing and cleaning the truck a few years back and wheel cleaner did nothing.

Are these wheels raw aluminum?

Would they be a good candidate to try the paint stripper spray followed by a metal polish?

 

[92saturnsl2]

My uncle had a 2001 7.3 F-250 with those wheels. His were definitely chrome. I'm not 100% sure on the base metal, I suspect they're aluminum with a chrome plating. Here's a random picture of them I found on the internet:

Not sure if Ford made a style without the plating-- that could be what you're seeing on your fil's truck. If it's bare aluminum it'll most certainly have a clear coat of some sort, which often fails or peels off as the wheel ages. There's not much you can do if that's what happened (of if the chrome plating has deteriorated)-- attempts at using abrasives will scratch up the wheel. It might be just caked on brake dust which is not so easy to remove but can be done with time and patience. I'd try to use a mild solvent of some sort and a blue scotch brite (green might be too abrasive, but you could try that carefully).

 

[RTexasF]

It they are uncoated then metal polish will likely be required. A Mother's powerball attachment for a drill makes it easier to deal with.

 

[bandz7]

Thanks guys. I’ll try to use a chrome wheel cleaner and see where it takes me. I know chrome only wheel cleaners are much stronger than the “all” wheel cleaners.