Cleaning Y2K rims back to new..?

**mammoth713** · 09-17-2010, 08:17 PM

So i just bought some Chrome Y2K "thinspoke" c5 vette rims...

i was wondering a couple things..

*I heard Really fine steel wool will clean up chrome without damaging it.. is this true?

*Some people use vinegar or even COKE soda to clean chrome??? idk how much i believe that..

*What do i use to clean the rusty/speckled middle section of the rim? the guy i bought it from mentioned using some kind of "acid wash?

so idk if this is true or where to buy it?

any tips would be appreciated..

(the first picture's lighting make it look much worse than it is..)

Thanks

**98maro** · 09-17-2010, 10:17 PM

Steel wool does work bro. I done it before.
I cleaned the tips on my ss they look great.
Just use car soap n that's it.
Just make sure you use the right steel wool. You have to get the one for the polish or chrome. I think is steel wool 002. I'm not sure.
Just read the label in the bk

**mammoth713** · 09-18-2010, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by 98maro

Steel wool does work bro. I done it before.
I cleaned the tips on my ss they look great.
Just use car soap n that's it.
Just make sure you use the right steel wool. You have to get the one for the polish or chrome. I think is steel wool 002. I'm not sure.
Just read the label in the bk

i tried steel wool #0000 (super fine), i had it laying around in the basement.

it worked alright.. the rims look 100% better, i will post pics later

**GoFast908Z** · 10-03-2010, 06:39 PM

Chrome polish and steel wool #0000. Anything else will hurt your chrome.

The rough spots will be tough to clean up and its from stuff eating away at the chrome.

**Eganslp** · 10-04-2010, 12:20 AM

K I use that chrome rim cleaner they sell in wAlmart McGuires chrome polish on my aluminum polished wheels and now I think I ruined them bc they have this constant haze over them or Loss in shine big time someone said that they look oxidized so can this be fixed

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**02convertibleT/A** · 10-04-2010, 05:10 AM

finish em up with eagle one never dull after the steel wool #0000. dont use anything coarser than #0000

**GoFast908Z** · 10-04-2010, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by Eganslp

K I use that chrome rim cleaner they sell in wAlmart McGuires chrome polish on my aluminum polished wheels and now I think I ruined them bc they have this constant haze over them or Loss in shine big time someone said that they look oxidized so can this be fixed

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Follow it up with the correct aluminum polish.

**96silverram** · 10-08-2010, 04:34 PM

That looks to be severely acid etched. I'm not sure what you can use to bring it back to any reasonable state. Maybe the #0000 steel wool, but even that might be asking too much?

**mammoth713** · 10-10-2010, 11:07 AM

heres the after pics, only really have 1 close-up. In general the chrome came out great, the inner part of the rims are much better than they were but you can still see the "pitting" chrome or whatever. looks like a bunch of little flakes. the face of the rims are all very good looking. no road rash too!

#0000 steel wool worked very well

used car soap for the inner part of the rim because it was so dirty

and then lastly microfiber and meguiar's chrome rim cleaner (awesome stuff!)

**96silverram** · 10-10-2010, 04:55 PM

It turned out nice !

**mammoth713** · 10-10-2010, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by 96silverram

It turned out nice !

thank you!

**TheSilverSurfer** · 10-12-2010, 03:57 AM

Nice work on those rims

**mammoth713** · 10-12-2010, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by TheSilverSurfer

Nice work on those rims

thank you! i love them

**TLS_Addict** · 10-12-2010, 08:07 PM

Looks sweet! My boss had those wheels on his 01 Corvette.

I like the ones found on the 2003 Collectors Eddition, they are thin spoked but have the slight gold looking finish. I like the magnesium ones found on the FRCs too.

Car looks great man.

**vonskeezy28** · 10-12-2010, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by mammoth713

wow.. awesome pic...

**mammoth713** · 10-13-2010, 03:14 PM

yeah its this random path off this back road.. its all rocks that are mixed in compacted dirt. and then theres a cliff into a stream on the left

went like 1mph up that..

figured it was a good spot to take a couple pics in fall

thanks!

**GoFast908Z** · 10-14-2010, 12:17 AM

great turnaround

**2001camaroSS** · 10-18-2010, 07:20 PM

wheels look good. how did the wheel wells turn out?

**DarrenWS6** · 08-12-2019, 06:31 AM

Looks very nice! I may try that on my WS6 wheels. The barrels of my wheels look trashed and I love the wheels so I gotta do something. I also plan to strip the clear coat off of mine cause almost all wheels are trashed in spots.