Cleaning Nasty Aluminum Wheels with Household Products - WOW !!!!

[@Chevy-hw6lw]

I can’t speak for other people but I would like to tell you this. I love all kinds of mechanic you tubers . But I really like yours because you show what someone with a basic budget can do. A lot of these guys, I’d say 90 percent of these guys have lifts , 50 thousand dollars in tools or more, multiple pole barns or large garages. I don’t have … any of those things . And don’t get me wrong , there’s nothing wrong with that and I love those guys. They’ve earned what they have . But sometimes … I just want to see how the ordinarily Joe gets it done .

[@enterBJ40]

Totally agreed. There's so many " DIY this or that" video with guys using a full array of equipment and tools like everyone has a lathe ,a milling machine and a welder side by side waiting for a weekend warrior to perform a project. Sometime you have the devils advocate defending the video poster with the argumentation that owning X machine tool is not that expensive or difficult to operate. Apparently everyone is a fully equipped and skilled welder and machinist at home.

[@mpfoote]

Wife: "Honey, I'm making chili for dinner. Have you seen my large pot?"

[@ThunderHead289]

Update: Oven cleaner is still the best and cheapest product naturally - Here is the link to the NO FUME version that works very well & doesn't give you cancer: goo.gl/erh3yf

[@jasongriffin8849]

Just bought these same wheels for my F150, and in the same condition. Those turned out looking pretty good! Time to do mine!

[@randystanton6280]

Four years later I got the same wheels for mine. How are yours holding up? Learned anything about taking care of em?

[@jasongriffin8849]

@randystanton6280 sold the truck over 3 years ago. No idea how they held up.

[@TheBrokenLife]

That's an interesting approach... I wonder if maybe corn starch would work even better than the baking soda since it's more neutral-to-acidic rather than the basic baking soda which would have neutralized the acid in the lemon juice. You may be able to compound your effort that way. I also wonder if maybe something silly like an orange or lemon rind would work better than a sponge for the same reason?

[@maliamaxcy7065]

Great job. Truck looks great. Your dad is lucky to have one in that condition and lucky to have you to help out. Keep the center caps, they look good and keep the crud out of the wheel studs.

[@soniacortez4135]

What a great truck! Caps on! What a great son just like mine💜

[@mullz1382]

i had these rims and caps stock on my 89 Ford Ranger 4x4 .... loved them ! i like the screw on caps they don't come off on pot holes and running over critters ........

[@ninjagodzilla6402]

good job.ill bet ur dad was a happy fellow.good to here someone giving there father a nice fathers day apreciation gift.

[@itsjustme5022]

you can use white vinegar + baking soda, make a paste out of it then use a sponge. aftr applying let it sit for a few mins.. i use this on windshield and on windows too, its good on removing watermarks.. 😁

[@trailladymtb7700]

Hey, thanks…gonna try this paste!

[@moonwatcher4049]

Spray oven cleaner works awesome for cleaning crudded up wheels. Good job on the cleaning. Side note- baking soda reacts with acids (lemon juice) just water is fine to make a paste. Borax is an awesome aluminum polisher and believe it or not, so is plain old all-purpose flour or corn starch

[@carlenestevenson9318]

Baking soda aluminum foil and boiling water shines silver

[@moonwatcher4049]

Carlene Stevenson don’t do it on silverplate though- you’ll end up durning your silver into brass (or whatever the base metal is) it eats the plating right off of it. My mother in law had that happen with a platter. Live and learn and tell the tales so others don’t fall down the same holes.

[@carlenestevenson9318]

@@moonwatcher4049 thank you before I do anything I was going ton Google my original rims for my car to determine the metal I have Is 250 and plan to remove curb rash was going to dip the rims but I am a die hard DIYER but do my homework by gaining knowledge from everyone's videos learning dos don'ts and the best way after seeing the options

[@Balmy_Jones]

I was thinking oven cleaner... With the magic oven cleaner does on a grime / grease baked in oven.

[@johnyoung5482]

I've seen oven cleaner ruin aluminum

[@rickdff62]

Hea, I tried using lemon juice and baking soda with a toothbrush on my 1981 Kawasaki motor that had a lot of oxide buildup on the head fins from sitting in a barn for years. Guess what, your trick really worked well in removing the built up aluminum oxide. I've tried all purpose cleaner, engine cleaner,and aluminum polish with very so so results. This worked the best. Thanks!

[@ThunderHead289]

Hey, that's awesome! Good to hear!!!

[@1D0N]

Usually soda (base) and an acid cancel each other out.

[@cfmechanic]

1D0N at what ratio do they cancel each other out? Looks like he used abunch of soda and a few squirts of lemon juice

[@Brimstone667]

my dad used to collect those all the time, i think i might have a whole wall of em in his shed, ill have to check it out next time i git down to the ranch, have so much i got from him when he passed

[@jonathanlloyd2371]

I used play sand in place of baking soda. Gives a brushed aluminum finish look.

[@vincentcrosby5247]

I used small convex mirrors for the centerhubs on my motorhome and they looked pretty good.

[@B1Springfield]

I had those same wheels on my 74 short bed. Miss that truck lol. I have a 73 that’s on the back burner for now

[@jimmyfavereau]

dood! nice job for houshold items.. its nice to see people putting others before themselves.. im sure your dad is proud : ) God Bless

[@anonymousmind]

It's just car wheels.

[@bryanolivo8093]

And it's dude...not dood.

[@anonymousmind]

It's duud. Dood

[@JosephSamsor]

Anonymous so? He spent hours working on something nice for his dad. Not everyone can just buy their dad a new car or pay off their house

[@anonymousmind]

Joseph Samsor its cleaning a wheel. it's not exactly going to change anything for anyone. not really anyway.

[@grizdeluxe]

Thanks for the tip. I bought some lemon juice and got my very dirty Alcoa wheels very clean with minimal effort!

[@100forks]

Good choice in using baking soda. After using something acidic, you want to neutralize the acid or else it will keep eating away the metal.

[@timhowell1220]

Home Depot - 505 sprayed on every 10-15 min for 1 hour. Scrub with scotchbrite sponge (green side) Dirt, Clearcoat gone. Dawn wash and rinse - ready for polish. Done on 94 F-150 Factory alum. rims

[@brandondannys-menary3678]

Just bought a set of 15x7 vintage saw blade wheels along with some 31-10.5r15 federal a/t tires for about $320. thank you for this cleaning vid, helps a lot!

[@avs_4u]

🎉 thanks for sharing, I knew the properties of backing soda. My wife will send me back to the grocery store 😅 but it was worth it

[@majormanfredrex]

I drop the rims in a Spectank, filled with Carbsolve solution, for a few hours and rinse them with warm water and a sponge. It removes brake dust, road film, tar spots, paint, grease and oil etc. You are left with a spotlessly clean rim. For dust cap replacements, I have found suitable plastic and rubber end caps from auto rubber specialists, plastic piping manufacturers and injection moulders, even from furniture manufacturers who make furniture from bent steel tubing.

[@highlightsateleven5434]

Simple Green for cleaning aluminum works great especially once you have done a deep restoration type clean...it won't damage any surfaces if left on for any amount of time...I add about 2 oz of Dawn 1/2 gallon of Simple Green and add 1/3 water in a gallon pump sprayer and keep that on hand. I use that on my wheels and tires, wheel wells, frame rails...You can use it on painted surfaces for cleaning algae build up on vehicles that have been sitting, it won't damage paint but will remove waxes. So at minimum I would rewash with a car wash/wax soap and use a spray wax if you aren't going to hand wax. So when using it on my wheels I use a spray wax after. Simple Green cleans tires easily with a single pass light scrub around the sidewall and into the treads without any residue...If you use tire shine type products and you want to get your tire back to clean bare rubber this will do that...I discovered it when searching for an effective non corrosive non petroleum non solvent based water soluble cleaner for my dirt bikes...

[@tannieminka3364]

I think you can get 4 nice center caps to snap in place instead of the metal covers. Then get some nice new chrome closed lug nuts spline drive for easy on and off.

[@JuanLopez-kp8qj]

tannie minka I just bought types rims yesterday very cheap with brand new tires for $140 bucks and I wash the rims it's looks way better

[@jamesjimenez5467]

What a great gift! And a resourceful application of household materials!

[@bigrob9771]

Not sure if anyone has commented this or not, but these are factory Forged wheels made by Alcoa for Ford...they are clear coated, you can use aircraft paint remover or ez-off oven cleaner to strip the clear coat, then they can be mirror polished, a lot easier

[@louiechidwick6034]

White vinegar is a good substitute for lemon juice and sugar makes a great abrasive. I always clean my oily, greasy hands with dish soap and sugar.

[@rustyrods8535]

Nice trick , they should be pretty common they were on a lot of trucks . If you can't find some close to where you are I think I can hook you up I'll have to look to make sure no one has taken them already. With or without the center caps those wheels are truly classic.

[@ThunderHead289]

i really like them, hard to find them around my area any more. i definitly need some center caps - dad wants them but doesnt like the red. might have to cnc something out for the centers

[@scottt1642]

ThunderHead289 they came with black caps too. I have a set of each

[@gabebarnett3529]

Go on LMC truck for the center caps, specifically a bullnose f150, they have a set of 4 for about 69 bucks.

[@ThunderHead289]

My father opted to go without them!

[@theBeaufly]

hmmm interesting. Good job, they look great. FYI though, Baking soda is a base, or alkaline. Baking soda is used to clean up acid spills. It will neutralize the acid in the lemon juice. But then it may be the chemical reaction may help lift the dirt and grime. Maybe just the dawn would have done it. lol But them wheel look good now.

[@ThunderHead289]

+Beauregard ! I’m not sure - it worked really well, and the girl was only half frustrated with what I took out of the fridge. It makes more sense to use the acid, then the baking soda for sure

[@farmerchuck3]

I just got a set of alum wheel this weekend , im hoping what u used ,I can use and it work and bring out the shine .and after I use and hopefully it works ill use a polish to bring that shine out more ....

[@jumpercable20]

Amazing, it's good to see someone actually use elbow grease, so many people now days don't want to get down and dirty for a clean car.

[@marcgilman4903]

In the video it talks about using lemon juice as an acid. Lemon juice has a pH falling between 2 and 3, which makes it 10,000-100,000 times more acidic than water. The thing about ph is it is an exponential scale, so you really don't need all that much of it. In fact adding multiple bottles doesn't increase the acidity. Soldier On!

[@bobthebarsteward]

Try spraying vinegar onto the baking soda, fizzes up and cleans well.

[@sergeantmasson3669]

Those non 4wd wheels center caps are fairly easy to find used or you can but new ones easily. They're not rare at all.

[@danavalon8876]

they have non acidic cleaners you can buy specifically for aluminum wheels, so if you had an expensive pair that is probably what you would want to use. but in this case your method worked fine!

[@TheNorth35]

Oven cleaner or scrubbing bubbles tile and tub cleaner work very good for light grime.

[@chevecrazy454ss]

Had you used 0000 ultra fine steel wool along with this you would of had even better results

[@brandondannys-menary3678]

chevecrazy454ss good idea

[@unknown5827]

Using steel wool is bad, steel wool puts all little steel deposits in the aluminium and they will rust

[@chevecrazy454ss]

@@unknown5827I see your point but that will only happen if your clumsy it wont do any of that if you rinse your wheels well as he was doing so in the video but what it will do is get the job done in half the time he spent doing this

[@ginnawitters-evans5156]

That was a great gift n the truck looks better with the center caps!!! Very cool lookin!! Lemon juice n baking soda is great for many things to clean off grime.

[@Crowbargreg]

Make a paste of baking soda white vinegar and water and scrub it like rubbing compound in a circular fashion works wonders.

[@Nordic_Mechanic]

Can you say " I sell propane and propane accessories" to the camera?

[@menom7]

LOL. That would've definitely made this video for sure!!!

[@odenvalhalla4724]

Veikra funny

[@inmatruckyo1400]

I'd like a burger, fries and large orange drink... you got that in there?

[@SonnyGTA]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[@grahammccredie7365]

I was thinking the same thing! "I Tell Ya What".

[@rjmac3001]

Just got some American racing outlaws for pretty cheap. Need to clean them asap

[@owencollins9711]

nice ford. I have a 77 Ranger. Any idea what max tire size is without lift? This video saved me the hassle of spending money on new rims for her

[@robertfolk8716]

If you can find a can of powdered "Bar Keepers Friend" at the local supermarket, would clean up those wheels in 2 minutes flat. Its great stuff.

[@daveholm5416]

The best thing I found to use is SOS pads. They work awesome for cleaning wheels

[@C10sRule]

That’s my Thursday project!! 2010 Ford Ranger 2wd 15” wheels. They are going t need new clear coat as well unfortunately, but I want to get them clean and they currently have about. 2 mm minimum of brake dust caked on the inside back of the wheels!! A power washer with soap, after degreaser and full power 2500 psi,,, almost no difference. Gut a bit of the buildup, but a very small amount. Bought some SOS pads as they helped me revive a set of Cragar SS 5 spokes that are on it currently (80s retro build with a custom finished interior in a canopy with only front and back windows etc. 295 50s in back and 235 60s in front). There was a bit of rust from sitting in the shop untouched but to occasionally move them out of the way, for years & years! Took it all off, sealed with Turtle wax chrome polish (again, just sittin around the shop) and they look near new, no rust at all. The chrome was not peeling.

[@deanyanko3326]

I used sos pads but you have to remove the clear coat then a final wax.

[@robertmunguia250]

Could you use a brillo pad or sos pad on aluminum if they are heavily oxidated?

[@paulhunter9613]

Robert munguia Using a sos pad or likeness will work at removing the grunge but will prob leave the aluminum with a more satin finish rather than shiny

[@berniediapersanderslukso9204]

Good man. Learned something new. Merry Christmas.

[@boneskull4207]

looking good, simple and inexpensive with a little elbow grease. like you said they dont make them like they use too nor do they do things like they use too. if you could find 2 more center caps I would go that route and keep them. but thats me. you could check LMC TRUCK for the caps. thanks for taking the time to share this with us. be safe and be blessed

[@ThunderHead289]

I appreciate the positive response. Thank you - you as well

[@spaghettimeatloaf3926]

well you're brave enough you can run them through the dishwasher with Platinum Cascade it does wonders to copper bottom pans I bet it will clean aluminum wheels nicely

[@ThunderHead289]

I will have to try that on some aluminum !!!

[@jeepcollector91]

Liquid Cascade (not the newer formula that uses Dawn) does indeed work well at cleaning aluminum. Several years ago I used it on a filthy aluminum toolbox that I purchased for cheap at a local auction. I used the blue scrubbing sponge that is for non-stick pans and applied the Cascade directly to the damp sponge. Didn't really scrub much. Just applied it with the sponge and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then hosed it off. Took the toolbox down to the bare/clean aluminum ready for polishing. I then tried it again a last year on the back side of some aluminum wheels from a Jeep I parted out. I wanted to clean off all the baked on brake dust. That took quite a bit of scrubbing after allowing the Cascade to sit on there for a while. I also used a pressure washer to rinse those. End result was about the same as the toolbox but it did appear to cause issues with the clear coat that was on the face of the wheels even with me trying to avoid getting it on the face of the wheels. The Cascade also makes your dead skin turn to slime...

[@hippie_preppy_jock]

... Just imagining the look on my wife's face when I tell I I put wheels in the dishwasher. Ouch!

[@josephdeffendoll3056]

Spaghetti Meatloaf what happens if you get caught putting your wheels in the dishwasher? Possibly another video?

[@dmcd2460]

Cascade works because it is probably one of the basic pH products in your home the opposite of the acid used the video

[@raybradley4939]

Shout works great even on the tires

[@mikeherman96]

Wow, thanks brother. Im gonna try it out today. They look great on the truck, nice rims and tires can make any p.o.s look 100% better.um but i didnt mean the awsome truck your showing!!!

[@jamiedeatherage3757]

Its 1 of the best looking aluminum factory mag that Ford put on there trucks I have them on my 93 4x4 and yes I have xtra caps for 2x4 and 4x4 love the look.

[@jaspermccorntabbler8431]

I just found two caps in the barn. Do you still need them? They aren't in the greatest shape but they look just like the ones you have and are indeed metal. I only have screws for one.

[@michaelgilbert7851]

Everyones wanting freebies tonite! lol! Like the videos Thunderhead!

[@ThunderHead289]

Hey thanks Man!

[@SuperHartwigs]

The Summit sticker on the pot is what made all the difference.

[@richo2895]

One trick that I have used Cut out cardboard circles drill 1/4 inch hole and bolt them with a bolt and washers makes a cheap buffing wheel if you use polishing compound

[@ThunderHead289]

Your a genius

[@DrewJacobson61]

Rich Overmyer thanks for that great idea!

[@jeffruebens8355]

Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish, and a buffing attachment for an electric drill. The Nu Finish wax so the shine lasts longer. Or paint them for less future maintenance- I like the ceramic brake caliper paint from an Advance auto parts store, about $10 for a large spray can. See the Project Farm KZbin videos for maintenance tips in general.

[@pi1797]

Very nice video. Nice looking 69 Ford What engine is in the 69 Ford? We used to own a 72 Ford F-150 Ranger XLT 2wf automatic with a 360 V-8. Loved that truck. Father sold it in like 92 with under 60k original miles.

[@bigw8549]

Definitely with the caps. Looks unfinished without them.

[@dipstik3548]

Painted flat or satin black...

[@rolandosanchez3664]

Looks much better and me I would put on the center caps. Did your dad like it??

[@404BOOMER]

I'm thinking vinegar but I haven't tried it. Maybe try some on the back of the rim in case it dosen't work or dulls the aluminum. Also put the rims up on a table while you're scrubbin them. Nothing worse than workin on the ground. They did turn out pretty good though. I would keep the center caps on the wheels.

[@lovefordgalaxie]

I would keep the stock wheels, and white line tires, just add some correct for the model year dog dish hubcaps.

[@chevyblueangel]

Let the rims first soak for a few minutes in the lemon juice or even vinegar, and then clean. Make a paste with the baking soda and use to clean the more stubborn spots on the wheel.

[@PibsMegie]

I think the chrome caps make the rims look nicer and have more of a muscle truck look, I got rally rings with a center cap on my 98 gmc safari van

[@jonathanthayer4149]

Brother smile I think you should have been a chef also lol excellent job

[@gerrymcadams7517]

I bought a set of center caps off e-bay they are plastic but fit good and I am going on 3 years still look good

[@shawnbeck2303]

I had a 1970 with a 302. No power brakes. Drove the wheels off it! Put in a tilt wheel later on. Rusted badly. It's gone now. Had a lot of fun it. 18 years old, first ride.

[@seankellybrier3814]

I have had a couple sets of these wheels. They have one heck of a clear coat on them. Using an abrasive pad will scratch the clear coat. In order to really polish them you will need to strip the clear off and then use an aluminum polish. If the clear is in good shape you can use a polish for automotive paint like Meguiars. The truck looks great!

[@2APerformanceEducation]

Thank you for your practical knowledge. My rims came out great.

[@JeepTJWheelin]

Great video, going to try this on my Pro Comp rims.

[@josetenorio3731]

Keep the dust covers, nice solid color paint job, n remove the shell.....N she will be even more beautiful....Nice job on the clean up...

[@fastfords9072]

Looks so good!!! Can you use white vinegar?

[@frankklaiber2400]

couldnt believe it stuff made mine look like new thanks simple n easy

[@frankklaiber2400]

i used oven cleaner

[@JimmysTractor]

Nothing better than laundry detergent on grease. Dawn use to be my fave

[@gohunting13]

Excellent video ! I'll be testing this on a 2005 Silverado I just bought. Its a Minnesota with lots of ugly on the mag wheels.

[@arkdav90scout47]

Those Center caps look great on that truck look like it came that way, I've always thought those wheels were great on old Fords

[@scottmitchellrose1732]

go without the dust cover unless you find 2 more. looks good either way.

[@soyeldiego4878]

Keep the Caps they look totally cool 😎 on the older trucks.

[@Jake_the_snake00]

7:11 “The easiest way to do things is to lay it on its back and just work out to in” 😉

[@jerseyneil1]

You can also try oven cleaner. It works well.

[@FuToo]

Where can i buy the elbow grease? How much should I apply?

[@kevinmoorer8266]

SOS cleaning pads do pretty good also just don't press to hard they will leave scuff marks. Great video I like my old Fords also

[@johndrummond3587]

i cut a piece alum . fascia cover and siliconed it in.

[@richardlynch6792]

I have a bunch of the center caps if your still looking for some

[@mjmartinson9558]

I swear i have seen this truck before. I work at Victor manufacturing, and just south of the plant is an older farmhouse with a few buildings. There was a truck identical to this one sitting out one day there on my way to work. In the next few weeks I saw it out driving around and then within a month it was gone. There was a 70s LTD or Lincoln covered in dust sitting out for a week or so,then it was gone also. Just curious if its the same truck and also I saw the vintage lic plate that says IOwa on it.

[@ThunderHead289]

What year was that by chance? Kinda sounds like the area from where I bought it from

[@mjmartinson9558]

It was probably a year or 2 ago. Just a couple miles north of I80. Big white 4 square house w a little white house directly across the road. On the curve south of the house on both sides are some el Camino's, old Ford pickups,,90s Chevy and Dodge trucks sitting in the fields.

[@ThunderHead289]

+Mj Martinson this indeed is that very truck.

[@mjmartinson9558]

Cool. Good to see it being fixed up and driven. Do you live in Iowa??

[@ThunderHead289]

+Mj Martinson yes, it roams central Iowa currently.

[@SixTwoHemi]

Use a/c refrigeration coil cleaner purple or yellow non acid simply apply let it sit for 5 minutes rinse with water.

[@angelamonroe7737]

Wow! They look amazing. I have a 1987 Trans Am so can't wait to try this on my rims. Thank you

[@jakemichael8586]

go with the caps!! thy look good, I find 80s&90s ford stuff looks good on old ford stuff as the body lines are not far off. the 1980-1997 bull nose trucks just 2 body styles ahead of the 1960s stuff. it gives it face lift. how much do you think factory 17 inch aluminum wheels from the 1990s would cost with the 5 on 5.5 pattern? O not to get off topic would it be worth it to go from a factory 2bbl manifold to 4bbl manifold for power and economy on a budget on a mostly stock 351w or not? their was a factory 4bbl on the ho351w in the 1980s but i think it was iron not aluminum. so if a 4bbl intake is worth swaping on, is the factory one good, or should i go aftermarket.

[@ThunderHead289]

id go with the 4 barrel. overall, you will actually get better power and economy (if you keep your foot out of it) either or is fine if you are going to keep it at reasonable rpm. id run a carb spacer if you use the iron intake. it would really come down to which you could get affordably.

[@oneness3359]

you also can use a mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponge does wonders

[@MustangGuy6501]

Without for sure, looks great

[@rabbycacker]

I've made center plugs for the caps out of plastic lids. Find some that fit in from the back side and seal them in place with Seal All or something that won't be too difficult to remove later if the center needs to be replaced later on. Install one pair on one side and the other pair on the other as you can't see both sides at the same time. Same goes for wheels, never could figure out why guy's install one pair on the front and a different pair on the back. If both pair are the same offset and width I always installed the pairs side to side rather than front to back. Don't think any body ever noticed. The wheels should be waxed or clear coated right away after cleaning/polishing to stop or at least delay the oxidation process. This will keep the wheels nicer looking longer as the oxidation process starts immediately after the cleaner is washed off and does stop until they are cleaned again. Nice old truck. Had a 68 with a 3 on tree when I was 17. Plain Jane no chrome, bench seat work truck. Didn't know anything about fixing them up back then so didn't like it cause it wasn't cool.

[@kpusa3278]

You can use some 0000 steel wool to clean these up even better I'm going to have to try your recipe here

[@prasadtemkar3077]

good job mate! nice and simple yet very effective

[@jw4620]

Did you change the speedo drive gear to compensate for the bigger tires? If not, no change in freeway rpm.

[@ThunderHead289]

I didn't, it will eventually be converted to a 5 speed and then I'll change it over. It does about 5 miles faster at interstate speeds than what the soeedo says currently

[@clubprojects6923]

Make a mold and copy the caps in resin. Paint to match.

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

They look great I think they look better with the dust cover

[@Minionmoto529]

@ThunderHead289 keep the center caps just so you can swith back and forth if you wanted.

[@charlesmiller5078]

I think , paint the steel wheels, and get some classic ford caps. Great look. The alum looks good, but not as good as factory. Love the 3 on the tree. Reminds me of when driving was actually work. hope he has power steering, those tires will be a hassle to get around corners. Nice video 289 my favorite engine !

[@brannondominics65kenworthp60]

Looks better without! Wouldn’t have thought that but it does.