How to clean badly pitted aluminum wheels?

[TerryMason]

I picked up a new matching spare for my TJ last weekend, but it's in pretty rough shape. Does anyone know a good process for cleaning aluminum rims and removing pits?

I'm thinking that I need to wet sand with 600-1000 grit sandpaper, then use a power ball to polish it. I have read though that oven cleaner works well (although others say it destroys aluminum).

 

[wwch99tj]

That's what I would do, as long as they are smooth polished wheels and not the ones with the machine finish lines in them

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[flatie46]

I polished the aluminum rocker boxes on my old Harley. They had casting marks and some rough places to start with. Seems like I started with 400grit on the rougher areas first then went to 600 over all. I think from there I switched to mothers mag & alum polish with a 100% cotton towel. Cotton works best for sure. I would use the mothers like rubbing compound, just rub untill it's gone. The blacker your rag turns the better as that is the oxidation comming off. When I got done they looked chrome.

When it comes to polishing alum, it's all in how much work you put into it. I've seen the power ball but I just don't see the foam ball pulling the oxidation off like cotton & mothers myself. I haven't tryed it though, it may be just the thing.