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Was going to polish the wheel while the bike is on the lift - In the past I have had good luck using Autosol metal polish on chrome wheels but these ones are Aluminum cast I think and seem to have a clear coat or some sort of sealer on them , What as a good safe way to clean/polish these
Just a guess.....but IF they are really clear coated then anything other than a cleaner wax for clear coated paint finished would harm (or cut through) the clear coat.
I suggest brake cleaner on a toothbrush (or as I do once a year on a q-tip) then a car wash product and really nothing more. The q-tip process is slow but something I do each year before I wrap mine up for the winter. Brake dust can accumulate and eat the metal if allowed to pile up long term.
For those knuckles, I would suggust the "as seen on tv" wheel cleaner. It looks like a rotating *****,, excuse me,, back massager, with a cotton type head on it and you hook up a hose and it spins. There is a lot of camel toe,, excuse me, knuckles to clean on them wheels.
I thought and maybe someone that knows more than me that there were 2 types of those wheels. Uncoated and chromed then painted black in the highlights. My glide and road king were uncoated. Simichrome is what i used until I replaced them with something easier to maintain. FWIW they are a lot eaiser to polish off the bike on the bench with the rotors removed.
For those knuckles, I would suggust the "as seen on tv" wheel cleaner. It looks like a rotating *****,, excuse me,, back massager, with a cotton type head on it and you hook up a hose and it spins. There is a lot of camel toe,, excuse me, knuckles to clean on them wheels.
How do you know what my rotating ***** looks like?
They are uncoated and nearly impossible to clean. Even if you get the aluminum clean (maybe with sandpaper) it'll take hours to clean all the little spaces. Then, you'll have to do it all over again after one ride. I lived with them for a year and traded them for 9 spoke chrome wheels. Cleaning went from 4 hours to 30 minutes and they shine like chrome when I'm done. One of my best upgrades.
I use a spray-on mix of "Shout" and water 50/50 mix. And use a brush that is used on baby bottles when those are being cleaned. Also use a an aluminum polish from West Marine/Starbrite, rub on, not in, and wipes off real easy. My 2013 Road Glide Ultra owners guide states most aluminum wheels are not coated.
I use HD Wheel & Tire Cleaner, sponge & soft bristle brush. Make sure you rinse it good. The rim must be good & dry. I use SimiChrome Polish on a shop rag, which cuts the heavy stuff of pretty good. Wipe & shine the rim, followed by applying HD Bare Aluminum Wheel Protectant disposal wipes #9360063, which is a very important step. FYI, it a lot easier said than done. My rims are much easier than your. Also, make sure to keep the polish on the smooth part, because it's a bitch to remove it from the coarse sections. Good luck.
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Cleaning Wheels ?
