I ran my aluminum rims through the MN winter and now they are really corroded and polish wont do the trick - I have heard of using this Phosphoric Acid cleaner removes all corrosion and if polished after turns out good - I picked some up at the local Welle Auto - it looks like pretty nasty stuff, it actualy reads TRAINED PROFFESSIONAL USE ONLY - NOT FOR SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC , right on the bottle. Has anyone ever used this - what kind of results, or does anyone have any other ideas??
CK5
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Phosphoric Acid - Aluminum Rim Cleaner
- Thread starter stus84
- Start date
josh86k10
1/2 ton status
I used some Eagle 1 (?) Mag wheel cleaner on mine. Specifically said "not to be used on polished aluminum" The polish wasn't in good shape anyway so I used it. Worked great, clean as brand new. This was a mix of phosporic and a couple of other acids. Just don't leave it on too long or it will pit the aluminum. I just sprayed it on, scrubbed it a little with a wheel brush, and hosed it off. Worked great.
You definatly want to wear gloves when using that stuff. We use a lot of chemicals at work. One of the acids in that eagle one stuff is pretty toxic. It doesn't burn the skin too bad but it obsorbs through the skin and decalcifies the bone. A little bit probably wont hurt you but you never know long term.
Brent
Brent
That would be the hydrofluoric acid. HF killed a lot of chemists when it was first discovered. They didn't realize how dangerous it is in even mild concentrations. Even at the extremely diluted amount in the Eagle product I would be dang'd careful with it.bdozeraz said:
BTW, that same wheel cleaner also works extremly well for cleaning Carter AFB and other aluminum bodied carbs. I would NOT try it on a Holley or a Q-Jet.
Dont Use Muriatic Acid!!
I decided to try cleaning my aluminum rims with some leftover muriatic acid from a chimmney I built,I had used it to wash off the mortar stains...I figured if "mag wheel cleaner" had oxacylic acid and phosphoric acid in it,Muriatic acid must be about the same thing--WRONG!!
I put it on with a paintbrush,using gloves and safety goggles--after a few minites as I watched from about 10 feet away(the fumes were killing my throat and lungs!)--I saw SMOKE coming off the rims!--I ran for the garden hose and hosed them off--the rims turned an ugly shade of carbon black!--and I was unsure if it had weakened them!..it took me hours with wet/dry sandpaper to make them look like aluminum again,and one rim was pitted badly!...Guess I wont try that again!
Oh,yeah--the driveway got stained badly too,and all the grass for 15 feet where the water I hosed the rims off turned lemon yellow and died!--and nothing grew there again for a few years!--it makes a great weed and dandelion killer...glad no pets drank or stepped in it! 
I decided to try cleaning my aluminum rims with some leftover muriatic acid from a chimmney I built,I had used it to wash off the mortar stains...I figured if "mag wheel cleaner" had oxacylic acid and phosphoric acid in it,Muriatic acid must be about the same thing--WRONG!!
I put it on with a paintbrush,using gloves and safety goggles--after a few minites as I watched from about 10 feet away(the fumes were killing my throat and lungs!)--I saw SMOKE coming off the rims!--I ran for the garden hose and hosed them off--the rims turned an ugly shade of carbon black!--and I was unsure if it had weakened them!..it took me hours with wet/dry sandpaper to make them look like aluminum again,and one rim was pitted badly!...Guess I wont try that again!
Oh,yeah--the driveway got stained badly too,and all the grass for 15 feet where the water I hosed the rims off turned lemon yellow and died!--and nothing grew there again for a few years!--it makes a great weed and dandelion killer...glad no pets drank or stepped in it!
acid clean
I will give it a shot tonight, my wife is bringing me home some gloves to work with and after that last post I for sure wont do it anywhere near the grass, I will take a pic before & after to let you guys know how it works - By the way this isnt an Eagle Product it is just Phosphoric Acid - I wish someone else tried it first but hey I think I have an extra cap laying around and I will try it on that first...
I will give it a shot tonight, my wife is bringing me home some gloves to work with and after that last post I for sure wont do it anywhere near the grass, I will take a pic before & after to let you guys know how it works - By the way this isnt an Eagle Product it is just Phosphoric Acid - I wish someone else tried it first but hey I think I have an extra cap laying around and I will try it on that first...
eagle #1 etching mag cleaner. it has a pic of a old style turbine rim on the frt . this stuff is the best. works great. when done try polishing them.
Acid Tested
I tested out the acid cleaning last night, I was really hoping it would just eat away at everything and turn out perfect with just a spray and wash but that was not the case - it was applied in a spray bottle mixed 3-1 and it didnt really do anything with the spray and wash it was some serious scrubbing (scotch bright) pads and a fair amout of work to clean them up - I am happy with the product but to warn you it is a time consuming event. I Applied, medium scotch bighted, applied, fine scotch brighted, applied, rinced, and finaly polished. I only fiished one rim (My rims are terrible for polishing - you can see in the pics (3 Pics under the K5 Blazer) (Before - After & Pic of the product)
By the way I am looking for a SM465 Bellhousing and have it listed in parts wanted in case you have one. Thanks!
See Pics at http://community.webshots.com/user/stus84
I tested out the acid cleaning last night, I was really hoping it would just eat away at everything and turn out perfect with just a spray and wash but that was not the case - it was applied in a spray bottle mixed 3-1 and it didnt really do anything with the spray and wash it was some serious scrubbing (scotch bright) pads and a fair amout of work to clean them up - I am happy with the product but to warn you it is a time consuming event. I Applied, medium scotch bighted, applied, fine scotch brighted, applied, rinced, and finaly polished. I only fiished one rim (My rims are terrible for polishing - you can see in the pics (3 Pics under the K5 Blazer) (Before - After & Pic of the product)
By the way I am looking for a SM465 Bellhousing and have it listed in parts wanted in case you have one. Thanks!
See Pics at http://community.webshots.com/user/stus84
