Billet wheels?

[AirMale]

I need some advice on polishing my Boyd turbines. I've done 2 wheels already and I'm just exhausted. I have at least 4 hours invested and still 2 more to go. I guess I let them go too long. I put the Zoops sealer on when they were brand new about a 1 1/2 years ago and let me tell ya, don't waste your time and money on that crap. My wheels were cloudy in 6 months. I've been looking at some of the buffing attachments for drills and die grinders. Will these expedite the process? Just for the record I'm using Mother's Billet polish and Luster shine that's similar to Never Dull. Is it possible to apply the polish with a cotton wheel and wipe off with a clean cloth? I bought 6 microfiber towels and they work great for removing polish. They are about the size of a big wash cloth but they can go a long time before they are too dirty. I really need an easy way too apply the polish with out doing by hand for hours......help

[87 STEPPER]

I would say yes too any type of tool that attaches to a drill or what ever im guessing your tires are still mounted to the rims.

I was going to recommend an 8" or so buffing wheel that mounts to a 1/3 HP motor like a bench grinder set up Eastwood co. sell's this type of system.

Good luck

[billybangbang]

i just seen some goofy drill attachment on tv. the other day
looks like it would work but you never can tell.

come to think of it i believe it has a money back warrenty or what ever

[piecesparts]

Go onto the web and purchase some 4" buffs for a die grinder or drill with a mandrel mounted. These buffs look like a small buffing wheel and works excellent for removing discolored or oxydized metal. Buff lightly using a black buffing compound first then the green compound and finish with a white compound to set the polished color. Also go to a supplier such as Wizards polishes or any other and buy a bottle of metal protectant. I have used a couple brands over the years and I drive my truck in snowy weather without major impact on the rims. Right now I am using the Wizards and it works great, I treat my rims about once every six months. After I cleaned my rims, which took 4 hours for all 4 when I bought them used, I keep them clean with Mothers Mag and aluminum polish followed by Mothers Billet polish to give them a mirror finish. This is great stuff.

[AirMale]

Good info! Can I use just the Mother's Billet with the 4" buffing wheels or do I have to use the bars to? My wheels look awesome after polishing.

[Izzy]

I would suggest getting the Craftsman buffing kit on a high speed drill or die grinder and use 200mph polish.

Boyds don't have as good a finish as the higher quality wheel companies so don't expect them to be perfect.

[SanitysBane]

what are the higher quality wheel companies? im looking at getting some new rims for my truck.

[AirMale]

For the record: I have own Budniks, Eagles, Centerline and American Racing. These Boyd Coddington Turbines are flawless and polish to a mirror shine. Have you owned some that didn't?

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by AirMale

For the record: I have own Budniks, Eagles, Centerline and American Racing. These Boyd Coddington Turbines are flawless and polish to a mirror shine. Have you owned some that didn't?

I haven't personally but I've owned Intro and Welds and no way do the Boyds get near the shine either wheel did. I have plenty of friends that put 2-3x more time to polish theres than I do on the current Intros on my wifes truck.

[plumbcut]

In my opinion, hand polishing is out of the question! I dont know how detailed the shape of your wheels is, but home depot, harbor freight, etc carry polishing wheels that will hook to a cordless drill. I prefer using a cordless drill (my 18v dewalt 3-speed drill works perfect) but any sort of power tool would work I guess.

You will have to experiment with different sizes and shapes of polishing wheels, but I DONT recommend the kind that are actually shaped like a grinder wheel.. the ones that are a big ball/sphere work pretty good and the ones that are shaped sort of like a rose that is starting to bloom work well too. (does that make sense?)

pc

[gldevall]

Another reason chrome is better. Don't have all of that polishing.

[lbbdoc]

I have boyds on my truck and know guys who have intos. I think they are the same when it comes to finish I have only polished my Boyds once and now i just wash them with water and a micro fiber towel and they look like brand new. plumbcut your friends boyds might not look as good because you are not suppost to polish them with any thing else than water. I think saying boyds are lesser than the others is

[piecesparts]

Right now I have a set of used American Racing wheels on my daily driver and I also have a set of WELD billet wheels on my show truck. I really like the shine I get out of the Weld wheels, but the American Racing aluminum wheel is really an alloy mix. It is hard to shine, like what you can get from a true billet aluminum wheel. I would venture to say that if there are some Boyds wheels out there that don't shine well, they could be some of the ones that was created by the subsidized company that Boyd allowed to make wheels under his name, during his little escapade with his wife and the divorce. He now makes his own wheels again, and the ones that I have seen are fantastic for a shine.
As for polishing the wheels, I use the grinder style buffs, but I use the small ones (Like what I referenced to in the entry earlier in this forum). The trick is not to put much pressure on the buff and let the polish do the work. Second, It works best with the polishing compounds that come in a brick, because it is a stiff material and NOT a semi-liquid. This way it stays on the buff and not flipped off onto everything but the wheel. As for using the Mother's billet polish on a buffing tool, this stuff is approximately $12.00 for 5 ounces and it takes very little to go along way. If you want to do that with a buffing tool, then use the Mother's mag and aluminum polish on a buffing tool like a Flitz ball. (Look into Eastwood catalog) The mag and aluminum polish is approximately $7.00 for 10 ounces. Use it for your starting polish, the billet polish will take you to a mirror finish. Mothers used to sell the Billet stuff for $50.00 for 5 ounces under the "Reflections" name, and you had to call the personally to get it.
Hand polishing is the only way to finish something RIGHT, unless you want to get streaks and smears in your metal. The most important thing is to finish the work with a metal sealer to keep soap particles and dirt out of your wheels. I coat mine and then I don't have to wax or do anything serious for six months. I use Wizards "Power Seal" and have no problems www.wizardsproducts.com ALSO use a good set of brake dust guards behind your wheels, that stuff is what cuts into your wheel finish the most.

[plumbcut]

Originally Posted by lbbdoc

I have boyds on my truck and know guys who have intos. I think they are the same when it comes to finish I have only polished my Boyds once and now i just wash them with water and a micro fiber towel and they look like brand new. plumbcut your friends boyds might not look as good because you are not suppost to polish them with any thing else than water. I think saying boyds are lesser than the others is

Easy there killer! Watch who you're directing your replies to because I said nothing of the sort.

pc

[lbbdoc]

oops my bad!!!!! :p ........ im over it...no hard feelings.

[Kendhul]

Originally Posted by fiveeightchevy

I haven't personally but I've owned Intro and Welds and no way do the Boyds get near the shine either wheel did. I have plenty of friends that put 2-3x more time to polish theres than I do on the current Intros on my wifes truck.

Ya my boyd are a pain to polish. good thing i havent driven it in 3 weeks or so

[cochino12]

Originally Posted by AirMale

For the record: I have own Budniks, Eagles, Centerline and American Racing. These Boyd Coddington Turbines are flawless and polish to a mirror shine. Have you owned some that didn't?

My Boyds have always been a little disapointing for shine.

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by Kendhul

Ya my boyd are a pain to polish. good thing i havent driven it in 3 weeks or so

Well you have the cast wheel so that doesn't help.

[Kendhul]

Originally Posted by fiveeightchevy

Well you have the cast wheel so that doesn't help.

not for long hopefully..their gonna be forsale pretty soon.

[AirMale]

I was just trying to get some advice on wheel polishing, not trying to start a gay-ass pissing match But this is how my wheels turned out polishing by hand. I just ordered a couple of buffing kits(for drills) with a white polish bar so maybe next time they will look even better. Do they offer a billet centercap for my wheels? I can see the centercaps on these being the only dissapointment so far. Before and after respectively.

[lbbdoc]

i think you can get a billet center cap for any of the boyds.

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by lbbdoc

i think you can get a billet center cap for any of the boyds.

Correct they started selling them mid last year. I believe they're $25-30/center cap. I'd check with sportruck.com because he deals a lot of B Codds.

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by AirMale

I was just trying to get some advice on wheel polishing, not trying to start a gay-ass pissing match

My bad. He lives behind me so if he gets out of line I'll go throw a rock at him from my backyard.