Clear coat ?

If you clear coat Aluminum, do you just maintain with auto wax? Or is there another way to maintain. I assume that there is not a lot of polishing involved like regular polished aluminum. Thanks.

I love brushed aluminum, but it's harder to maintain even than polished. To that end, the brushed aluminum pieces (some trim, the Bivens, etc.) are clear powder-coated (some by me, some by professionals). They are so easy to maintain as to be really unmaintainable: I wash 'em, and that's it. Your mileage may vary.

So, I'll use the new Webster dictionary word of the year. It's sounds "Pragmatic" to clear coat aluminum wheels.

Marty, my original Fuchs are anodized. I love that finish. If they are maintained properly, almost bullet proof. I had some BBS polished rims once that I think had a clear coat on them and they had a tendency to stain. Stan notes' "clear POWDER COATED", not just "clear coated". I think there's a big difference.

Thanks Rich, Depending on the finish you can't always clear powder coat. It's best done on metal and not on painted surfaces. There are also new special clears they use for wheels.

Marty, sometimes you're really good about answering your own questions.

Sorry Rich, I was not trying to be a smarty pants. I make that comment because my plan was to clear powder coat. Most of the research we are doing is negative to go over already painted finish. So I'm just thinking out loud or should I say in print.

I clear coated the polished spokes on my Fuchs something like 5 years back. Just sprayed them with clear Krylon, then sprayed the black backgrounds with Black Krylon. Prior to that, they were black anodized everywhere and I ground and polished the anodization off (wouldn't recommend doing that - that stuff is TOUGH!)

Haven't touched them since, other than to wash them with the rest of the car. The silver part of the rims (not the spokes) were clear anodized at the factory - THAT stuff is almost bullet-proof. It is possible to scratch my spoke clear coat, but you have to be determined. I haven't ever needed to touch them.

Me too, Marty, no smarty pants up here in Packerland. How them Bears doing?

Yeah, but the beloved Bears get the good Drugs:-0

How are my Bears doing? In a free-fall. Thanks for asking.

Gordon, did you use a rattle can Krylon, or a paint gun? Is clear Krylon available in other than a rattle can? I have aluminum Dyna-Lite Japanese wheels, and need to spray them with something to keep them bright.

Eastwood makes great rattle can wheel specific clear coat

Nah, I just used Krylon rattle-can stuff. Nothing but the best for "5-Cent Racing"! I have, however, pretty much mastered a good technique for applying rattle-can paint.

I was looking at the wheels just before I did the Hilton Head Island Concours car club day and thought; "Geez! These wheels still look pretty good!"

I remember when I did them that I tried taping and masking the first wheel and it was such a major PITA that I made up a hand-held mask (essentially a piece of newspaper) for the rest of them and just moved it along as I needed it. Took about 30 seconds per wheel. Clear coated them first (didn't have to mask as much that way) and then masked and sprayed the semi-gloss black between spokes. Came out very nice. Maybe not as nice as some of those nutsoes in the PCA, but I think they look pretty nice.

Just a little tangent here on my Fuchs...I was thinking of repainting my satin black spokes, they're still original. Then last spring I tried some "Back to Black" and I loved the results. It's some minor maintenance from time to time, but the look is original, not to shiny, not to flat and I didn't have to go through the whole masking ordeal. I guess it all depends on an individual's condition, but in my case I'm happy to keep them original. FYI, these are on my '86 911 coupe for those who don't know.

Marty, have you looked into a product called Shine Seal?