Bruce2009KR Posted February 8, 2017 Report Share Posted February 8, 2017 (edited) I need some help with regard to my stock '09 Alcoa rims. I made a big mistake and sprayed them with Mother's wheel Cleaner without CLOSELY reading that it was NOT to be used with polished Aluminum wheels. Consequently, on the left rear--where it sat the longest, it wore away the clear coat and looked terrible after rinsing off. I was heartbroken. My local Performance shop agreed to help me restore this one wheel in particular. In speaking with the company that built the wheels for Shelby, we learned that the black lettering (GT500KR, Alcoa, etc) came about as the wheel originally started with a black anodizing and then all else was polished to silver. Does this make sense ? I really don't want to lose the black lettering and was told that a traditional wheel restoration would be a dip process to remove all old clear coat but that would also remove the black in the lettering and I certainly did not want that! More importantly, do these wheels even need a clear coat?? In order to accommodate my request to keep the dark black lettering intact, my shop had to carefully buff off the clear coat on the damaged wheel to get it to look nice again. So now it's just polished aluminum with no clear coat. How important is the clear coat? I understand that in a chromed wheel it's very important because rust can occur but not so important on polished aluminum. The shop has offered to apply clear coat but stressed it needs a 60-90 day curing with no soap hitting it whatsoever. I'm tempted to take it back without clear coat as they look very nice right now. Your thoughts and suggestions are welcomed!! Edited February 8, 2017 by Bruce2009KR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shel-b001 Posted February 8, 2017 Report Share Posted February 8, 2017 I need some help with regard to my stock '09 Alcoa rims. I made a big mistake and sprayed them with Mother's shell Cleaner without CLOSELY reading that it was NOT to be used with polished Aluminum wheels. Consequently, on the left rear--where it sat the longest, it wore away the clear coat and looked terrible after rinsing off. I was heartbroken. My local Performance shop agreed to help me restore this one wheel in particular. In speaking with the company that built the wheels for Shelby, we learned that the black lettering (GT500KR, Alcoa, etc) came about as the wheel originally started with a black anodizing and then all else was polished to silver. Does this make sense ? More importantly, do these wheels even need a clear coat?? My shop had to carefully buff off the clear coat on the damaged wheel to get it to look nice again. So now it's just polished aluminum with no clear coat. How important is the clear coat? I understand that in a chromed wheel it's very important because rust can occur but not so important on polished aluminum. The shop has offered to apply clear coat but stressed it needs a 60-90 day curing with no soap hitting it whatsoever. I'm tempted to take it back without clear coat as they look very nice right now. Your thoughts and suggestions are welcomed!! I would think with no clear coat surface will oxidize & go dull again . I would check with a professional wheel repair shop they will fix it like new again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Saleen215 Posted February 8, 2017 Report Share Posted February 8, 2017 Not sure if this is still good info, but might be worth checking out: wheel repair in the Austin, TX area call Mark at 512-426-7611 austin@awrswheelrepair.com Source from a forum specifically to fix Alcoa's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08KR525 Posted February 8, 2017 Report Share Posted February 8, 2017 Bruce, I own two '08 KRs that I purchased new and I also have a few sets of the 20" Alcoas. The reason I'm telling you this is that not one of those wheels have the engraved lettering anodized in black. When the cars are driven brake dust settles in those areas and I'll have to use a Q Tip to clean those areas. One set of "20 Shelby Forged lettered Alcoas I purchased had curb rash on every wheel. The wheel repair place I used removed the Durabrite finish and simply polished them. The aluminum used in these wheels is of a very high quality. They have held up extremely well with just washing with soap and water or spray detailing, after they've cooled. If they get a blemish, then I can simply use a high quality aluminum polish to restore them. Personally I think the polished wheels look better than the Durabrite finish as the Durabrite just looks hazy imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark17357 Posted February 8, 2017 Report Share Posted February 8, 2017 Personally I think the polished wheels look better than the Durabrite finish as the Durabrite just looks hazy imo. I have been trying to describe how my KR wheels look and you nailed it with the word "hazy." I have never understood why they look that way after all the hoopla about Durabrite. Did I understand you correctly that you had your wheel shop strip the Durabrite and then polish the wheels? Thanks in advance. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce2009KR Posted February 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2017 Now this is getting VERY interesting!! 08KR525's comment on they were NEVER black letters when New opens a whole new can of worms! And I saw an old pic of another TS member's KR wheel and they too have no black!! So my Wheel expert may be way off base with the story of black anodizing first!! (And admittedly, that sounds like an awful lot of work per wheel!!). I'll get the car back here shortly and I guess it's time to get out the toothbrush and Q-Tips and see if they clean up! Now though, three of the wheels have been polished (Durabrite off I presume) and mentioned earlier, they look great. Left front still has durabrite so perhaps I'll do a little test and compare both for a while before making them all the same--by polishing off that Durabrite as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imatk Posted February 8, 2017 Report Share Posted February 8, 2017 From what I can tell the "durabrite" finish is basically a type of clear coat. Just have them re-clear it and you'll be fine. Mine didn't have black letters either. But yes they do GET black from brake dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce2009KR Posted February 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2017 Here's an update!! Thanks to 08KR528's post saying the black was only dirt I got out the old toothbrush and some mild soap and Voila!! Dirt gone and they're silver now! I can't believe it--and my car shop was misinformed (I told him to tell his Wheel expert guy he's full of it!) So, once again I learn something new about my Shelby! Thanks all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustangmani540 Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 Hope this helps. No black. Rod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08KR525 Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 The wheel repair businesd that I worked with was very informative about the Durabrite finish. They claim it is anodizing and not a clear coat paint or powder coat. When they tried to strip the Durabrite paint stripper didn't have any effect on it. The shop ended up hand sanding it off followed by polishing. It was very time consuming and it's a good thing I got a quote for the repair first! They could replace the Durabrite like anodizing but I liked the polished finish do well that I just left them bare. The shop also recommended this as they said any imperfections incurred from just driving the car could be corrected by polishing which can't be done if they were recoated. The wheels have been done for quite some time now and they still look fantastic. HTH, Duane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orange2 Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 I have been buffing and polishing aluminum parts on cars and motorcycles for years. Polished aluminum is deep and rich. A quick application of Adams Detail Spray with a micro fiber rag once in a while and you can forget about the clear coat BS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAI-Steven Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 Your thoughts and suggestions are welcomed!! Bruce, As you've already read the embossed names on the wheel are not black anodizing so you no longer have to worry about that. The Alcoa Dura-Bright finish is a proprietary finish that was originally designed for 18 wheeler big rigs but is easily be damaged with wheel cleaner as you found out. What I would suggest is to give Alcoa a phone call and see if they have any solutions to your dilemma as there's no doubt that some truck wash place hasn't made the same mistake and used a wheel cleaner on a big rig Alcoa wheel. They may not have a tip that completely restores the wheel but perhaps they have a tip that gets the wheel finish back to being presentable. The problem with having a wheel shop refinish the wheel is that they need to refinish all four wheels so that they match each other. Dura-Bright wheels have a duller look to them compared to a polished aluminum wheel that has been clearcoated. If you just polish & clearcoat one wheel it will always stand out from the other wheels. Steve Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce2009KR Posted February 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 Bruce, As you've already read the embossed names on the wheel are not black anodizing so you no longer have to worry about that. The Alcoa Dura-Bright finish is a proprietary finish that was originally designed for 18 wheeler big rigs but can easily be damaged with wheel cleaner as you found out. What I would suggest is to give Alcoa a phone call and see if they have any solutions to your dilemma as there's no doubt that some truck wash place hasn't made the same mistake and used a wheel cleaner on a big rig Alcoa wheel. They may not have a tip that completely restores the wheel but perhaps they have a tip that gets the wheel finish back to being presentable. The problem with having a wheel shop refinish the wheel is that they need to refinish all four wheels so that they match each other. Dura-Bright wheels have a duller look to them compared to a polished aluminum wheel that has been clearcoated. If you just polish & clearcoat one wheel it will always stand out from the other wheels. Steve Steve Thank you Steve, I appreciate your input. What I'm gathering however is that it's OK to leave them now in an un-durabrite condition and in fact, they're really beautiful! As for the one remaining Durabrite wheel, my shop guy said he'd be glad to take care of that one so they'll all match and even said I could watch and he'd show me what he uses. Right now the difference in appearance is barely noticeable but I will want them all the same of course. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbypt Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 These wheels were never anodized. They came with a durabrite finish that allowed for no polishing and easy clean up with water and a light detail cleaner. Break dust and dirt will settle into the crevices and lettering. Also, the dura brite finish never looks fully polished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08KR525 Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 The wheel repair business that I've worked with on a few of these Alcoas has been in business for over thirty years. They believe that Alcoa's Dura-Brite process is a type of anodizing, which they claimed they could replicate if I wished that's all I'm saying. Alcoa states that the Dura-Brite process is "a surface treatment." That could mean just about anything. I do know that aircraft stripper has no effect on the coating and that the place I used to restore my wheels had to sand and polish the coating off. Unless Alcoa has recently changed their policy, I also know that they will not recoat these wheels. They are a wheel manufacturer and not in the business of wheel refinishing or repair. I along with others on TS had been in contact with Alcoa about this very thing. I only posted in this thread because I've read too many times where a fellow TS member is stressing because he thinks he'sruined his Alcoas. I can only relate my experiences and what I've learned through owning several sets of these wheels. Best regards, Duane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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