How to restore an old Alcoa Wheel

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of sanding and polishing an aluminum wheel, such as an Alcoa, to achieve a mirror-like finish.

Step 0 – Check for Coating

Before starting, determine if your wheels have a clear coat. If they are coated, you'll need to strip them first. Check out our [Removing Coatings Guide] (insert link) for detailed instructions.

Step 1 – Acid Wash

An acid wash helps remove salts, oxidation, grime, and surface contaminants.

1. Dilute your acid at a 10:1 ratio (10 parts water to 1 part acid).
2. Spray the acid evenly onto the wheel and let it sit for about one minute.
3. Scrub the wheel using a brush while wearing gloves and a respirator for safety.
4. Rinse thoroughly with water and allow the wheel to dry completely.

⚠️ Note: Aluminum is porous and may take time to dry fully before sanding.

Step 2 – Sanding

For this guide, we’ll start sanding at 240 grit, but if your wheel is heavily pitted, you may need to start with a coarser grit.

Sanding the Barrels and Valleys

• Using a 9000 RPM sander, sand the barrels and valleys of the wheel with 240 grit until all pitting and salt stars are removed.
• Progress to 320 grit, ensuring you remove all scratches from the previous grit before moving forward.
• Finish with 600 grit, making extra passes if needed to eliminate any remaining 320-grit scratches.

Sanding the Face

• Use an orbital palm sander to sand the face of the wheel, including the areas between the lug nut holes.
• Follow the same grit progression: 240 → 320 → 600.
• It’s also recommended to hit the innermost valley with at least 320 and 600 grit during this stage for a uniform finish.

Step 3 – Buffing & Power Polishing

Now it's time to bring out the shine using your DeWalt DWP849X polisher.

  1. Heavy Cut – Attach a Heavy Cut Wheel and use Marpol C94 at 3500 RPM.

• Start at the lug nut holes, then work through the valleys, between the holes, and finally, the face before moving to the barrels.

  2. Medium Cut – Switch to a Medium Cut Wheel with Marpol C41, following the same process.

  3. Finishing Cut – Finish with a Finishing Wheel and Marpol Volax Blue for a high-gloss shine.

Final Touch

Congratulations! You now have a shiny, refinished Alcoa.

• Remove any polishing compound that may have gotten on the tire by wiping it down with Mineral Spirits.
• Apply a water-based tire dressing to enhance the look and give it a professional finish.

Don’t forget to reach out to us for a replacement Alcoa sticker to complete the look!