Sorry for so many posts, but a question:

Until sometime recently, my rims were SPOTLESS. No nicks, no scratches, nothing. Well, that changed in the last couple of weeks. I washed the car today and noticed a nick in the rim. I think it happened at a car wash (my fault for doing it, but I am lazy).

But, here is the interesting part. RUST. Deep in there... RUST.

Aren't these supposed to be cast aluminum? Did I miss something and these are actually chrome plated steel? Since when does aluminum rust?





Ken

 

Although it may look like FeO2, it could be just the alloy pitting or having some oxidation. Not exactly sure on the chemistry side, but the wheels are not 100% Aluminum. They are made up of an alloy mainly of aluminum, so the other makeup is probably what you're seeing.

 

unfortuately i've got a couple nicks also
mine do the same thing every once in a while, but a little mothers mag and aluminum polish (NOT their chrome polish, this stuff is a paste in a can that i'm talking about) and it makes short work of the oxidation, which like chester said it probably is, and not rust.

then after the mag and aluminum polish, i just hit it with a coat or two of zaino and it won't come back for quite a while

hope this helps