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Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:07 am

Any tips for cleaning up bus hubcaps? Home remedies or off the shelf, what works best?

Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:32 am

Wash with warm soap and water, then try Zud followed by your choice of wax.

http://www.amazon.com/Zud-Multi-Purpose-Cream-Clea...words=zuds

I couldn't find the liquid locally, but the powder was at Ace Hardware (just mix it with a bit of water).

Before:

After:

Zud:

Thu Mar 12, 2015 1:20 pm

Crumpled up tin foil will get the rust off and not scratch them.
Bon Ami works well too.
White polishing compound.
Wax
S100 Corrosion Protectant

Thu Mar 12, 2015 3:36 pm

I used Wenol metal polish.

Thu Mar 12, 2015 3:39 pm

Are the factory original early bay moon hubcaps *chrome plated* or stainless steel?
Colin

Thu Mar 12, 2015 4:18 pm

I use 0000 steel wool and standard Autozone chrome polish.

Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:53 pm

Amskeptic wrote: Are the factory original early bay moon hubcaps *chrome plated* or stainless steel?
Colin
The OG ones are plated, some of the repros may be stainless. I've seen both on the later flat disc brake hub caps.

Fine steel wool and chrome polish always works for me.

Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:29 pm

Damn those are some shiny caps Bala. Thanks all

Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:37 pm

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IMhrCzroWA4

This guy is hilarious and he breaks it down pretty good. I found the video a while back when i was polishing my hubcaps. I forget what i used. But I'll post it when i get home tonight.

Fri Mar 13, 2015 10:23 am

busdaddy wrote: Amskeptic wrote: Are the factory original early bay moon hubcaps *chrome plated* or stainless steel?
Colin
The OG ones are plated, some of the repros may be stainless. I've seen both on the later flat disc brake hub caps.

Fine steel wool and chrome polish always works for me.

I have a pretty bright inner surface. I want to do a little metal work without delaminating chrome, if it is indeed plated.

I managed to *sand* 400/600/800/1000/1500 and polish a lifetime of pits and someone's clearcoat off the front emblem. Very aggressive sanding to get to the bottom of the craters. It came out completely flawless.

If I had stainless hubcaps, I would go to town on them.
Chrome? I don't think I can sand out imperfections, you'd hit the base copper nickel right away, wouldn't you?
Colin

Fri Mar 13, 2015 1:39 pm

Amskeptic wrote:
If I had stainless hubcaps, I would go to town on them.
Chrome? I don't think I can sand out imperfections, you'd hit the base copper nickel right away, wouldn't you?
Colin
That's been my experience.

Fri Mar 13, 2015 2:09 pm

I guess you'll have to try it on the back in an inconspcuous spot, VW swapped materials around on some of the shiny bits, some emblems are chromed steel and some stainless, it's plausible earlier hubcaps could be the same way too.

Tried a magnet on one?, how about the emblem?

Fri Mar 13, 2015 5:44 pm

strfish7 wrote: I used Wenol metal polish.

Yes...awesome stuff. Its what I used last time I polished any and that was a long time ago. Still available? Ray

Fri Aug 23, 2019 6:17 pm

what about these? it appears that either 2 have a different finish or 4 are really dirty. there is some pitted rust on the inside of a couple of them.

try them both with very fine steel wool and some chrome polish?
a magnet sticks to all 6.

Fri Aug 23, 2019 6:28 pm

The 4 on the right look like painted caps (never chromed, correct for a commercial and some Westfalias), the left 2 should polish OK with fine steel wool and chrome polish. From the looks of the upper inside photo the painted ones have been blasted or dipped once before since it looks like there's paint in previous pits.

Sat Aug 24, 2019 3:19 pm

busdaddy wrote: The 4 on the right look like painted caps (never chromed, correct for a commercial and some Westfalias), the left 2 should polish OK with fine steel wool and chrome polish. From the looks of the upper inside photo the painted ones have been blasted or dipped once before since it looks like there's paint in previous pits.

Thanks as always busdaddy. The 4, sand them down and repaint maybe?

Sat Aug 24, 2019 3:48 pm

Sounds good, you'll have to treat the rusted areas with Ospho or some other rust killer, Naval jelly perhaps?.

Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:36 am

busdaddy wrote: Sounds good, you'll have to treat the rusted areas with Ospho or some other rust killer, Naval jelly perhaps?.

Has anyone ever used this stuff for rust removal? Says you can put it on to clean rust and paint over it. What about using is on metal before powder coating? I want to clean up some Engine tin, and get it powder coated.

Mon Aug 26, 2019 7:49 am

Yes, that looks very similar to Ospho, Rust mort and many other Phosphoric acid based products. Ask your powder coater to confirm though.