Anyone clear coated non-factory Aluminum wheels?

[onerareviper]

Viperholics,

Here's my dilema. I have a set of 18' Purner Aluminum wheels, which look/perform awesome, but are a b*tch to clean. My ideas were to 1.) switch to EBC green pads or 2.) try and clear coat the wheels for easy cleaning. Brake dust builds up very quickly, and seem to almost embed into the bare aluminum. The bare aluminum seems to dull very quickly as well, being there is no clear coat protecting the aluminum surface. It takes me and mother's polish one hour per wheel to clean to near show quality. Four hours on just wheels is even beyond my fanatical cleaning habits. And yes, I have tried different drill attachments (2' cotton wheel) with little success. Elbow grease seems to be the only way. Please help.....

Thanks in advance.

P.S. - For those of you that don't know what Purner wheels look like, they are kinda like the ACR/BBS Wheel. A lot of angles, groves, etc... to clean.

[Anthony - 98 GTS]

I would recommend doing both.

[Ron]

<FONT face="Comic Sans MS">Is the factory clear coat sprayed on like paint or powder coated?</FONT f>

[onerareviper]

BAKNBLK95RT,

Yes, the factory wheels are aluminum - but they are also clear coated. I have never seen the clear coat crack/peel on factory wheels. Has anyone else seen this happen?

P.S. - I never Zaino'ed the rims. Maybe I will try that before clear coating/EBC's.

[Ulysses]

I have heard of the clear coat cracking and peeling, but that was after a long period of time.

Things to consider. Clear coating will keep the aluminum from oxidizing.

It only costs approximately $100.00 a wheel to repair/re-clear coat.

[racewheel]

one thing to consider about clear coats (or any powdercoat for that matter) is that they melt somwhere under 400 degrees (gererally in the lower 300 range), which means all that red-hot (rotor or pad) material you will be generating at the track will just embed itself into the coating on the wheel, i've even seen it embedded into the aluminum (890+ degree melting point)

[onerareviper]

Good point John. Now if that does happen , whats the best way to remove it. I am able to get 98% of the brake dust off with Mother's polish and elbow grease, but a few black marks just don't wanna come off. They seem embedded, like you stated above. Any tips?

Thanks in advance....