I dont wanna sandblast my cast wheels

Is there a way to remove oxidation? They're mag wheels on my '78 kz1000 and I don't care about the paint, just to get rid of the oxidation which covers both wheels.

How to remove the oxidation WITHOUT sand- or media-blasting them? Ideally I want to use a handheld wire brush, or a scotchbrite pad, or steel wool, or something, and some aluminum de-oxidizer gel if such a gel like that exists.

I just don't want to put the bike up on a stand, remove the wheels, remove the tires and tubes, locate a resonably-priced sandblaster, drive the wheels to the sandblaster-master and have to pay him for the work, wait for them to be done, pick them up, drive them back home, put the tires and tubes back on, reinstall the wheels. NOPE.

Hell I hated having to type all those steps above there, forget actually DOING them. Sounds like about a week of pure rabid hell if ya ask me, anticipation and feeling sorry for myself at not being self reliant to do it myself. :dry: Damn wheels.

I'm talking I want to clean my wheels TOMORROW.
Is my handheld brush + aluminum de-oxidizer gel
idea just a dream or can I get lucky (and quick) here?

After cleaning, what will you do to prevent more oxidization? Also, is it just the metal or paint that is having issues?

After cleaning, probably a light wax. And the paint that was there had been ett by the oxidization, worthless now.

I just want to remove the oxidation so I can ride it without feeling like I need to speed hurriedly past folks so's they can't seen what a filthy type of person I apparently am, "Look at that tard, riding around a nice vintage bike with shameful wheels."

It would be like the days in elementary school I had to wear hand-me-downs from my older brother that were a couple years out of fashion, kids are real acutely aware of that stuff. Ashamed.:blush:

Do you have an air compressor? There's a fairly recent topic which shows how to turn one into a soda blaster. I wouldn't sand blast them - seems kinda harsh.

You could wet sand them. Or use a fine brass wire wheel. Or use a Dremel - the kits come w a variety of abrasive bits for getting the tight corners. After you're done w all that & assuming a repaint will be done: polish the perimeter then mask it; for the raised areas that you don't want painted, apply wheel bearing grease by putting a little grease on your finger then lightly patting the raised areas. Then spray. After it dries, remove the tape & wipe off the raised areas. If you use hi-temp paint, you can cure it in the oven afterwards.

Edit: wheels removed. Remove bearings before baking, then install new bearings.

A Brass wheel on a dremel may do it as well. I used paint remover and brass brushes on mine. My wheels were off the bike though.

This KZR topic has a link in it w pics to a good cast alloy wheel restoration writeup by Salvy.

Internet Repair Manual Depository - see reply #259168 for the link

I think Mother's brand of polish has a both a round ball and a cone shaped polishing wheel that should work for your problem. www.mothers.com/02_products/05146.html