Hubcap restoration

[84GMCSierra]

I have the stock hubcaps on my 84 Sierra C2500, but only one is shiny like original. The other 33 are almost milky in appearance. I have tried 0000 steel wool, soap pads but nothing works. Anything I can do to bring the original shine(anodized) back short of replacing them? I'm needing to replace a couple eventually as the PO used one as a BB gun target, and the other is dented in the center.

 

[85K304SPD]

Show us some more pictures of that truck and the other hub caps, please. Is that the good one or one of the bad ones that you are showing?

 

[fast 99]

Have been dealing with some anodized trim on a current project. To make a long story short, good luck. I was able to get the anodizing removed [that's easy] and a chrome shop polished it, that wasn't cheap. However, re-anodized it another story. Washington barely allows us to live here so going to another state. The anodizing isn't bright dip and is a little cloudy but has to work. Hope your options are better.

 

[82sbshortbed]

Maybe a metal polish like bar keepers friend?

Bar Keepers Friend No Scent Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish 15 oz Powder - Ace Hardware

Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser and Polish is the premium household powdered cleanser. With a non-bleach formula, BKF is recommended for cleaning stainless steel cookware and sinks, glass and ceramic cooktops, solid surface countertops, porcelain and acrylic bathtubs and more. It's the best among...

www.acehardware.com

 

[fast 99]

In order to polish the anodizing needs to be gone. I took my trim to a local commercial zinc plating company. They have the stripping chemicals that will not harm the aluminum, cost was minimal. Then it can be polished and if desired clear coated with spray paint. If not clear coated the aluminum will oxidize quickly.

 

[84GMCSierra]

Here's my caps in November 2019 when I bought the ruck. I have one good one, and as you can see in the before and after pics, the other 3 aren't so good. I will be eventually getting the truck painted in Strata Blue(USAF) and hope to get 3 more good caps, but thought I'd try my hand at restoring these for now.

 

[73454GMC]

Oven cleaner will strip the anodize. After its off you can polish them, repaint the details and seal the aluminum with Shine Seal or Shark Hide.

 

[Grit dog]

Oven cleaner will strip the anodize. After its off you can polish them, repaint the details and seal the aluminum with Shine Seal or Shark Hide.

That’s what I heard. It didn’t work on squarebody tailgate trim or hubcaps for me. As in not at all.
However I have a cheapo ratchet that was anodized blue. It removed that stuff.
Curious of how you got it to work on our truck parts. Still got a tailgate panel to strip.

 

[Grit dog]

@84GMCSierra
Following this.
I haven’t restored the colored portions yet. Thinking a vinyl cutter to cut new stickers for all the colored parts. I can’t paint that straight lol.

But to polish, I had a couple that were milky looking as well. I polished them all aggressively with a rotary polisher and med/heavy rubbing compound.
It shined them all up real good.
I did try to straighten a few small dings. Made a couple better and a couple not so much.