noob here, just brought home an '07 LTZ and have ?
 

Hey its good to know there are forums for stuff like this. I know it can be very helpful. I have a question for those that have the new 20 inch polished wheels. Mine look "milky" or hazy and not at all finished in appearance. Is this intentional? Is it a different kind of polish or finish? I suppose they are clear coated and should not take a polisher to them.

Thanks for any feedback

RE: noob here, just brought home an '07 LTZ and have ?
 

yeah dude they have a heavy clear coat so that they don't fall apart like the damn aluminium 16" wheel on the 2500 silverado's. heavy clear coat = better protection from oxydation

RE: noob here, just brought home an '07 LTZ and have ?
 

Have you looked at any other LTZs w/ the 20" wheels? Not sure clear coat should look that way on new wheels. I had an IROC-Z Camaro[sm=burnout.gif] (1987) and after 12 years, the clearcoat started to dull a little.

RE: noob here, just brought home an '07 LTZ and have ?
 

yeah it's just the way they're making these wheels, aftermarket wheels's won't look anything like this because there's no warranty, yet on these they need to last at least 3/36. . but yeah i don't know why they're making them the way that they are, but they are..lol.. sorry no real answer on that

RE: noob here, just brought home an '07 LTZ and have ?
 

iv never tryed them but maby one of those polishing balles on tv (flitz) or whatever there called might bring back the shine on your rims. i dont think they are agresive enuf to burn though the clear coat.

RE: noob here, just brought home an '07 LTZ and have ?
 

Looked at some new 20" wheels on showroom floor and I think that the wheels may not be polished to a "chrome like" shine before being clear coated. Maybe that's why GM rejected the last lot of wheels.

RE: noob here, just brought home an '07 LTZ and have ?
 

hopefully if they rejected some that maby they will recall some of the ones that got through?

RE: noob here, just brought home an '07 LTZ and have ?
 

I think that the "milky" appearence although not real pretty, will kind of act as camoflage and hide some of those minor fine "washing" scratches.

If it is from a hefty coating of clear that could actually a good thing for years down the road.
Worst thing for wcustom wheels is high alkali washes that do their best to clean but in doing their job work over time to make the the clear break down. A curb rash doesn't help any either allowing water, road salts and cleaners to invade the aluminum wheel underneath the clear.
It's all down hill from there.
There is the option to strip it all off, have them highly polished and cleared again or leave the clear off and have to polish them more often than not.

You would never want to use anything other than Meguires ScratchX to get those fine scratches out and only a spotlessly clean wheel first.
Use only a towell and plenty of mild soap amd water to clean, first with a thorough pre-rinse to rinse off all the fine grit before washing (and possibly grinding that grit into the wheel)