A set of wheels can make or break a car. We have all seen a car at a show that has a good paintjob but an ugly set of wheels and thought, "That's a nice ride, but the wheels kill it." While a nice set of billet wheels looks pretty good on just about everything, they are pretty expensive and might be outside the budget. Since new wheel designs are being released daily, that puts a lot out in the used market. Swap meets are usually chock-full of used wheels that have seen better days, but don't overlook them as an option. Grabbing a set of used wheels and taking them to a professional polishing place is an option, but that puts the cost back up. To keep the dollars in your pocket, there is a way to do it at home and all you will need is a drill and some stuff from Mothers Polish. Mothers has a complete line of power products and accompanying polishes that with a little elbow grease will put the luster back into those billet rollers. For those that already have a set of billet wheels, you know keeping them shiny is a crummy job. We wonder how many hours have been spent sitting on the ground rubbing away trying to bring back that shine? A lot, we're sure. This story will map out how to use the Power Ball line to get close to professional results at home. The Power Ball is a foam-polishing tool that attaches to any standard-size hand drill that has a slow speed setting. It is made from proprietary open-cell foam designed to be extremely durable yet gentle on the wheel. One very nice feature to this tool is when you're finished using it, just give it a quick wash and it's ready to use again. 1a Here are the 18-inch Colorado Customs Paradox billet wheels we will be restoring...1a Here are the 18-inch Colorado Customs Paradox billet wheels we will be restoring... 1b ...These were on a daily-driven vehicle and didn’t receive the care they deserved.1b ...These were on a daily-driven vehicle and didn’t receive the care they deserved. 2 The brake dust buildup is so heavy it won’t come off with normal soap and water. A gray Scotch-Brite hand pad was needed to remove the brake dust. The gray pad is the equivalent to 1,000-grit sandpaper so it will scratch the surface, but not so much that we can’t get them out.2 The brake dust buildup is so heavy it won’t come off with normal soap and water. A gray 3 The Power Ball Mini MD is a new item from Mothers and is specifically made to be more aggressive to remove scratches. The Mini MD kit comes with a piece of 1,000- and 2,000-grit wet or dry sandpaper. Here we are using it to smooth out a small blemish on the surface, 1,000 first followed by the 2,000. Make sure to sand in a back-and-forth motion on one plane, not in circles.3 The Power Ball Mini MD is a new item from Mothers and is specifically made to be more a 4 All of the Power Balls are designed for use with a drill at 1,400 rpm. Before applying polish to any of the Power Balls, it’s a good idea to give it a light spritz of Showtime to lightly moisten the foam. Starting out slow to prevent slinging polish everywhere, spread the polish around increasing speed up to 1,400 rpm.4 All of the Power Balls are designed for use with a drill at 1,400 rpm. Before applying 5 Here is the surface after the Scotch-Brite treatment—clean but more of a brushed finish.5 Here is the surface after the Scotch-Brite treatment—clean but more of a brushed finish 6 After putting on a little Power Metal Scratch Removing Polish on the ball, we worked the area applying light pressure on the ball. The Power Balls are not a cotton buffing wheel so they are used differently. It’s made to work at a low speed and light pressure much like how you would polish it by hand. The Scratch Removing Polish is a more aggressive formula to work with the more aggressive ball.6 After putting on a little Power Metal Scratch Removing Polish on the ball, we worked th 7 After a minute or two of working the area and wiping it clean with a microfiber towel the shine is already back. Even though it looks pretty good, the other Power Balls and polishes will bring out more shine.7 After a minute or two of working the area and wiping it clean with a microfiber towel t 8a The Power Cone with a little Power Metal liquid polish will get out anything the Mini MD left behind...8a The Power Cone with a little Power Metal liquid polish will get out anything the Mini 8b ...The cone was designed for these large flat areas and does a nice job. You could also use the regular Power Ball for these areas but you will need to work it a bit more as the polishing surface or contact patch is smaller.8b ...The cone was designed for these large flat areas and does a nice job. You could als 9 Now that’s what we’re talking about. The surface is nice and shiny. These wheels, like most, don’t get fully polished in the back even when they are new so it may not come out as nice as the face that was smoothed out from the original manufacturer.9 Now that’s what we’re talking about. The surface is nice and shiny. These wheels, like 10 The original Power Ball works great on the face of the rim and just about all the areas. We are using it here with the Billet Polish as it worked a bit better than the liquid, but it also costs a bit more so it’s up to you to decide what is best for you.10 The original Power Ball works great on the face of the rim and just about all the area 11 Even though you can add more pressure to the ball to get into tight corners like this, you won’t get the best results.11 Even though you can add more pressure to the ball to get into tight corners like this, 12 That’s why Mothers offers a Mini, as it will fit nicely into the tight corners without applying too much pressure.12 That’s why Mothers offers a Mini, as it will fit nicely into the tight corners without 13 After working the entire surface with the full lineup of balls and polishes and wiping it clean with a microfiber, it’s a good idea to protect the surface. You can use the spray wax or the Pure Carnauba wax. We chose to go with the Pure Carnauba to slow down oxidation and put a thin layer between the aluminum and the brake dust.13 After working the entire surface with the full lineup of balls and polishes and wiping 14a Here are the results of the Mothers Power Ball line and polish supported by a little elbow grease...14a Here are the results of the Mothers Power Ball line and polish supported by a little 14b ...The rims are now worth strapping to the car, and our arms are not smoked from hours of rubbing. We know you can send out a set of wheels to a pro to get polished, but why spend the money when you can buy the tools yourself and do it at home for a fraction of the cost?14b ...The rims are now worth strapping to the car, and our arms are not smoked from hour SOURCES Mothers 5456 Industrial Drive Huntington Beach CA 92649 714-891-3364 www.mothers.com By Calin Head Enjoyed this Post? 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