The barrel of one of the wheels on my 06 XJ is severely contaminated, maybe even beyond repair. I'm not sure what happened to this one rim. The first 5 years of the car's life I'm sure they were neglected, there was already pitting in between the spokes on the face when I got the car. But this one wheel I can't even get presentable. I've tried scrubbing with increasingly harsh cleaners--started with dish soap and water, didn't touch it. Tried Chemical Guys Wheel Cleaner, nothing. 4 applications of IronX got them looking like this:





I'm not sure if anything else is worth trying or if I just need to get them refinished. The surface feels like sandpaper, I'm not sure if the paint was etched completely away, or if there's still silver left underneath. The other 3 rims had a normal amount of dirt and tar and responded nicely to the IronX.

Any suggestions? Should I try something like Adam's Polishes deep wheel cleaner?

Thanks,
-Michael

 

I would refinish them if you want good looking wheels. You could try a rust remover on them containing phosphoric acid.

 

The wheels can certainly be saved but they may need professional stripping and refinishing.

Compare the before and after on my XJ8 wheel:





That was a single application of SONAX wheel cleaner. A second application would have removed the remainder of the accumulated black brake dust and road dirt.



SONAX is one of several pH neutral products which are less harsh than older phosphoric acid based wheel cleaners. Spray on, leave to soak until the product changes colour and then hose off.

If the clearcoat is undamaged on your wheels, they should clean effectively. If you have used abrasives and worn through the clearcoat, the wheels will really need professional refurbishment.

Graham