Pittdawg said:
I'm not a fan of chrome or hi-polish for that matter. While I am a bit partial to black wheels, they sometimes appear cheap looking to me, especially when they blend in with the same color as the tires. In any event, is there a relatively simple method to "de-polish" my stock hi-polished wheels which have a nearly chrome look to them? I don't want to just end up with scratched up wheels. Thanks.
Have them sand blasted and re-painted with a satin clear coat.
I would not recommend painting a polished (near-chrome) surface. The surface would be too smooth for most paints to stick to well. Sand blasting (not bead blasting) will remove the polished look along with any clear coat that may be there. The sand blasted surface provides some tooth to which a protective satin clear coat will stick.
It's not difficult to do, but it does require you to remove the tire which requires specialized equipment. Blasting is also easy, but you need a blasting cabinet to do it. The hardest part would be getting an even coat of clear to stick. A tire shop can remove your tires (figure $25 or so per wheel) and a body shop or powder coating shop should have a blast cabinet. Many mechanics' shops have blast cabinets too. Talk with an auto paint retailer to see if they have a clear product that will stick to bare metal.
You don't need to clear coat them in satin, but maintaining raw aluminum can be a PITA. Clear coated wheels are much easier to care for and look better with minimal maintenance.
A body shop may be able to do all of the work for you. If you bring just the wheels (no tires), my WAG on price would be about $125 per wheel.
I'd expect an inconsistent result if you tried sandpaper or Scotch-brite pads. Maybe visit a junkyard and purchase a chrome wheel to practice with?