Cleaning up Aluminum

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

5 Year Member

Oct 4, 2020

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Mar 11, 2026

#1

• Mar 11, 2026

• #1

So some of you know about my " other " project.... Its a 65 corvette going on a restomod frame with a LS1/TKX...
My resto frame ( made by Corvette Correction out of Texas) uses the
C4 suspension and the rear end... Its mostly all aluminum... My suspension came off of an 85 parts car I purchased and it is really dirty and heavily corroded......
I want to clean the parts without scratching, removing parts numbers, or damaging them.. I have been looking at options and found a soft copper wire wheel on Amazon for my grinder... I tried it out today and it worked so well I wanted to pay it forward.....
Hope this helps others.....
These are rear C4 suspension parts called " dog legs " .... The clean one was just a dirty as the " before " one....

 

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limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

5 Year Member

Oct 4, 2020

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Mar 11, 2026

#2

• Mar 11, 2026

• #2

After using the copper wire wheel I sprayed some Napa Aluminum brightener on part of the clean dog leg.... Its the left side in the pic... Surprising the difference there also ....
I plan on cleaning them up with Acetone or Lacquer Thinner and painting them with some clear paint......

 

Last edited: Mar 11, 2026

Reactions: slow84lx, Mcmahst, rednotch and 5 others

nickyb

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

15 Year Member

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nevada

Mar 11, 2026

#3

• Mar 11, 2026

• #3

Good to know!

 

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Founding Member

Oct 28, 2001

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Mar 11, 2026

#4

• Mar 11, 2026

• #4

@limp - can you post the link to the wire wheel on Amazon?

 

rednotch

I'd like to remain having one chocolate starfish

Founding Member

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south jersey

Mar 12, 2026

#5

• Mar 12, 2026

• #5

Too early lol didn't read you all ready used the aluminum brghtener lol

 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Mod Dude

Aug 25, 2016

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polk county florida

Mar 12, 2026

#6

• Mar 12, 2026

• #6

That before pic looks like a wrench I found on a beach off the Gulf of (whatever they call it this week)

 

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limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

5 Year Member

Oct 4, 2020

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Mar 12, 2026

#7

• Mar 12, 2026

• #7

General karthief said:

That before pic looks like a wrench I found on a beach off the Gulf of (whatever they call it this week)

Click to expand...

I started out soaking these in my Solvent tank, using Brillo pads, and red Scotchbrite.... Brillo pads would work with ALOT of work and ALOT of brillo pads.. A very nice surprise how well this copper wire wheel worked...

 

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

5 Year Member

Oct 4, 2020

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Mar 12, 2026

#8

• Mar 12, 2026

• #8

AeroCoupe said:

@limp - can you post the link to the wire wheel on Amazon?

Click to expand...

I can't attach a link without it including my account.....
Search, 5 inch copper wire wheel on Amazon..... 10 buck.

 

Reactions: General karthief

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Founding Member

Oct 28, 2001

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Claremore, OK

Mar 12, 2026

#9

• Mar 12, 2026

• #9

That worked. Is this it?

Amazon.com: 5 Inch Copper Wire Wheel Pure Brass Brush for Bench Grinder Metal Polishing for Deburring for Adhesion Replacement Accessories XIAOYING : Industrial & Scientific

Buy 5 Inch Copper Wire Wheel Pure Brass Brush for Bench Grinder Metal Polishing for Deburring for Adhesion Replacement Accessories XIAOYING: Wheel Brushes - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

a.co

 

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

5 Year Member

Oct 4, 2020

5,498

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173

Florida

Mar 12, 2026

#10

• Mar 12, 2026

• #10

AeroCoupe said:

That worked. Is this it?

Amazon.com: 5 Inch Copper Wire Wheel Pure Brass Brush for Bench Grinder Metal Polishing for Deburring for Adhesion Replacement Accessories XIAOYING : Industrial & Scientific

Buy 5 Inch Copper Wire Wheel Pure Brass Brush for Bench Grinder Metal Polishing for Deburring for Adhesion Replacement Accessories XIAOYING: Wheel Brushes - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

a.co

Click to expand...

Thats it..

 

Blackhawkxx

Mustang Master

Mar 3, 2023

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Mar 12, 2026

#11

• Mar 12, 2026

• #11

Did you have any problems mounting it as is has a 16mm hole? One of the reviews made me look.
"Needs bushing to mount up on 1/2” shank".

 

8

86HO5.0

Active Member

Apr 18, 2023

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Raleigh, NC

Mar 13, 2026

#12

• Mar 13, 2026

• #12

Curious to see Star San would work well? It's a home brew sanitizer that cleans the .... out of everything it touches. Corroded copper looks shiny and new in no time.

 

nicholase

I lubed and pushed, until it was all the way in

May 21, 2024

644

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New York

Mar 13, 2026

#13

• Mar 13, 2026

• #13

Looks good! I've used those wheels at work to refurbish brass and bronze hardware. They work great. The only issue is those bristles fly off and get everywhere. I always wear a smock or coveralls because they get imbeded in your clothes. They also break apart into little peices of copper dust. Thats why the wheel gets smaller as you go. That brass dust is EVERYWHERE. So a mask is a really good idea.

I didn't realize how bad the dust was until we were doing it in a dark environment with a shop light (subway tunnel). I could look around and see the copper dust glittering in the air all around us against the illumination from the shop light. We all wore masks after that.

 

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KRUISR

10 Year Member

Apr 16, 2015

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Mar 13, 2026

#14

• Mar 13, 2026

• #14

The linked brush/wheel is a brass brush for cleaning copper. Just to clarify.