Quik vote machine polish rims?

[RJ2112]

It took about 20 minutes to tape the rim and use the paint stripper. I never actually buffed it with anything, just a little mothers aluminum polish whenever the bike was washed. My bike was garaged and kept clean and it never got oxidized or looked dull.

Please forgive the ex Navy aversion to corrosion.... I spent a lot of years around aluminum fighter aircraft that were exposed to 'salt air'.... similar to what you'd see on the coast just about anywhere. I've had formal training on corrosion prevention with regard to this, and to electronics. The best way to stop corrosion is to have a barrier between the metal, and the air to stop any moisture from contacting the surface. (I also spent quite a bit of time in the early part of my career doing the hands on application of corrosion prevention techniques.....)

I'd agree that a 3/4 wide strip along the edge of the wheel is much less intense than the entire rim.... no troublesome nooks or crannies to deal with. But bare metal is bare metal. Aluminum corrodes just like steel does...... in fact it corrodes more quickly, and is more prone to degradation as a result. Look at an aluminum boat, and look closely at any rivets in the hull. Rivets are generally not the same material as the hull. Dissimilar metals, and water.... you have a battery. Electrolytic corrosion will occur. Even a weld has a line of dissimilar metal in the center of the bead.... the melted wire from the MIG is typically steel, isn't it? What was in the paint stripper, that melted off the paint? Lye? Acid? If it eats paint, it will eat metal, too.

Let's assume for a second that some microscopic fault in the lip of that rim is exposed to dirt, then traps a few drops of water..... even if it's so small you can't see it, corrosion will start. Aluminum is a brittle metal; it's all the other metals they add, to make the alloys that make it somewhat more forgiving.

Polishing the metal removes surface oxidation...... but it won't reach the stuff that has corroded below the surface. That corrosion will grow over time, and eventually become a point where a crack can start. Add in the paint stripper residue.......

True, this is probably not a concern for the first few years of ownership, especially if you live in Arizona, or other low humidity low rainfall location.

Compared to the OEM rim, which was primed, and sealed ASAP on completion of the casting process, the polished rim is certain to have faults develop faster..... especially if the maintenance you are so careful about now, is neglected.

Metal does not heal..... if fails when the total number of faults exceeds the strength required to do the job the thing is used for. Is accelerating the rate of degradation acceptable? :don'tknow:

.02