As we have traversed the country in our 102, I have been trying to find places that will polish our 24.5's for us and haven't been able to find any place specifically. We are in Atlanta and heading to Orlando at some point next week. Anyone have a recommendation?
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Good place on the way in Wildwood FL. Wildwood is the exit before the Florida turnpike. Come off I75 to the west, about one block down on the North side is a truck wash. I get my coach washed there and they acid the wheels to make it easer for the polishers. When you come in the people that do the polishing are in the back right side of the lot. See them before you get the coach washed.
Jack
Thanks Jack. I can't pressure wash the coach yet because the paint is still breathing and curing (no waxing either). So I would just have the rims etched and polished. They'll do rims that are pretty dirty too? A couple of mine have zero shine. They need some elbow grease.
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A good paint job is like a fine wine-needs to breathe!
The people that do the wheels aren't the same as the wash. They will do anything you want with the wheels. My coach always needs washing at the same time that is why i have it done that way.
Jack
Make sure to get a price before they start. Should be 80.00 to 100.00
Jack
Per wheel? And we are talking about the place called "a cut above" right?
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Once you get the aluminum polished, put a sealer on. Granted it will make the shine a little duller, but the shine will last for months. I haven't polished my rims in years, yet they still have a shine to them (granted they should be now). Good Luck, TomC
Quote from: Scott Bennett on September 20, 2016, 11:42:22 AM
Per wheel? And we are talking about the place called "a cut above" right?
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No, for all of them. They will look at your wheels and give you a price. As many times as I have been there I don't know the name. When you come off I75 they will be about 300 to 500 feet on the North side. You will see the sign for the truck wash. When you come in the drive keep going to the building in the back right side. They have a carport that they work under.
Jack
There is a farmer that does it for fun (spare cash) in southern Minnesota. If you would like his number I can dig it up. FYI, He does need them off the rig though.
However - I doubt he would do it for $80 - $100 for 4 wheels. I have my doubts on the price stated - if it turns out to be $100 let us know. For that price it would be worth shipping wheels to the company.
SolarDude
'A Cut Above' is beside the Pilot truck stop which is beside the 75 Chrome shop! Min had not been done in years, the first time it was $120.00 to sand 4 wheels on the rear and polish all six outside. Each time after that is $80.00 to polish the six tires! (truck)
Tell Feather Duster I said hello!
Solar dude, I'm
Headed there first thing AM. Stopped at a rest area about an hour away tonight. They charge about $25 a wheel. So yes the price stated is correct or close to correct. There's no way I'm dismounting 6 wheels to have someone polish them...even if it were free. No way. I'm more than happy to pay someone $150 or less to polish them while I eat my lunch inside my air conditioned coach. :)
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Here's the before shots: (https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20160925%2F5aeb8702334a4e34d294468738ecee0c.jpg&hash=8e919b18c67401a93f996b480b09165442eaff5d)(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20160925%2F9c5332695c17b0c39ee45e7f7ef37e0f.jpg&hash=d1df8a4e5b93c62189b60d62dbd9372c0ec68593)(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20160925%2F270d52a102eaeaeebb17ca2b6e6032e5.jpg&hash=4b78023b802c46c57a65e77462eab103b2b8dc55)(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20160925%2F9078aa298b71380f5f3f2ee39bfd0e46.jpg&hash=949293f2398a279174e9b1931f44cb62878f8d7b)(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20160925%2Fec500d0f8f3b6437f2d203944aafee39.jpg&hash=3b02911e348a06ec7214fce587cea39f00a72e05)
She'll be working on it for about three hours. I'll post after shots later
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After shots:
I said hi to feather duster too jack :)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20160926%2F06a9c6465c4098baa215a21053fd7beb.jpg&hash=95c4112e36119dd1a4a5e297ef117e54ec1b4127)(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20160926%2Fa8c9c0cb38a1bcd4eb40249625a8cae0.jpg&hash=dc07b5363064a2cfc797981aa9bc99589e6dbb01)(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20160926%2F75df886e9a137f679514fa89cbac0df9.jpg&hash=7799cb41b690973103667d1b14987abb6d03c356)(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20160926%2F9f14f560d63fa038b75e547f6fd5fbeb.jpg&hash=a1af1dd71fcb7c6667975947e4bf18eb62545ecb)
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Now it'll really piss ya off when that oils leaks outta them hubseals.
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That's why I put the caps on you know? I even siliconed them to keep the oil inside the chrome part :) just kidding lol. It appears that the club members were correct once again and the hub has found its happy place an ceased leaking just like my blower fan Dropbox which also found its happy place and isn't misting my engine with 40 weight anymore.
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Looking good Scott I have a set of these covers but don't know yet if I will use them or not www.tkane.com (http://www.tkane.com)
On one hand I'm impressed that the wheels look awesome! Who doesn't like shiny things.
On the other hand, I can't believe there are still skilled people that work for such low wages.
Such is life I guess.
The bus is really looking compete now.
Safe travels Scott.
Solardude.
Quote from: solardude on September 27, 2016, 07:47:27 AM
On one hand I'm impressed that the wheels look awesome! Who doesn't like shiny things.
On the other hand, I can't believe there are still skilled people that work for such low wages.
Such is life I guess.
The bus is really looking compete now.
Safe travels Scott.
Solardude.
Solardude,
Go near ANY major truck commerce area where there are several truckstops together especially in the south/southwest and you will find wheel polishers all competing for work usually on the CB advertising and either having the drivers meet them at a vacant lot near the truckstops, in the truckstop itself (frowned on by the truckstops), or in a few cases some actually establish a shop and permanent location.
Most of them polish by "hand" and don't use the power buffers like the shop Scott used.
And they do it "cheap" so as to "beat out" the competition and get more jobs. Of course these guys/gals are doing it strictly on a cash basis and some do very quality work and are always in a certain area, while others are quite "flighty" and do so-so work and are usually here today gone tomorrow types.
Now the ones who are serious about it and are in it for the long haul set up shop and use power equipment do the job right and build up a solid reputation like the shop Scott used.
But even the on es who do it right like the "Cut Above" or" Jimmy the Real Deal" in Eloy, AZ keep their prices down reasonably low for 2 reasons 1) to get the jobs (competition)
2) to attract and maintain regular customers. (most of their customers are truck drivers that don't actually own the truck they drive but like to maintain a good looking truck for image!)
So there ya have it wheel polishing for cheap!
If you figure the time spent on each wheel and the charge they do alright on a hourly based wage
I hate to say it, but now the wheels are shinier than the paint job. ;D
most of their customers are truck drivers that don't actually own the truck they drive but like to maintain a good looking truck for image!)
BK, I have been a hired driver both of buses and long haul OTR trucks, and I have never spent a dime on company vehicles to improve appearance. I can see why some truck drivers would do it though, but the wages are so low to start with, why anybody in their right mind would fork out money on company equipment?
When I was driving bus, I and most other driver's would clean the bus inside and do windows every night, and at lunch time, while on the road with a tour group. The incentive of course was tips. It's like holding the old ladies hand out the stairs, and that kind of thing. But to have the wheels shined up at my expense... No.
JC
Scott- I just noticed your tag is in front of your drive, we have what I thought was the same bus however my tag is behind the drive axel. Strange. I wonder why MCI would change that.
Sorry for the topic drift.
Solardude.
Quote from: solardude on September 27, 2016, 04:06:30 PM
Scott- I just noticed your tag is in front of your drive, we have what I thought was the same bus however my tag is behind the drive axel. Strange. I wonder why MCI would change that.
Sorry for the topic drift.
Solardude.
Solar take your sunglasses off! His tag is in the normal place.
BTW when it is in front of the drive it is called a "bogie" (jest saying)
Quote from: lostagain on September 27, 2016, 11:50:48 AM
BK, I have been a hired driver both of buses and long haul OTR trucks, and I have never spent a dime on company vehicles to improve appearance. I can see why some truck drivers would do it though, but the wages are so low to start with, why anybody in their right mind would fork out money on company equipment?
When I was driving bus, I and most other driver's would clean the bus inside and do windows every night, and at lunch time, while on the road with a tour group. The incentive of course was tips. It's like holding the old ladies hand out the stairs, and that kind of thing. But to have the wheels shined up at my expense... No.
JC
JC yes I understand what your saying but I am not saying MOST hired drivers do it, I'm saying that most of the ones who DO do it are those " drivers that think they have a special image to maintain"
And I always kept mine shined and the truck spotlessly clean as an owner operator because it drew less scrutiny from DOT. (and I like having a shiny truck! My daddy used to tell people my favorite color was CHROME, and he was right)
Dad also used to give me a hard time about the big custom bumpers, STACKS, visors, chicken lights and other things I did to my trucks to make them "pretty" (as he called it), and used to tell me "Son that chrome won't get ya home!"
To which I always replied "No but I'll look good when I'm broke down on the side of the road!" LOL
;D BK ;D
LOL, I specialize in truck exhaust and I had Ts made up with a well endowed Pam Anderson "set" outline set on the front with the by line "Get Stacked".
LOL It just soaked in all the time my low boy kept my Pete and a low boy all shiny and clean I was paying for it as he was paid by the hour :D
My bad, after looking again with my glasses.. I see it is difficult to tell orientation of the bus.
When I was driving tractor trailer for Swift, we (the drivers), were expected to keep our truck clean. But we only got paid by the mile. The only part of my truck I kept clean was the interior, because I lived in it. I feel the appearance and image of company vehicles is up to the company. I would wash and polish their truck is they paid me for my time doing it.
Now I care about my bus being clean and shiny. And I don't get paid for buffing it...
JC
Scott, when you buy one let me know. I'll be right over.
https://youtu.be/Yu8BmK9vUfw (https://youtu.be/Yu8BmK9vUfw)
In case you miss the Wildwood sign, it is State Hwy 44.
We live just to the west in Inverness.
Update, our rims needed some love...so we paid $320 to these peeps to sand and polish them. They also polished all the stainless hardware/door latches as well as the frame around my generator bay. Next year they said it would be much cheaper since the hard work restoring the finish is now done. I'll keep up with it using mothers. The wheels really need a professional refinisher to work on them off the coach to make them look like new again, but honestly from 4 feet away, they look amazing. And the new center caps are...quite shiny :)
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Scott,I found some stuff at a truck stop that has really worked well for me.I am going to the bus in a little bit and will get the name of it for you,
When I was driving my truck, it had 4 fuel tanks (2-150gal Diesel fuel tanks, 1-75gal gasoline tank, 1-75gal water tank), 6 aluminum wheels with park ranger hats, 2 buddy boxes (one was the generator). Needless to say, was a weekend job to polish everything. Paying someone to do it was well worth it.
I had one friend that polished his fuel tanks so much, he had to replace them because they got too thin. I doubt you have to worry about that with aluminum wheels though-since they are so thick. Good Luck, TomC
Not a bad price being as they had to start with sanding. That is why I told you to get a price before they start. I treat myself to a wheel polish once a year, that way it doesn't cost as much. I always use the shop across the street because I get the coach washed at the same time, but your people did a good job. Shine always makes the coach look better.
Jack
Scott ; The name of the Polish I am using is Zephyr Wheel and Metal polish .I buy it at a TA truck stop near where I live. I made a royal mess out of my wheels by using a wheel cleaner containing acid before they had gotten completely cooled down and it worked like a charm.It won't remove every imperfection but it will sure make em shine!!