HF acid on aluminum wheels

[jakeman]

Does anyone know if using hf acid on aluminum wheels will damage them. I wash a bunch of dump trucks for one company and they recently asked me if I could polish the wheels on their trucks and transfers. They are not polished aluminum. I have already done a couple using hf and then hand polishing. I just want to make sure that putting hf acid on them every couple months won't damage them. Any input or advice would be appreciated. Thank You

[MMI Enterprises]

Is used to clean aluminum and to prepare metals for coatings so with proper use and dilution it should be fine. Does a good job but dangerous as all get out... I don't touch the stuff myself.
Current Eagle One type mag cleaners don't seem to be what they used to. Used to be able to just spray them on the brushed aluminum and everything came off with no scrubb at all.
Thinking such manufactures are trying to get away from acids in general and really toned the use of even the phosphoric acids down. Hell.. can't even get decent one shot bowl cleaners no more.

[Russ Johnson]

HF acid is the best stuff for cleaning unpolished aluminum, you just need to be careful and handle it like the professional you are. Many will shy away because "it's soooo dangerous". The dilutions you find in ready to use compounds (5 - 10%) may cause burning, aches, loss of fingernails, etc., but is nowhere near the 70% concentrate that killed a manufacturer many years ago. Just don't get it on you, that's all. You wouldn't stick your hands in high caustic materials and the like, so precautions can be taken with HF. HF will, however, give mirror polished aluminum a satin finish. To clean already polished aluminum, a citric acid or citric / phosphoric blend is your best bet. I sell a ton of HF / sulfuric blend here locally, and have had only one complaint in 10 years, that from a man who was pouring it into a sponge while holding said sponge in an ungloved hand...just can't fix stupid...

As far as damage to the wheel...no. HF etches a microscopic layer off the wheel, taking the tarnish, brake dust, etc. with it. You'd probably do more damage to aluminum with a caustic than acid.

[MMI Enterprises]

Is good to mention stupid when the world full of them..haha. Some us luv to get things bulk and in strength and then dilute. Some just simply don't know their limits. Buying a ready made product is the way to go with HF. Any discussion of HF needs the word danger to be involved. It isn't same as caustic burns. The stuff attacks yer bone marrow and goes on to kill without same warning one might see with other chems. Least that the gossip I heard anyways..I'll parrot it all day long till I accept different. The stuff in strength belongs in hands that can handle proper safety oversite of it without fail.

[jakeman]

Thanks for the input. I won't worry now about damaging the wheels and I am always VERY CAREFUL with the HF acid.

[Biodude]

Although I hear it mixes well with Tequila, I wouldn't drink it....

[Christopher]

Anyone using HF Acid or that wants to should do a search as there have been good discussions about the dangers of HF Acid.

It actually goes after the Calcium in your bones and yes, muscles.

In concentrated form, the gas can enter through your skin so you don't even need to get the liquid on you for you to start dying from the inside out.