Aluminum wheels, tanks and stacks are what make a tractor look like money was spent on it, and they are the first thing brine takes away. The dull grey haze is aluminum oxide, and no amount of soap removes it. Brightening uses a stronger acid than the pre-soak in our two-step, applied piece by piece, to dissolve the oxide layer and leave the bare, bright metal underneath.
What we brighten
- Wheels and rims, inside and out, on tractors, trailers and straight trucks
- Fuel tanks and the steps and brackets around them
- Exhaust stacks and heat shields
- Headache racks, cab guards and toolboxes
- Trailer sides and roll-up doors on aluminum and extruded panels
- Tanker barrels on fuel, propane and milk trailers
How it is priced
Per piece: a price per rim, per tank, per stack, per rack, added to the unit's regular wash. That means a fleet can brighten the rims on every tractor each month without paying for a full detail, or do the whole truck before a show or a sale. There is a recurring price for pieces on a cycle, because aluminum that is brightened monthly needs a lighter pass than aluminum that has gone a year.
Polished vs. mill-finish aluminum
Brightening is for mill-finish and machined aluminum, which is what most fleet wheels and tanks are. Mirror-polished aluminum, the kind on show trucks and some tankers, is different: the acid that brightens a mill finish will etch a polished one. We ask before we start, and polished fleets go on our aluminum-safe chemistry for the whole wash. If you are not sure what you have, send us a photo.
Brightening and the regular wash
Our standard two-step wash already uses a mild acid pre-soak, which is why fleets on a regular route keep their aluminum looking reasonable without any add-on. Brightening is the step up for aluminum that has been let go, or for fleets that want the rims and tanks to actually shine. Most customers do it monthly in winter and every other month in summer.
Will brightening damage the wheels?
Not on mill-finish or machined aluminum when it is applied, dwelled and rinsed correctly, which is a crew that does it every week. The two mistakes are letting it dry on the metal and using it on polished aluminum. We do neither.
How long does the shine last?
Through a Northland winter, three to five weeks on a truck running salted highways daily. In summer, two to three months. A fleet on a regular wash route holds it longer because the pre-soak slows the oxidation between brightenings.
Can you brighten trailer sides?
Yes. Extruded aluminum trailer sides and roll-up doors respond well. It is priced per side, and the result is most visible on older trailers that have gone streaky.