Cleaning old alloy wheels prior to painting

[Grrrmachine]

I've got to refurb some old OZ rims (Alpina copies, basically). Because there's six of them, it'll cost a lot to have them sandblasted, so I'm looking for a cheaper way of scrubbing off the old brake dust and shite that's on them, before they get fillered, primed and re-painted.

For example, is there anything I can soak them in for a day that'll clean them without attacking the metal?

[kitch]

Thinners would do it I'd say. Just don't leave them for too long.

[Grrrmachine]

Yeah, then it's a matter of getting a builder's bucket (ABS plastic, I think) and finding a thinner that won't melt it An old oil drum would be great, but you don't see them lying around like you used to.

I'm only planning on cleaning the face of the wheel, not the whole rear dish, so the wheel should only be submerged about two inches.

[Kos]

wet n dry

[Grrrmachine]

That's a lot of wrist work Kos. I'm not that much of a w-anchor