What's Going On???

[Keola P]

While wiping down the trac, I've been noticing some peculiar scratches on my rims.



Front driver's side rim:



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Front passenger side rim:



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There's similar markings on the rear wheels, though not as prominent as the front.



I'm confused :wacko:



These wheels were purchased brand new from tire rack and I've taken extra special care with them as I wipe/polish them down with non abrasive materials only and I park VERY carefully when parking next to a curb. These rims would be in mint condition if not for the mysterious scratches.



Is there a logical explanation for these mysterious marks (road debris, etc.) or am I just being punked!!! If I am being punked, any recommendations on a firearm that could inflict some serious damage?!! :angry:

 

[Roxane Evans]

They look like some kind of claw marks...especially in the first and second pictures.

 

[Wes Davis]

Although you are being careful it would be almost impossible to wipe down a rim without picking up some sort of abrasive dirt in your cloth or whatever it is your using.

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Yep, looks like when you wiped them down there was some residue on the wheel or rag/ cloth that you must not have seen. Happens to the best of us. Are the rims chrome or polished aluminum? Try using the Mothers powerball mini with the Mothers wheel polish, I know it helped with the rims on my show truck. O[Broken External Image]:

 

[Shaun Tucker]

Its weird how the marks look almost identical...? :huh:

 

[Bill Barber]

Chupacabras

 

[Tom Schindler]

Looks like some animal is either taking a leak on your tire or has fallen in love with the image of itself in the reflection of your wheel.



It happens.





Tom

 

[ray moyer]

i second the animal



i would find it hard to believe that a rock or something like that would get caught and spin randomly through the lip and scratch the same spot over and over as it went around...



def a small animal of some sort... or a bad neighbor

 

[Gary DiPietroSr]

Looks like someone keyed you.

 

[Clay Campbell]

Shaun the marks you are seeing are the same marks. So they are identical. The pics are only of two of the wheels. I second what Caymen said because of the similiar location on both wheels and the height from the ground suggest something like a raccoon scratching at his on reflection. Guess your wheels are just toooo shiny

 

[Shaun Tucker]

Yea my first thought was a cat or something because they always climb on vehicles.

 

[tom buczkowski]

A Racoon will do that when they see their own reflection thinking it's another coon!

 

[Alan Peters]

Its an animal. Small fine scratches are consistent of dirt on the cloth.

 

[Bill Barber]

Chupacabra for sure.

If they are clear coated, try rubbing them out, than wax them.

 

[Gary DiPietroSr]

If you can rub your own fingernail over the scratch and feel it, I find it hard to believe that fingernail like material such as claws, will scratch chrome like that. jmo Unless you see it happen, I guess you'll never know.

 

[EddieS'04]

I have some scratches at the same angle, on 2 of my wheels. Not sure what did it.

 

[Keola P]

Great suggestions Guys...



First off I refuse to believe that I put those marks there myself. The scratches are pretty substantial and I'm sure I would feel myself scratching the rim. That's polished stainless steel, so it's pretty tough. The markings aren't consistent with the way I wipe the rim down as well...



If there's an animal that can scratch and put markings like that on stainless steel, then I should be pretty concerned. No coons here in HI, the only animals I have seen in my neighborhood are cats and dogs being walked by their owners...



I have a strong feeling that they were put there by another person, but I'm not sure why they would go for that spot on rim and not the trac's body. Weird :wacko:

 

[Ray McIntireJr]

If it was another person, possibly they have seen you polishing on your rims and know that doing this would be an easy way to "get you" for some reason.





P.S. Hawaii has a racoon population?

 

[Boodrodon Dykes]

im with Bill on the chupacabra. The question now is how it got to Hawaii. :wacko:

 

[Gary DiPietroSr]

No coons here in HI

P.S. Hawaii has a racoon population?

They do have the mongoose there.



P.S.



Hawaiian, since they are polished, maybe they could be re-polished.