Keeping your wheels easy to clean

[2Shiny]

I posted this on MSProtege, but I thought I'd post it here as well. When I bought my ASA JS1 alloys in August, I made sure to clean them and then apply a sealant to them before installing them. I had tried to clean filthy wheels before, and I knew better this time. The sealant keeps them slick, and the dirt and brake dust will have a difficult time sticking to the sealant. Wheels are extremely easy to wash this way. Below I have pics of when I removed the wheels in early November.

In August, I had applied Klasse AIO by hand, and 2 layers of Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant by hand. Each layer was allowed to cure for 10-12 hrs.

If you apply a sealant to the wheels, you will never need to use harsh wheel cleaners on them. The dirt and brake dust will wipe off with no effort, with just ordinary car soap. I used a cheap MF wash mitt that is designated for wheels. Although I bought a nicer one that will be used exclusively on my wheels. :)

After I took them off, you can easily distinguish the front wheels from the rears. The rears were pretty clean, so the other pics focus on the front wheels.

http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/WheelSwap12.JPG

2 front wheels. One is cleaner in spots, because I reached through the wheel a few times to wipe it clean during the fall. But the other one was left intact for my testing.

http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/WheelSwap13.JPG

One wheel clean...with ordinary car soap and about 3 minutes:

http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/WheelSwap14.JPG

Both wheels clean as new. 3 months of brake dust buildup, wiped clean in minutes, with no harsh cleaners.

http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/WheelSwap15.JPG


No wheel spokes were harmed in the making of this pictorial. The Kumho Ecsta SPTs have a built-in rim protector, which ensured that the spokes were lifted off the ground at all times.

[2Shiny]

I posted this on MSProtege, but I thought I'd post it here as well. When I bought my ASA JS1 alloys in August, I made sure to clean them and then apply a sealant to them before installing them. I had tried to clean filthy wheels before, and I knew better this time. The sealant keeps them slick, and the dirt and brake dust will have a difficult time sticking to the sealant. Wheels are extremely easy to wash this way. Below I have pics of when I removed the wheels in early November.

In August, I had applied Klasse AIO by hand, and 2 layers of Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant by hand. Each layer was allowed to cure for 10-12 hrs.

If you apply a sealant to the wheels, you will never need to use harsh wheel cleaners on them. The dirt and brake dust will wipe off with no effort, with just ordinary car soap. I used a cheap MF wash mitt that is designated for wheels. Although I bought a nicer one that will be used exclusively on my wheels. :)

After I took them off, you can easily distinguish the front wheels from the rears. The rears were pretty clean, so the other pics focus on the front wheels.

http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/WheelSwap12.JPG

2 front wheels. One is cleaner in spots, because I reached through the wheel a few times to wipe it clean during the fall. But the other one was left intact for my testing.

http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/WheelSwap13.JPG

One wheel clean...with ordinary car soap and about 3 minutes:

http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/WheelSwap14.JPG

Both wheels clean as new. 3 months of brake dust buildup, wiped clean in minutes, with no harsh cleaners.

http://autopia.org/gallery/data/500/WheelSwap15.JPG


No wheel spokes were harmed in the making of this pictorial. The Kumho Ecsta SPTs have a built-in rim protector, which ensured that the spokes were lifted off the ground at all times.

[SandmicaMP3]

tight

[SandmicaMP3]

tight

[Scooter]

.....
No wheel spokes were harmed in the making of this pictorial. The Kumho Ecsta SPTs have a built-in rim protector, which ensured that the spokes were lifted off the ground at all times.

Ha ha ha,..I was wondering the same thing. I saw them lying on the ground like that and squirmed in my seat.

Couple of q's for you:
1) Did you apply the sealant with the rubbers still on? Or did you remove, apply, re-mount and balance?
2) Where did you buy the sealant (readily available?)
3) How much does it cost?
4) Any chance of the sealant damaging the rims if not applied properly, or maybe leaving little drip marks once dried, etc.?

[2k3 PrO RiDa]

what about some of the wheel wax products that are out? Would they work about the same?

[2Shiny]

Ha ha ha,..I was wondering the same thing. I saw them lying on the ground like that and squirmed in my seat.

Couple of q's for you:
1) Did you apply the sealant with the rubbers still on? Or did you remove, apply, re-mount and balance?
2) Where did you buy the sealant (readily available?)
3) How much does it cost?
4) Any chance of the sealant damaging the rims if not applied properly, or maybe leaving little drip marks once dried, etc.?


1. Yes, the tires were left on. The chance of anything getting between the outer rim and the tire is pretty slim. The purpose of the sealant is to make the wheel look great and remain easy to clean. Neither of those characteristics are important for the area of the rim that is concealed by the tire.

2. AIO and Wolfgang Sealant are available at http://www.autogeek.net
Neither is locally available that I know of. You could use a product like Meg's NXT Tech Wax instead. It will work, but it won't last as long as AIO/WG.

3. AIO: http://www.autogeek.net/klasseallinone.html
WG: http://www.autogeek.net/wg5500.html
NXT is locally available for ~$15/bottle. It's a cheaper alternative, but the disadvantage is less durability. Certainly much better than nothing though.

4. No. Any wax or sealant will work fine without the possiblility of damage. Waxes with abrasives like NuFinish or Liquid Glass might cause VERY minimal scratches. If you've got a question about a specific wax/sealant being safe, just post it. Certain wheel cleaners WILL damage wheels that they weren't designed to be used on. That's half of the purpose here. If you seal the wheels, all you have to use is regular car soap, thus effectively reducing risk to ZERO.

There should not be any type of leftover marks from AIO, WG, NXT, or most other waxes/sealants. If there is, just buff the area lightly with a soft towel. If that won't work, dampen the towel with water or a QD spray and lightly buff the area.

[2Shiny]

what about some of the wheel wax products that are out? Would they work about the same?


Any wax or sealant will do the job, but durability will depend on the product. Carnauba wax has a melting point of ~165*F. On a dark car's paint, or on wheels (particularly the fronts), 165*F is not difficult to reach. A carnauba wax will have very poor durability in either of those situations.
A polymer sealant or acrylic sealant has a melting point above 300*F, which means the durability will be superior to waxes in high-heat situations.

It's often difficult to tell whether a product contains waxes or polymers/acrylics. Things like Meg's NXT Tech Wax, which is actually a polymer sealant.

There's a product called Wheel Wax on the market. Here's a quote from Autogeek.net:
http://www.autogeek.net/wheelwax.html

"Is Wheel Wax safe for my clear coated wheels and how is Wheel Wax different from other wheel polish? Yes, Wheel Wax is clear coat safe and has a clear coat sealer to protect from cracking. Wheel Wax is not a polish, it is a cleaner and wax that is formulated with space age polymers and resins, heat resistant sealant and carnuba wax, which provides the ultimate protection for wheels."

You'll notice that they clearly say it contains polymers, but also contains wax. I'm not sure of the benefit to containing both, if there is any.

Also notice that it claims to be good for cleaning brake dust off. Don't use it for that purpose unless you want to scratch your wheels. The proper way is to wash the wheels thoroughly with car wash soap or a wheel cleaner, and THEN wax/seal the wheels. Don't get lazy, or you'll end up with poor results.

Then there's Poorboy's Wheel Sealant:
http://www.autogeek.net/pbws.html

I would highly recommend this product. I haven't used it yet myself, but I'll be ordering some very soon. I've heard nothing but good reviews on it.

[vindication]

great stuff. can you recomend anything to get bits of breakdust off the rim that have seemed to fuse together? Or am I SOL? I defenitely have to do this once I powdercoat my rims or get new ones so it doesn't happen again.

[2Shiny]

Heh, now you realize how much it sucks to clean stubborn brake dust off your wheels when they were never sealed!
What have you tried so far?

[vindication]

regular ol' rim cleaner to dish detergent. Not any of the "specialized" stuff though. But the stuff is pretty much like fused on there. I've even tried wrapping up a plastic piece in a towel and scrubbed at then spots but no avail. I think I'm pretty muched screwed on getting it out?

[Scooter]

great info. Thanks. I'll give this a go when I get my new rims.

[2Shiny]

Well dish detergent certainly wouldn't do it. Wheel cleaner should be able to get all but the worst out. The specks that you see were probably there for a very long time, and without a sealant, they can etch into the wheel surface. I think your only option now is to use a clay bar. If that won't take them out, you're about out of options. Try to pick them off with your fingernail...that's about all you have left.

Preventative maintenance is the best way.

[vindication]

thanks. what do you suggest as a great wheel cleaner? also I'll try the claybar. And as a once a week cleaner, is dish detergent bad for rims or do you suggest something else?

[thekid]

Only do this as a last resort and with lots of caution, but I have successfully used Oven cleaner on wheels to remove brake dust taht I thought was permanently caked on to some rims. I used the spray on oven cleaner and let it sit for about 90 seconds, before thouroughly rinsing it off! My rims were not damaged by doing this.

I take no responsibility if you try this on your wheels! This should be used as a last resort only, and should be tested in an inconspicous area on your rim first.

[2Shiny]

thanks. what do you suggest as a great wheel cleaner? also I'll try the claybar. And as a once a week cleaner, is dish detergent bad for rims or do you suggest something else?

My favorite wheel cleaners are the P21s wheel cleaners. There is a liquid version for typical cleaning, and a gel version for cleaning stubborn wheels. Both formulas are recommended by Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi for use on their vehicles. Both formulas are pH-neutral, and guaranteed never to harm ANY wheel. That's why I like them so much.

Don't use dish detergent. The cleaning power and lubricity of dish detergent is poor. Without proper lubrication, the brake dust will scratch your paint as you wipe it off. One soap is not equal to another soap. A car wash soap is what you need. People aren't concerned with swirls on their dishes, so lubrication is not a big deal with dish soap. People generally ARE concerned about scratching their car, so car soap is formulated to target that concern. People that wash their cars with dish soap and old rags from the basement are doing more harm than good...and often they have no idea.
Dish soap is also formulated to target grease. Wax is also targeted by dish soaps, and therefore will be stripped away from your paint (or wheels) anytime you use it. It may not remove the wax/sealant completely, but each time it will degrade the wax/sealant, and will eventually remove it completely.
Furthermore, dish soap dries out rubber. That means, door seals, weatherstripping, wiper blades, valve stems, tires, etc...
Removing the natural waxes from your tires will cause them to dry-rot sooner as well.

I could probably think of a few more reasons not to use dish soap on your car...


Oven cleaner is not meant for use on wheels. I don't know what the active ingredients in that product are, but I would not use it on the car or the wheels. These are the things people have to resort to when they try to clean poorly-maintained wheels. Wouldn't it be a ton easier to just seal the wheels first, and then just have all the crap wipe right off with car soap? Take the preventative steps now, and you won't have to worry about using harsh, possibly unsafe cleaners because you ran out of options.

[vindication]

yeah, I dont use dish soap on car ever but used it on rims a few times. So the p21s to clean them bitches good and use some claybar if needed, and then for normal cleaning, car wash soap is plenty fine right? thanks.

[2Shiny]

Yes. I have never needed to use the P21s on my alloys, because they were sealed right after I got them. For 3 months, regular car soap worked great. That's all you need. A decent wash mitt and some car soap will get them perfectly clean every time. I would still recommend cleaning them at least every week or two, but I guess it's up to you. The 3-month-old brake dust and dirt still wiped off with ease from the insides of my front wheels.

[vindication]

see, the thing is I do clean my summer wheels once a week. have no idea why their is brake dust on the rims.

[2Shiny]

There is brake dust constantly being produced whenever you drive. Even more if you have typical organic brake pads, rather than ceramics.

Do you ever clean the inside of the wheel?

[vindication]

yeah, I clean every bit of the damn wheel. I noticed when I removed my summer rims for the winter that the inside was peeling. (argh) stupid konig. wth.

[2Shiny]

Sorry to say, but that may have something to do with the dish soap. It's not Konig's fault that you were using an improper method to clean your wheels.

If you seal them now, you could possibly prevent further peeling. But I can't say for sure.

[vindication]

really, from the dish soap. wheels are supposed to withstand some serious abuse. It's not like I used dishsoap every week though. ohh well. powdercoating time or new wheel time. but this time, do it right.

[2Shiny]

What were you using to clean them? A brush? Towel? Mitt? Did you rinse/dry them thoroughly?

[vindication]

using a terrycloth towel. I rinse them first then clean them then in the end dry them along with rest of car.

[2Shiny]

Well I don't think the terry towel would have anything to do with the peeling.

But a couple other tips:

Some cotton/terry towels can scratch paint. I'd be careful with using them on your wheels, and I'd avoid using them on the paint altogether.

Do you have separate towels to dry the car and the wheels? If not, please do so. You don't want to pick up any metallic brake dust from the wheels and rub that on the paint. The best way is to have a thick, soft wash mitt for the paint, and another soft mitt for the wheels.
Then dry the car with a waffle weave MF drying towel, and dry the wheels with an ordinary MF towel or *scratchfree* cotton towel.

[vindication]

yeah, I have a shammy and microfiber towels to dry car. nice soft terrycloth towels for the wheels.

[Mr.Win]

you are a master of your craft.