CLEANING WHEELS

MAN, I GET REALLY MAD WHEN I GET BRAKE DUST ON MY WHEELS, I KNOW I CAN'T AVOID IT BUT I WISH THERE COULD BE SOME WAY TO AVOID IT. I KNOW THEY SELL PROTECTION, LIKE FOR BRAKE DUST, BUT THE PROBLEM IS HOW TO GET THE BRAKE DUST OFF THE WHEELS, I SCRUB AS HARD AS I CAN AND IT WON'T GO AWAY, AND PLUS MY WHEELS ARE SO MESSED UP BY SO MUCH OLD BRAKE DUST THAT'S BEEN SITTING THEIR. BUT SOMEONE GIVE ME SOME TIPS ON HOW TO REMOVE THIS OLD BRAKE DUST AND MAKING MY WHEELS LOOK LIKE NEW.

:fire: :fire: :redexp: :redexp: :fire: :fire:

 

[Kontrol-Trak]

What kind of brake pads are you using? My rims hardly get covered with any brake dust.

I'd spray them with a good wheel cleaner and let them sit for a minute, then rinse off. If the old brake dust is still there, get some aluminium polish and scrub them clean.

 

[expo5.0]

what kind of wheels are they? are they the stock ones? the finish on them is really important for deciding how to clean

 

[Greddy X-Plorer]

ALRIGHT I HAVE A 94 XPLODER AND THEY HAVE STOCK WHEEL RIMS, SO WHAT SHOULD I DO. PRETTY MUCH I'VE USED THE WHEEL CLEANER SPRAY, BUT THAT'S ALL, SO PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S NEXT

:redexp: :fire: :fire: :redexp:

 

[expo5.0]

light abrasive. i can't think of what the stuff is called, but it is like steel wool but it is safe on all wheels and chrome. they should have it at your local checker, or pep boys or whatever. if that doesn't work just keep going up the ladder toward more abrasive compounds.

 

[LStoudenmire]

Armorall makes a great brake dust cutter. I think its called QuickSilver. But your wheels may need a good cleaning with a polishing paste.

 

[Jason_25]

I have Raybestos Quietstop pads and they make NO dust whatsoever.

 

[aldive]

I like to use Zaino Z2 on my factory rims. Followerd by Z2. The Z6 is said to:"Super anti-static formula reduces dust and dirt pickup by up to 60%. "

I never have a dust problem.

http://www.zainobros.com/

 

[Steve94LTD]

I have the 94 limited rims.. which are a REAL pain to clean. What do I use??? A hose, a toothbrush, simple green, and about an hour to an hour and a half. When Im done they look sweet, but I still polish them.

 

[CADDYBILL]

Have you tried simple green? Works wonders.

 

[XLT_66]

I have some PCW polished aluminum wheels, they started looking faded and unpolished....and wheel cleaner didn't do it, so i went and got some MOther's Mag and Aluminum polish paste....now that stuff made my wheels look new again...but it took like 10 min. a wheel.....

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

Simple Green will work, but is a little too harsh, IMO. I would reccommend some Eimann Fabrik Hi Intensity Cleaner. This stuff literally works miracles. If necessary, then use a good metal polish like Wenol or P21S and then follow up with your favorite wax or synthetic polymer sealant. Good luck!

Eimann Fabrik and Wenol products can both be purchased at Classic Motoring Accessories

peace

Mike

 

[Dan Whitaker]

I like the Armorall Quicksilver too. When my Quicksilver got left in the wifes car in the winter it froze it. So then I bought some Eagle One and it does not work near as well as the Quicksilver. The Eagle One still leaves a residue behind that has to be washed with a sponge. Kind of defeats the purpose. As far a polish I would go with either Wenol or Mothers.

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Originally posted by Kontrol-Trak
What kind of brake pads are you using? My rims hardly get covered with any brake dust.

I'd spray them with a good wheel cleaner and let them sit for a minute, then rinse off. If the old brake dust is still there, get some aluminium polish and scrub them clean.

You use wheel cleaner on your chrome rims?? I usually wash my rims with carwash detergent and a mitten. Wouldn't wheel cleaners harm the chrome surface??

 

[Dan Whitaker]

The Armorall Quicksilver wheel cleaner will work on any wheel. Chrome plated wheels are the least of worries as the chrome is a hard non porous serface. A wire wheel cleaner has a lot more acid and will damge an aluminum or clear coat wheel. That is why when you buy a wheel cleaner you should always look at the wheel recomendation. The wheel cleaners have a code on the front such as C,1 ect that is in an octagonal symbol.

 

[SanDiegoExplr]

mothers mag and aluminul polish works great.

 

[nicholtl]

www.p21s.com is the site to some of the best car cleaning products on the market today. i use their heavy duty gel cleaner on my rims. i also heard a homemade formula that may or may not work...aluminum foil with coca-cola on it...use that to rub your rims and supposedly it cleans like no tomorrow. so if you wanna risk it....

 

[KMac]

This will clean the tire and rim without the additional elbow grease:


1. Spray off tire and wheel with hose to remove loose, heavy dust & dirt build-up.

2. Spray entire tire & wheel with Westley's Bleche White whitewall cleaner. (you can find it anywhere)

3. Let sit 5 minutes.

4. Wash tire & wheel with soapy water and sponge.

5. Rinse.


I have never had this method fail to clean the tire to a nice black finish and the wheel to a perfectly clean, shiny finish.

 

[Blake D]

Does that stuff really help the white letters come clean? I have the BFG AT KO and teh black also lookes kind of brown looking, will it clean this as well? What do I do after I clean it to keep it looking good?
I have heard the the Westley's Bleche White is bad for wheels but ok for tires is this true? Lastly I also heard that the foam tire cleaners cause early decay of the tire and some tire polishes do the same. something about pulling oil out of the rubber that helps protect from UV damage or something

 

[Cdexplorer]

I have used Westley's Bleech White....it works awesome. DOes anybody know if that is bad for the wheels?

I also saw a wheel wax in an ad for tire rack (in Road & Track) It's $15.99 and "It's not just a cleaner or a polish. Wheel Wax is the ultimate protection for your wheels. Created to actually repel brake dust, Wheel Wax buffs to a smooth, high shine that even moisture can't penetrate" Sounds worty of a try to me. Anybody used this product before?