Trying to get wheels spotless

I

IkeRay

New member
which I know is futile as they aren't in the best condition because of curbs and what not, but this last bit of break dust is driving me nuts.



now I started with them looking like this, been probably 6+ months since they've been cleaned, and they've never been cleaned beyond what is visible from the front (I'll be pulling them soon to get all the tar/rubber/brake dust thoroughly off).



DSCN6421.jpg






after about 30 minutes per wheel using simple green (EEK I know) but I didn't let it sit long, it was a spray, scrub, rinse off within a minute, car wash soap for a while and then another helping of simple green maybe every 5 minutes. I used an autozone "EZ detail" brush, thankfully I bought 5 of them as I broke 2 in the process of cleaning these rims.



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pretty good from far but:

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and the fronts are even worse:

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I just picked up some Eagle 1 wheel and tire cleaner and I was going to give that a try this weekend, is there a better product that won't destroy the finish (if there is one) and get the rest of this crude off? would clay work?



edit: btw, tire dressing is black magic tire wet. I really like this products results, of course I've never gotten to try any other tire dressings as I JUST got interested in serious detailing.
 
I would get a wheel cleaner like the Poorboys one, let it sit on there for a few minutes, give it another scrub, and then try the clay, like AC said.
 
If I were in your shoes, I'd use some P21s gel and let it dwell for about 10 minutes, then agitate with a brush. Repeat this until you've won or until you realize something more powerful is needed.
 
For really baked on brake dust, and only as a last resort, I have had great luck with 0000 steel wool with a strong chemical cleaner like Megs #66 (ColorX should work as well). You will need to polish afterwards as the 0000 creates minor hazing, but it works fast when nothing else will.
 
In that last picture...

Is that not rust or severe oxidation? I could imagine hitting that with wheel cleaner all day, to no effect :sadpace:.
 
MichaelSpoots said:
In that last picture...

Is that not rust or severe oxidation? I could imagine hitting that with wheel cleaner all day, to no effect :sadpace:.
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that redish crude I also thought must've been rust but after scrubbing the other wheels that had similar, it came off and revealed good condition paint.



I'll give the poorboys or p21s (which ever comes in the mail first) a try, 0000 steel wool will be a last resort as I think that is painted under there.





what is a good sturdy bristled brush for cleaning around the valve stems, as you can see how dirty those are. I bought some smaller foam brushes from HF yesterday but I'm doubtful those have the aggressiveness I need for these filthy wheels, they'll be good more for maintenance.
 
30 minutes per wheel denotes a money loss. Thats 2 hours for the wheels alone. I allow 5 to ten minutes tops per wheel. Get a mild wheel acid and be done with it. If you are to stay in business labor times must be adhered to. Just my take. Ten year old Hondas come back to 90 percent on cars with over a 100 grand on them ....explain that to your clients. They will understand. Wheel acid is the key used properly the dirt will fall off that wheel.
 
paintxpert said:
30 minutes per wheel denotes a money loss. Thats 2 hours for the wheels alone. I allow 5 to ten minutes tops per wheel. Get a mild wheel acid and be done with it. If you are to stay in business labor times must be adhered to. Just my take. Ten year old Hondas come back to 90 percent on cars with over a 100 grand on them ....explain that to your clients. They will understand. Wheel acid is the key used properly the dirt will fall off that wheel.
Click to expand...
....I’m guessing Ike is (like many fellow members) a DIY’er/enthusiast and not doing this as a profession.



….btw, you did know you can edit your previous posts so you don’t have to continually add new ones for every after-thought you have, right?
 
Kean said:
....I’m guessing Ike is (like many fellow members) a DIY’er/enthusiast and not doing this as a profession.
Click to expand...





yeah, I'm a DIY'er and as I said, JUST getting into detailing. I still take over an hour just to wash a dang car, thats not including wheels, door jams, trunk jam, or under the hood, nor anything besides the washing process (no wax or dressings)...I take my time, I enjoy my alone time.





paintxpert said:
Trying to get wheels spotless use a bristle parts brush.
Click to expand...



I will definitely pick one up.
 
i have a 94 accord, same wheels. i couldnt get mine 100% either so i ended up sanding and repainting black with duplicolor high heat engine paint, its been over a year and no more brake dust issues
 
IkeRay said:
yeah, I'm a DIY'er and as I said, JUST getting into detailing. I still take over an hour just to wash a dang car, thats not including wheels, door jams, trunk jam, or under the hood, nor anything besides the washing process (no wax or dressings)...I take my time, I enjoy my alone time.
Click to expand...
 ....there is nothing wrong with taking your time. For some of us, it's not a race and it's not our livelihood. ….just something we enjoy and/or use to help unwind. I do some of my best thinking when I’m out in my garage tinkering around on the cars. ...you're not alone. ;)
 
I agree with trying a mildly acidic Wheel Cleaner. I'd hesitate to recommend something as aggressive as Meguiar's Wheel Brightener (and be careful with that stuff if you do use it!), but I'm all in favor of letting the product to the work.



Rather than just rinsing acidic products off with water, I'd first rinse and then neutralize the acid so it doesn't mess up any exposed aluminum. Many APCs are mildly alkaline; I just do a quick wash with something like EFHI and then rinse again.



For the mechanical agitation, be a little careful which brushes you use so you don't scratch things up too badly. Similarly, I'd rather use a mild Scotch-brite pad (like the ones made for nonstick cookware) or a "bug sponge" (even more gentle) than steel wool. That's *if* clay won't work, and I often "scrub" (much more aggressive process than normal claying) with the clay while the Wheel Cleaner is dwelling (yeah, it dissolves the clay pretty fast). Note that aggressive claying often results in marring that'll need polished out.



Then there's always a Dremel, fitted with their nonmetallic-bristle brushes, but I usually reserve that for the back sides of the wheels.
 
How silly of me to mention time when cleaning wheels....I guess I have been doing this to long for revenue, I stand corrected for those of you who do detailing to relax. I guess the first thing I evaluate when looking at a prospective detail is the labor involved .....its kind of like training in the Marines if you will. Please dont be thin skinned none of my comments are meant to be insulting....in fact this forum and its detailers are a great idea for the industry. I cant imagine NOT considering any job without looking intently at the LABOR involved....second nature.
 
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