What do people use? Mine are looking really quite dirty. Have tried ‘wonder wheels’ but think I need something a bit more hardcore!
Thanks, PatC
Have you managed to get any of the dirt off? Are they really dirty or could it be that the paint has deteriorated. You could try a fine compound to see if that will remove the dirt, such as the stuff that is used for plastic window frames.
Depends very much on why they are so bad and the finish they have. In general there are 3 types of finish.
The Mk1 Minilite-alikes were not lacquered (though some have since been). As a result they allow brake dust etc to stick quite firmly. The advantage is that there is no lacquer to chip and allow corrosion to blossom underneath.
Get an Autoglyn alloy wheel brush, it looks like a round paint brush, but has stiff plastic bristles so you can get into all the corners. WW is fine, but use it a few times as directed rather than just leave it on for longer, this is NEVER a good idea.
Most other OEM wheels are cast then primed, painted and lacquered. They look like most alloys, silver in colour with some variations. Brake dust build up can be treated as above. Once lacquer is damaged by stone chips (usually unseen) or kerbs, water,salt and WW will get behind the lacquer and instigate corrosion usually showing as a white “bloom” which will extend behind the lacquer, often going black and pushing lumps of lacquer off. Once this stage is reached the wheels need to be bead blasted to remove all coatings and be re-painted. Damage, caught early can often be repaired by a mobile service such as my own.
Machined or Diamond finished wheels, started by BMW I think, are painted all over as usual then the front face of the rim and / or spokes are machined back to the raw aluminium. The whole wheel is then lacquered. Cleaning as above. Lacquer failure will tend to show earlier as the corrosion shows earlier against the ‘shiney’ machined surface and is very difficult to reproduce without having the wheel re-machined.
WW,or anything similar that advises you wear gloves WILL eat it’s way through lacquer, I have seen it often. Check out the hints and tips section on my web site - www.morethanjustchips.com
Once you have got clean alloys there is a 3 stage route to keeping them so. With a wash / wax product and a suitable brush that gets into all your wheels nooks and crannies:
Clean them every week
Clean them every week, and
Clean them every week!
Peter
Thanks for the detailed help guys. When the rain stops I will give them a good go!
personally as a detailer i never use “Wonder Wheels” as its an acid based cleaner and if you have any chips, marks or cracks in the finish of the wheel then the acid will get underneath and start striping the paint off.
I always use a acid-free cleaner call bilberry it can be diluted at various strength depending on how dirty the wheels are.
Thanks Dave. Had a look at Bilberry reviews and seems good stuff. £9 off ebay so will see how it goes… Cheers again
Hi
I use muc-off diluted 1-1 its a non solvent based cleaner, then just use my normal car shampoo.
Zippy [:#]
Hi Dave, Bilberry looks like the stuff to use. I tend to say to Customers “if it says wear gloves” don’t use it, which is a bit general, but makes the point. It’s amazing how hard it is to explain to some people that just because the chips don’t show on wheels, that they are not there.
Peter
Thanks, that Bilberry is hot sh*t man!! Have done 3 applications so far and amazed at results.