Does anyone polish their wheels with anything once they have cleaned them.
Is there any point in doing this, if so what do you use.
Mine get very dirty very quickly with brake dust, probably due to the make of pads fitted. These have still got lots of life left in them so I’m not keen on changing them just yet. Not had the car long so don’t know what pads are fitted.
I recently used some wheel polish that said it reduced the effect of dust on the wheels but I think its a waste. There’s a minor improvement on making them easier to clean but that’s about it. I’ve just changed discs and pads at the front which might make the dusting worse as they bed in but I’m still not convinced. I’ve still got to clean them just as frequently.
BB
I may try some ordinary polish on them, just to see if the dirt comes off easier. Can’t see that it will do any harm.
I Use Wonder Wheels. This is a very good product for cleaning dirty wheels, just make sure that you follow the very simple instructions. After this I apply Autoglym Red and then the next day I finish with Autoglym Gold. I find that I have to do this about every four months or so. The result is well worth the effort!
I use Chemical Guys Wheel Guard and have found it to be very effective. It is a synthetic coating (acrylic based, I think) rather than a wax. Reapply every few months.
I got mine from here.
DON’T USE WONDER WHEELS!!!
yes its a very good cleaner but it’s acid based and will destroy the laquer finish if you have any marks scratches or blemishes in the finish. It will also remove the chrome finish from your wheel nuts if you use it on a prolonged basis. (it stripped the wheel nuts on my Nissan!).
I now use a non acid cleaner called Billberry which dilutes down with water. It’s very effective at removing brake dust. As for keeping them clean longer then any good quality polish such as Autoglym helps if applied on a regular basis.
http://www.valetpro.co.uk/Products/Exterior+Cleaners/Item1184 I got 5 litres off ebay for £20 some months ago so just search round.
Hi Terry
Go and get hold of some TFR,then get hold of a pump action spray gun like the ones window cleaner comes in,half fill with the TFR and then top up with water,spray it onto your wheel work in lightly with a brush and wash off with the hose pipe before it dries,if it is really thick then put it on neat but do not leave it on for to long,i get mine from a Co called klenzan but they only sell in bulk and it’s s**t hot stuff.
Where are you in this world???
Hi Wayne
I am in North Staffs not far out of Stoke…
My real problem, I suppose, will be the brake pads producing a lot of dust. A lot more than on my previous 5. The proper answer would be to change the pads.
As I explained, I have not had the car long, the pads are all fairly new but don’t know what make, so don’t really want to change them just yet.
I currently use Auto Glym wheel cleaner but the wheels seem to need doing at least twice as often as the car. I thought that applying some sort of polish to the wheels may help so that the dust would wipe off rather than needing a serious wash.
The wheels are the same as the red car on the home page.
Thanks for all the replies guys.
Terry
Hi Terry
There is only two ways to solve your problem.
1:-take the nippon brake pads off,and replace them with OE mazda ones or green stuff etc???this is you best option by far.
2:- Go to your local halfords store and get 3 large cans of there own lacquer spray,clean your wheels making sure nothing is left on them, mask off the tyres and but at least 3 coats on each one this will make the dust not stick and be really easy to clean(this will be your cheaper option,and the wheels will always look shiny and clean)
If you lived closer i would do them for you.
Hope this helps
.
Good luck
Thanks for that Wayne.
Terry
Guys and Girls,
Never use anything like a polish on you alloy wheels. Polish is abrasive and like toothpaste, when scoured by a cloth will wear away the thin layer of laquer that covers the base metal. Likewise, ‘brigh wheel’ type products are very corrosive of this laquer layer and using any brush on a wet wheel with break dust is also very abrasive. The best you can do to preserve the bright clean look is to wash weekly with warm water and car wash wax/shampoo with a soft sponge, even if you do not wash the rest of the car. If you want to make the cleaning process easier next time, then gently apply a layer of wax to the wheel and rub it to a shine. This actually makes the wheels ‘self-cleaning’ to a certain degree, as brake dust cannot bond to the wax surface and is washed away by rain and water. Don’t use abrasives because once that protective layer is fractured, then moisture gets in and the pitting starts !
If you want to accentuate the shine from your alloy wheels, use a bit of tyre-shine on the tyre wall. It makes a big difference. When you have done this, simply sit back and admire, and be prepared for all those people asking you how you keep them looking so good ! Shimples.
Rim wax always seems to get good reviews.
Terry,
When you say ‘polish’, do you mean polish in the abrasive sense of the word ? Try to avoid anything mildly abrasive on your beloved alloy wheels. You should only really be applying a wax agent to the surface, something that blocks the microscopic pores in the metal or laquer coating to avoid the onset of pitting or failing laquer coating. Alloy wheels respond best to a wash once per week with warm soapy water and a soft sponge, even if you choose not to wash the rest of the car. Do not use a brush to do this as this scoures away the protective laquer layer (a bit like toothpaste - when the water mixes with the brake dust) and makes things worse. If you get difficult tar spots, use a quick wipe of a cloth with a tiny drop of turpentine spirit.
I use a product called Bilt Hammer to seal in the shine. It leaves a very slippery protectice film over the wheels and effectively prevents the dust from clinging-on, making the wheels self-cleaning when they next become wet. Avoid also - things like ;wonder wheels’. These are very alkaline and begin to chemically strip down the protective film. Remember to accentuate the alloy by applying a tyre shine spray or wipe. Really fresh black tyres can make alloys look even cleaner and for longer !
Chris
(Nottingham) drives ‘Eunice’, a 1993 V-Spec Roadster
yep it works for me, lasts ages and smells like bubble gum.,… addictive!
Chris,
Sorry, have not looked here for a while. Polish was not the right description for what I wanted, more of a protection as don’t want to used anything abrasive or corrosive to destroy any laquer on the wheels.
Have put some ordinary car wax on at the moment which appears to be working well, they only take a wipe with a wet sponge. May not last as long as the proper stuff but works OK at the moment.
Anyone tried Meguires Hot Rims?
Just had my wheels re furbished, they have been painted and laquered all over. Before fitting them I gave them two coats of Jetseal 109 followed by two coats of Collinite wax 24 hours apart. They now look fabulous, cleaning in future should be a piece of cake.