Wheel Cleaning Q...

Ok - took the Mustang out yesterday and gave her a good (but quick) wash at the power wash place down the street. I notice some chit on my rear wheels that didn't come off and it looks like I kicked up some tape residue onto my wheel. Once I got back to my apartment I tried with a soft cloth to get it off with very sparing amounts of windex and couldn't get it. Any recommendations? I plan to try again later today with a bucket of real hot soapy water to see if I have any better luck, but in case that doesn't work any products anyone would recommend that are wheel friendly? Thanks....

BTW - I remembered I have Blue Magic cleaner in my cabinet - says it's all surface safe.....

if its on the chrome outer-lip use 0000 steel wool and windex. i've been told you can use 000 steel wool but i use the 0000 just to be same. 0000 steel wool and windex is the best thing i have found to clean chrome or glass, it gets all the road grime off that no other method has for me.... if its on the middle painted part i have no idea all i have ever delt with is chrome or polished alloy wheels and the steel wool and windex worked great on both

0000 it is! 000 would do just fine also.

So 0000 steel wool - thanks guys - I'll give it a try on outer lip (which is polished aluminum as far as I know)

Um - only found posts on the web regarding chrome - would it be ok on the aluminum lip of my deep dish? Personal experience?

Manufacturer's recommendation - Mothers Carnauba Cleaner Wax

Mine are painted rims so I use road grime, bug, and tar remover that you can find in the automotive section of Wal-Mart. You have to apply it with a clean cloth and then wipe it off immediately with a different clean cloth. You have to be careful if you use stuff like this because it can ruin your paint if you let it set too long. Never use anything too abrasive or you will leave a dull spot on the rims even if its polished or chrome.

Watch out for some of those chemicals though. I know some brands out there may damage the wheel's finish (because of acid content), especially if left on the wheel too long before rinsing off. Mother's sounds like your safe bet then!

yeah i swear by mothers mag!!!

If they are an OEM wheel...I wouldn't use anything the least bit abrasive. They will be clear coated the same as the vehicle....so the same care should be taken to the wheels as you would the car.

Update - the spots weren't adhesive but almost like a bubbling of the clearcoat which has not come off in a couple spots. Plan is to get the rear wheels re-clearcoated....

Just make sure you use high quality clear. Otherwise it will turn yellow and dingy before the years out. Also if you haven't yet, switch to ceramic brakes. They may be harder on your rotors, but they have considerably less dust. And the 000 steel wool is great for chrome but I would never use SW on paint unless I was already going to repaint. (thats just me though)

SuperchargedGT wrote:Just make sure you use high quality clear. Otherwise it will turn yellow and dingy before the years out. Also if you haven't yet, switch to ceramic brakes. They may be harder on your rotors, but they have considerably less dust. And the 000 steel wool is great for chrome but I would never use SW on paint unless I was already going to repaint. (thats just me though)

Your telling me (rotors)! I gotta find some that can take those ceramics!

Unfortunately, to my knowledge all stock rotors are the same, even through Manufacturers that switch to ceramic, Ford and Chevy both use standard rotors for there ceramics. It's all about the initial quality of the rotors. Remember, I used to work at Advance Auto; Don't buy breaks there. Auto Zone or Pep Boys are the only two places I will buy brakes and rotors.

Just swap to ceramics. If they warp it's because they were cheap crap and would have warped eventually anyway. I switched to Ceramic and haven't had any problems.... I even taught Jessica to drive a stick with the ceramics and they are still going strong! lol No worries. And of course NEVER waist your time Resurfacing Rotors. It make them thinner and make them wear faster.

it was the polished out rim that was messed on his rims not the paint and i used mothers mag and 0000 steel wool on my polished aluminum rims today swiss and it didn't leave any type of scratches or anything so if the clear is already messed up on them i guess you can either live with them the way they are, get them re-cleared or just say screw the clear and use the steel wool and mothers mag on the outer lip.... after i get done cleaning mine i also use some never-dull on them cause it adds a wax type to help protect the wheel.... sorry i don't know more about this stuff man i usually deal with chrome i just started dealing with the polished aluminum but i have personally used the 0000 steel wool and mothers and it didn't leave scratches or anything man so it is safe.

Thats Just my personal preference, nothing more. Everyones different.

000 steelwool and aresol glass cleaner works the best if the clear is comming off don't reclear them just polish all remailning clear off they will look so much better and then you can polish them to look like chrome i had the same rims just with cobra r centers and the lips on the rear rims did the same thing.

That's exactly the plan - there's a guy near Detroit that has done some work on cars for the Detroit Auto Show that I've heard is amazing. I'm trying to get into contact with him to polish the rims. We'll see...

Wheels being polished. Dropped them off early this week and should have them back Monday or at the latest Tuesday.