"What happens when you dont clean your wheels?"

This is what happens when you dont clean your rims.. Baked-on brake dust =Bad:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/xenonk2828/GT-WHEELS3/aImg_0100.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/xenonk2828/GT-WHEELS3/aImg_0095.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/xenonk2828/GT-WHEELS3/aImg_0094.jpg

 

This is how your rims should look like when you clean regularly.. Not being lazy=Good:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/xenonk2828/GT-WHEELS3/aImg_0099.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/xenonk2828/GT-WHEELS3/aImg_0096.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/xenonk2828/GT-WHEELS3/aImg_0113.jpg

 

Keefe

Not resting your tires on the fra-gee-lay Subaru paint also = good.

Mmmmm HRE's, those rims should not go a day without cleaning. So nice.

Man... I should have come to you for pictures for my wheel care article. Looks like you've got quite the collection there. I'm jealous... I'll fly out and detail them all as well as your car if you want to give me a set.

Piece of cake to clean, especially since they are off the car. I should take a picture of my mom's rims for you. I don't think they have been cleaned sinced I moved out again, about 2 years ago!! Talk about baked on brake dust!!

Xenonk, what do you use on your wheels to clean them?

Not resting your tires on the fra-gee-lay Subaru paint also = good.

 

Look carefully, they are not on the paint, they are propped up with planks of wood and away from the paint.

 

Keefe

Xenonk, what do you use on your wheels to clean them?

 

2 stage process for baked on brake dust. I use Meguiar's Hot Rims first to let it sit for a while. After the wiping and rinsing, I will dry them and put some Meguiar's Metal Restorer (for the lip only).

 

If for some reason that the clear coat is eaten away, I have to use some full force and I really dont recommend this, but it gets the job done. WARNING: ATTEMPT THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK FOR THE FOLLOWING:

 

I use http://data.solidcactus.com/cjimages/autobarn/ch12721.gif for some damage on the brake dust. The instructions tell you to dilute it, but I use it at full strength. I still have cases of this stuff of the first original formula (as it was an alkaline base cleaner! ).. the new formula isn't as strong and it's more environmentally friendly. I would leave the Castrol Super Clean on for 15 mins.. after that, soap and water on the wheels gets the grime right off, resulting in some clean rims.. since it was alkaline based, it could strip the clearcoat right off causing the rim to peel.. I basically just stripped some of the older rims' clearcoats and decided to do some wax instead.

 

As you get more experienced with the Super Clean, then you know how long to let it sit on the rim before rinising. I got a few OEM really clean, but it sure stripped the clearcoat off of them.. I didnt care on the OEM rims I had since they were bent and beat up anyways, so I used them as a test subject to the Castrol Super Clean.

 

Keefe

Look carefully, they are not on the paint, they are propped up with planks of wood and away from the paint.

 

Keefe

:thumbup:

I use toothpaste. Seriously.

I use toothpaste. Seriously.

Doesn't everyone?

so THAT'S how you get the "BLING" with the rims, it's the "BLING" from the gold teeth with diamond studs stunnin' with Colgate Y0!!!11

 

Keefe

so THAT'S how you get the "BLING" with the rims, it's the "BLING" from the gold teeth with diamond studs stunnin' with Colgate Y0!!!11

 

Keefe

Xenonk, thanks for the brief write up. While reading that, all I kept thinking to myself was the clearcoat is going to be gone. Your wheels look good though. Most of what I have used is P21S on the wheels and BnB on the tires.

I use a mixture of water, Simple Green, and Mop n' Glo with Teflon. Also, if you get one of those spoke brushes, the GT stock wheels have enough clearance from the rotors and calipers to clean all the way around the inside of the rim while its still on the car. Many people forget to do this and leave that stuff on there for years.