Wheels got ruined

Corey · 08-17-03, 02:58

Awhile back I posted this post on some wheel polish.
As you can see in the thread, I have been using Eagle One Billet polish with great success on my non coated
Centerlines.

I still have not got around to getting polish, but I will have to this week to fix what some Armor All Wheel Cleaner did to my wheels yesterday.

I normally use Eagle One's Alloy Wash on my wheels after I have first hand washed them with my mitt.
The spray gets off the stuff the mitt can't reach.
The stuff is gentle, and has never ruined my wheels.
Yesterday when I washed the rig I used some Armor All Wheel Cleaner spray I had bought over a year ago that was on sale.
I ran out of the Eagle One spray and used it.
Bad mistake as seen in the above picture.
It stained my wheels big time, and it said it was safe for alloy wheels.

Hopefully when I polish them next weekend they will look like they are suppose to.
I am so ticked off at Armor All.
I quit using their interior stuff over 20 years ago, as I now use that Tuff Stuff spray in the yellow bottle which works great.

Just a warning here about this product, and hopefully no one else will have this happen to their non coated wheels.
I threw the bottle out I was so ticked off.

I have it narrowed down to the Eagle One Billet Polish, Mothers Wheel Polish, Griot's mag Polish, and I have an email into that UK outfit that was mentioned by a poster in the thread I linked to.

Corey

CRXSi90 · 08-17-03, 04:16

My wheels got dulled and some places got stained drips like that. Dulling is normal IMO for aluminum, so I can't blame it on the product...the drips were my fault too because I either failed to rinse the wheel after thoroughly, or I let the product dry on. Mine are non-clearcoated aluminum also. Eagle One A2Z says it outperforms this Armor All stuff, but for non clearcoated wheels, I think we should go with E1 alloy wash like you had been.

Here is a email I recieved from AA when I had my difficulties...

Quote:

September 26, 2002

Mr. Kevin Koehler

Dear Mr. Koehler:

Thank you for your recent contact with us.

Cleaners can be made acidic, neutral, or basic. Those with very high or
very low pH often do a better job with oily, greasy dirt than neutral formulas.
Some ingredients added to chelate metal ions present from brake dust will not
function at neutral pH. This formula was selected as being the best performing
one at the time it was created. It has worked well for several years.
Unpainted, non-clearcoated alloy wheels are not the norm, and not supplied as
original equipment on automobiles by any US manufacturer. Our lab has not
directly observed damage to non-coated alloy wheels, but given the wide variety
of alloys available, they should be tested in an inconspicuous place first.

Once again, thank you for contacting us. If we can be of further assistance to
you, please contact us again.

Sincerely,

David N. Mills
Product Specialist

DNM/cl

3269850B

BTW, I ph tested AA wheel cleaner, and it was very acidic. That is what prompted my email to them.

Furthermore, polishing them by hand took care of the problems. I'm thinking about getting a buffing wheel for a drill so the job goes quicker. I've only used Harley Davidson metal polish, but it has certainly worked for me!

My wheels need polishing now...

Guitarman · 08-17-03, 04:33

One of my longtime customers, a lawyer with (at the time) a new BMW Z3, decided to clean his polished 18" M wheels in between my vists with Armor-All Quicksilver wheel cleaner, only he (ironically-being a lawyer) never read the fine print about use on polished wheels and to spray on only when the wheels were cool. He sprayed them on hot to warm wheels, and sprayed all 4 at once and went inside for ~10 minutes. Came out to find his very $$$ wheels streaked in yellow etched runs. They were toast.

I believe Quicksilver was pulled off the shelves due to litigation (so I've been told) and the product was reformulated, but...it's still likely has hydroflouric acid in it to some extent. I don't use it so I can't say for certain.

Sorry this happened to you, nice of you to warn others.

Corey · 08-17-03, 04:34

I have the Griot's cones.
I used them on my wheels last year with a 14v cordless drill, but there's not enough Ommmph to really do any good, and it wears the batteries down to fast.

I think with a regular 110v drill or an air drill they would do a great job.

I think I'll just pick up some Mother's polish this week.
The Eagle One Billet stuff I can't find locally anymore, so I'd have to get it from Eagle One directly, and I need this stuff by Friday so I can go at it.

Glad to have two more bottles of the Eagle One Alloy stuff in my detail cabinet again.

Corey · 08-17-03, 04:35

Yes, that's the stuff, Quicksilver.
Very nasty indeed.

Mosca · 08-17-03, 06:11

Armor All wheel cleaner removed the cadmium plating from my rotor hats. I won't use it again, I threw the bottle away.

Tom

Poppa Smurf · 08-17-03, 08:03

Quote:

Originally posted by Corey
I have the Griot's cones.

I think I'll just pick up some Mother's polish this week.
The Eagle One Billet stuff I can't find locally anymore, so I'd have to get it from Eagle One directly, and I need this stuff by Friday so I can go at it.

Glad to have two more bottles of the Eagle One Alloy stuff in my detail cabinet again.

If there is a truck stop near you they usually carry the black bottles but truckstop prices are a little high most of the time.

forrest · 08-17-03, 08:33

The black spotting on polished aluminum rims can be removed, but it'll take some work.

I'd suggest using a quality metal polish and a cotton 4" cotton buffing wheel (you can find the buffing wheel at Home Depot for ~$6).

Pull the tire and wheel from the car, smear some polish on the rim, run the drill up to its highest speed and slowly apply it to the rim. Work it back and forth in long easy passes.

Don't use pressure (generates heat which blues the aluminum), and don't let the cotton wheel stay in one spot too long (creates a spot shinier than the rest of the rim).

Afterwards, go back over the rim with a good billet polish and a MF towel to remove the minor marring left by the aluminum polish.

BTW, you're not the first person to complain about spotting the wheels with that product.

Assuming directions were followed when using the product, fixing them shouldn't be too bad.

Corey · 08-17-03, 08:42

Pappa, I do have a truck stop not to far from me, I'll check with them.

Forrest, I'll also pick up some of the Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish I saw at Schucks Auto today.

I'm not sure how long I have had that Armor All spray, but I'd say less than two years.

barryb · 08-18-03, 06:59

Quicksilver was reformulated to remove the acid. The new formula is just surfactant based. You may have got a bottle of the old formula being closed out.
Why not submit a claim to them for damages?

n2_space · 08-18-03, 09:21

I never use wheel cleaners... I just use the old soap and bucket. I have a seperate bucket and mitt for them of course, but I just use plain ol car soap to clean them.

milani · 08-18-03, 09:22

Quote:

Originally posted by Corey
The Eagle One Billet stuff I can't find locally anymore, so I'd have to get it from Eagle One directly, and I need this stuff by Friday so I can go at it.

I know I am in Illinois, but I just saw Billet polish at Pep Boys, if they are close to you...