Proper care for chrome rims

**mcate** · 09-04-2009, 05:08 PM

Just sunk $1200 into these Ford Racing chrome Bullitts, & I want to make sure I keep them free of swirls. The car is garaged & not driven in rain, but the wheels get the usual brake dust & other road crap. Is it safe to spray a little QD on them & wipe down with MF, or should I wash them with soap & water? I`ll polish them with Poorboy`s Pro Polish, but I`m just wondering what`s the best way to wash them.

Mike

**bigron62** · 09-04-2009, 06:01 PM

its up to you how anal you want to get..-is it a garage queen or daily driver .. id say just wash them and wax them the same as youre paint or you can spend every weekend waxing them ..id remove them and wash/ wax them off of the car occasionally to keep the inside of the wheels nice too

**mcate** · 09-04-2009, 10:03 PM

It`s a garage queen. Just a weekend toy for shows or whatever. I`m pretty anal I guess. I`ve had a set of chrome cobra R`s on my T-Bird for about 7 years now, & they`ve got quite a bit of swirling on them. I just figured if I wash these new ones with soap & water as opposed to QD & MF, I might preserve the finish better.

**Beemerboy** · 09-04-2009, 10:44 PM

Wash them with regular soap and make sure the wash mitt is clean and the water is clean, then I would use a chemical polish, nothing abrasive. Then I would use PB wheel sealant.

My last set of chrome rims got a tad scratched, because I thought chrome was super hard, WRONG!

Treat them the same as your paint, just be careful in the wash stages

Oh and SUPER nice ride!!!

**glen22** · 09-05-2009, 09:32 AM

What Beemerboy said !! PB WHEEL SEALANT is the stuff you want to use and with a good wheel cleaner spray you shouldn`t even have to scrub them everything should roll off and all you have to do is dry them off.

**black bart** · 09-05-2009, 10:16 AM

I`m not sure everyone carefully read your post.
A show car must be maintained waaaayyy beyond what people do with a DD.
I have had chrome wheels on my show car for 10 years car and wheels never see soap and water I don`t allow it to get that dirty.
If the show is close I clean the wheels at the show with a QD drive it home and back to the next show and clean with QD.
If I go to a show that is 50 miles then I will clean at the show and again when I get home and again when I get to the next show.
About once a month I wax them.

**Mr. Clean** · 09-05-2009, 10:22 AM

I gotta say, nice look! I love the old school Cragar styling.

Based on my past experience with chrome wheels (which has been decades now), for a garage queen, I would keep them washed and if you want to use a sealant. Unless there was correction needed I would not use any polish.

Edit: BB beat me to the punch

**Beemerboy** · 09-05-2009, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by black bart

I`m not sure everyone carefully read your post.
A show car must be maintained waaaayyy beyond what people do with a DD.
I have had chrome wheels on my show car for 10 years car and wheels never see soap and water I don`t allow it to get that dirty.
If the show is close I clean the wheels at the show with a QD drive it home and back to the next show and clean with QD.
If I go to a show that is 50 miles then I will clean at the show and again when I get home and again when I get to the next show.
About once a month I wax them.

Bart,

He dosen`t mention any where in his post about this being a show car. Its a garage queen that he drives on the good weather weekends. His question was what is the best way to wash or clean the wheels.

For me washing them in the same fashion that you do for paint is what I have learned about chrome, that was a lesson at the expense of my 1600 dollar chrome BMW rims. Never again!

**black bart** · 09-05-2009, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by 95TbirdSC

It`s a garage queen. Just a weekend toy for shows or whatever. I`m pretty anal I guess. I`ve had a set of chrome cobra R`s on my T-Bird for about 7 years now, & they`ve got quite a bit of swirling on them. I just figured if I wash these new ones with soap & water as opposed to QD & MF, I might preserve the finish better.

Originally Posted by Beemerboy

Bart,

He dosen`t mention any where in his post about this being a show car. Its a garage queen that he drives on the good weather weekends. His question was what is the best way to wash or clean the wheels.

For me washing them in the same fashion that you do for paint is what I have learned about chrome, that was a lesson at the expense of my 1600 dollar chrome BMW rims. Never again!

Dave here is his post read it again and see if you see a mention of shows.

**black bart** · 09-05-2009, 02:05 PM

Chrome is harder than clear coat.
Why would you use a QD on the paint and be afraid to use it on chrome.

I can understand it on a DD where the wheels have become covered with brake dust but cleaning on a show car at evey show means cleaning the wheels every 10 miles or so.
Not many DD get that kind of attention not even from members of this forum.

This is what I use Meguiars Quik Wheel Detailer Mist & Wipe

**mcate** · 09-05-2009, 05:46 PM

It will be in shows as well. My worry about using QD is that dust or whatever that might get ground into the chrome when wiping with MF. I use QD & MF on the paint, but I usually dust the car off with a California Duster first. That`s why I was thinking that to keep the chrome free of swirls I should maybe wash the wheels with soap & water first.

**black bart** · 09-05-2009, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by 95TbirdSC

It will be in shows as well. My worry about using QD is that dust or whatever that might get ground into the chrome when wiping with MF. I use QD & MF on the paint, but I usually dust the car off with a California Duster first. That`s why I was thinking that to keep the chrome free of swirls I should maybe wash the wheels with soap & water first.

Did you check out the link that i posted.

I`m betting that it has more lubrication than soap and water.

**mcate** · 09-05-2009, 09:33 PM

Yep, sure did. I haven`t seen it in stores yet, but I know I can get it on Autogeek. Thanx, & thanx to everyone for all the tips.

**black bart** · 09-05-2009, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by 95TbirdSC

Yep, sure did. I haven`t seen it in stores yet, but I know I can get it on Autogeek. Thanx, & thanx to everyone for all the tips.

Currently I have 5 bottles of it sitting on the shelf.
I paid $ 2400.00 for my wheels but I think that was mainly because they are 11 inches wide spun aluminum that made for a lot of surface to chrome.
I loaded up with it last fall Big Lots had it for $3.50 a bottle that is half price.

**black bart** · 09-05-2009, 10:26 PM

One thing to think about is when you get to the show you don`t have a bucket and you don`t have a hose to rinse and you would get water on the body and then you would have to clean that up.
What works at home in a garage is not always the best solution at a show.
Wash the car and wheels before leaving home and then use the wheel mist and wipe at the show.