I`m running the "traditional" CQuartz coating on my summer wheels and after two seasons the coating is still holding strong despite the environment wheels face and frequent washes with a mild wheel cleaner. I too don`t think I`ll ever go without coating my wheels again. Clean up is so much easier.
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I coated some wheels with the first two versions of OptiCoat, but now what I had left in the syringe has gone bad and I`m debating trying some other coating.
My other wheels wear (big surprise..) FK1000P, which does fine but needs redone annually on drivers, usually when I change over to winter wheels/tires. The OptiCoat lasted longer but I couldn`t discern any other diff and applying it was a huge PIA compared to "just waxing them". SO....
Any easy-peasy coatings that`ll last a few years? I would *never* struggle with anything harder than the OptiCoat was, not in a million years.
FWIW, I can`t recall actually struggling to get any LSPed wheel clean (and some of my cars are supposedly bad in this regard). Shampoo mix (as per my foamgun dilution) works fine. Pressure wash, spritz with shampoo mix, let dwell, wash with BHBs/Mitts/swabs/WheelWoolies, rinse, done. Usually go over them with some QD/RW/Drying Aid, which might contribute a little something sacrificial, as I *always* have to knock the surface rust off the rotors and that then needs cleaned off the wheels.
I found the CQuartz application I mentioned earlier very easy and it is still going strong late into the second season since application. The wheels were new when I coated them, so I simply wiped them own with APC, then followed up with a wipe down of a coating prep spray (probably redundant on a new/never used wheel), and then applied the coating. Since you maintain the wheels so well, it would be similar. Clean them, hit them with prep spray, and then go to town.
My wheels are a pewter-like gray with a satin finish. I simply wiped on the coating and after a few minutes buffed off the high spots. There were very few, so the process was pretty fast. My wheels have some tight spots, so rather than using a normal applicator block, I created my own by cutting a chunk out of an old washing sponge and then wrapped it with the MF swatch.
Desertnate- Ah, OK...thanks, perfect feedback so the CQuartz goes onto the short-list!
Yeah, some of mine take a *lot* of different sized swabs/etc., which is one more reason why anything I hassle around with needs to really last.
It could be. I`ve been using the mild (i.e. green) Griots wheel cleaner. I just used the new Poorboys Non-Acid wheel cleaner for the first time and it didn`t seem to degrade the coating either. We`ll see how it goes, but I`ll probably be taking these wheels off for the season in 4~6 weeks.
The issue I have found when using it this often is the wheels seem to attract more dirt. I would probably use them every couple months or when the beading looks like it is starting to go.
I definitely agree. A lot of work up front but less work in the long run.
A wheel cleaner can be used with a coating. As long as it isn`t that harsh of a wheel cleaner than can damage any LSP.
Most wheel coatings can handle a wheel coating. I use one very now and then and on occasion will decon the wheels.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
Nice. Paint coatings work just as well as a dedicated wheel coating.
Competition Ready Team 1929 Bentley
1999 Silvermist Metallic Pontiac Grand Prix GT
2002 Arctic White Chevy Camaro SS
Dear all,
Sorry work has been busy so I couldnt login and reply sooner.
Actually I didnt expect so many feedback! Thank you for your kind responses.
Guess I cant be making individual replies so grouping them here:
The Guz,
Thank you very much and yes I am very concerned about whether the presence of clear coat affect which coating I should use?
briarpatch,
Why not thank you now eh? Thanks for the tips.
The Driver
I do not have Hydro2, hmm is it as good as a coating? I saw a few members recommended it before.
someidiot,
McKees doesnt sound very durable in your experience.
Does McKees help the wheels to clean easier (protection properties)?
RaydiantDetail,
I wasnt expecting to maintain every month if I already spend money on coating my wheels.
It seems to get rather costly in long run than wiping down with a spray sealant.
BudgetPlan1,
I actually dislike doing my wheels because after 1 day driving German brake dust cause me headache!
acuRAS82,
Thanks for the step by step procedure.
Woohohoho Soap and water for clean wheels? Music to my ears!
Hopefully I can get my wheels reasonably clean with diluted wheel cleaner / less scrubbing!
Btw I had run some aftermarket pads on my previous car.
They really help reduce the brake dust!
Hello!
My name is Dennis!
When it was on there, it did help. I actually made a post about how my new go-to regimen was wheel coating/HydroBlue and Meg`s non-acid wheel & tire cleaner. I could usually clean the wheel with just my pressure washer. but the coating seems to be gone and now it`s like a plain old wheel, requiring product and scrubbing.
I may give it a shot again, maybe with a different product and stop using the wheel cleaner.
I`m utterly astounded that so many people need to use Wheel Cleaners *with coatings*! My "problematic German cars" don`t need Wheel Cleaners and I just do their wheels with conventional LSPs. Ditto for recoating wheels annually.
Heh heh, this thread`s almost enough to convince me to *not* coat wheels any more!
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Honestly, I probably don`t need to and could get away with simply using my normal wash solution. It`s mostly out of habit. I`d be golden if I owned a power washer as that would probably be all I needed to keep the coated wheels clean 90% of the time.
For me, I`m too lazy to mix up two buckets of wash solution and dirty both of my wash mitts at the same time. I find it just as easy to rinse, spray on the cleaner, run a brush over everything, and rinse again.
Much as I do love my (ultra-cheapie) pressure washer, it only does the first part of the job, whether the wheels are coated or not. FWIW, I use the same spray bottle of (pretty potent) shampoo mix for the wheels that I need for the wells/etc. anyhow, just leave it hanging off the Wheels/Wells wash bucket.
Try it with the Shampoo Mix and you might find you don`t need the Wheel Cleaner (or, you might find that I`m all off-base!). No need to mix it up when it`s in the spray bottle Well...you do have to mix *that* up now and then.For me, I`m too lazy to mix up two buckets of wash solution and dirty both of my wash mitts at the same time. I find it just as easy to rinse, spray on the cleaner, run a brush over everything, and rinse again.
Don`t you use dedicated mitts/BHBs/etc. for the Wheels/etc.? I have maybe four or five different Wash Media for those areas (and yeah..another batch of stuff in another bucket setup for the undercarriage proper) that I just keep with the Wash/Rinse buckets that`re dedicated to those areas.
Heh heh, yeah...I guess I have a scad of different Wash/Rinse bucket setups All part of making the process go quicker/easier/smoother. Just having redundant systems for each side of the wash bay makes a huge difference for me...but as always that`s just me and I might be a little, uhm...different.
AND...this has me thinking (off-topic ) about the "mixing up wash solution". My Wash buckets, even the ones for the Wheels, don`t really get contaminated so I can use the same one repeatedly, sometimes adding a bit more shampoo if I think it`s become watered down. I do change the Undercarriage bucket, but it`s not part of a TBM (and I don`t use the foamgun under the car) so it gets contaminated.
For wheels protected with either Hydro Blue for 4-8 weeks or PBL wheel coating, I only use soap and water (if doing a traditional car wash that day) or waterless wash to remove any and all brake dust. Its a breeze. I only use the chemical wheel cleaners if I’m prepping for a new wheel coating... not so much because they need it, more so for piece of mind and decon just in case.
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