Wheel Wells

**eddie926** · 04-21-2008, 09:20 AM

How do you guys clean/dress wheel wells on cars where there isn`t much clearance? I lowered my Camry, and there`s a lot less room to work now, but you can still see and need to clean/dress the wells. I`m afraid to just spray away with a dressing now, because I can`t put the sprayer in past the tires and I`m afraid of getting stuff on the tire treads and making them slick.

Just wondering if anyone has any special techniques or tools for getting into tight wells

**howareb** · 04-21-2008, 10:02 AM

Well the easiest thing would be to remove the wheels, but that could take some time. The next best thing to do is to turn the wheels to the left and right. That should allow you the clearence to clean the wheel wells. With the dressing, just spray it to the applicator and apply instead of spraying the dressing all over the place.

**VroomVroom** · 04-21-2008, 10:33 AM

Yep - I either turn the wheels, or jack up the vehicle to unload the suspension.

**imported_jaobrien6** · 04-21-2008, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by howareb

Well the easiest thing would be to remove the wheels, but that could take some time. The next best thing to do is to turn the wheels to the left and right.

What about the rear wheel wells? Is remove your only option for really tight clearances?

**Sam Funteas** · 04-21-2008, 11:40 AM

You could jack it up and put it on jackstands for the rear.

**Accumulator** · 04-21-2008, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

Yep - I ..jack up the vehicle to unload the suspension.

I keep a pair of floorjacks in the shop just for this sort of thing, one on each side of the washbay.

**imported_Denzil** · 04-21-2008, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

I keep a pair of floorjacks in the shop just for this sort of thing, one on each side of the washbay.

Exactly what I do... except without the shop and washbay, hehe.

**howareb** · 04-21-2008, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by jaobrien6

What about the rear wheel wells? Is remove your only option for really tight clearances?

Nobody is going to look back there. Just Kidding

Unfortunately, like everyone else has said, the jack is your only friend for the rear. If you want to style in a low rider, this is the cost.

Maybe you can try to use a thin paint pad, but that will take sometime also. It looks like a time for creative invention. Maybe you can use some tire foam with a straw (similarly to what is on a can of WD-40). Maybe that will allow you to direct the foam into the rear areas. How much clearance are we talking about?

**eddie926** · 05-05-2008, 08:07 AM

[QUOTE=howareb;1111124 How much clearance are we talking about?[/QUOTE]

About 2 fingers between the tire and the lip of the wheel well both front and back. Not slammed, but way too tight to get in there with any kind of brush, etc. It`s dropped about 1-1/4 inches from stock.

Last time I did a conventional wash, I sprayed some Simple Green in the wells, let it dwell for a bit, then hosed it out. That seemed to do a pretty good job with the cleaning, but was unable to get in to do any kind of dressing.

Obviously, with that little clearance it`s a lot harder to actually see the wells too, but still would like to have them looking nice upon close inspection.

**abbeysdad** · 05-05-2008, 09:13 AM

As dressing, anybody use a tire spray in the wells?

**howareb** · 05-05-2008, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by abbeysdad

As dressing, anybody use a tire spray in the wells?

Yes, I use Stoner`s More Shine all the time in the Wheel Wells

**eddie926** · 05-05-2008, 10:01 AM

Do you mask the tire tread in some way, like by throwing a towel over the tire or something, or do you just spray away and allow the dressing to get on the tread?

I`m wondering if I need to be concerned about creating a dangerous situation where I get a slick dressing on my treads, or does it wear off the treads so fast that it`s not a concern?

Also, is there any concern with getting wheel well/tire dressings on suspension components?

**howareb** · 05-05-2008, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by eddie926

Do you mask the tire tread in some way, like by throwing a towel over the tire or something, or do you just spray away and allow the dressing to get on the tread?

I`m wondering if I need to be concerned about creating a dangerous situation where I get a slick dressing on my treads, or does it wear off the treads so fast that it`s not a concern?

Also, is there any concern with getting wheel well/tire dressings on suspension components?

I do not mask the tires personally. If you feel you must, it would be OK, but it may interfere with your access to the wheel wells. Almost any product that gets on the tire tread is going to wear/sling off pretty fast.

**David Fermani** · 05-05-2008, 11:28 AM

As long as the vehicle`s still wet, you can spray water based dressing in your wheel wells and not worry about getting a mist of dressing on your finished work.

**citizen arcane** · 05-05-2008, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by eddie926

Do you mask the tire tread in some way, like by throwing a towel over the tire or something, or do you just spray away and allow the dressing to get on the tread?

I`m wondering if I need to be concerned about creating a dangerous situation where I get a slick dressing on my treads, or does it wear off the treads so fast that it`s not a concern?

Also, is there any concern with getting wheel well/tire dressings on suspension components?

I`d like to know the answer to these questions as well.

Originally Posted by howareb

I do not mask the tires personally. If you feel you must, it would be OK, but it may interfere with your access to the wheel wells. Almost any product that gets on the tire tread is going to wear/sling off pretty fast.

:think2 Just another reason to burn out from the drive to the stop sign down the road!

"No officer, I was actually driving in a responsible manner. See I just detailed my undercarriage and was removing the excess from the tread of my tires, so`s not to lose control further down the street and cause a wreck." :lol