Wheel acid

A

alloutdetailing

New member
I noticed that a lot of people on here do not use wheel acid to clean. Is there something I don't know about? I been using it for years and it will bring up the worst grime on the whole wheel. Since I been looking at videos on line I see that a lot of people sit there cleaning the rims by hand. I don't know maybe I'm doing something wrong.



It takes me about 3-5 mins top to clean all the wheels on a car and they come out 110% clean! I have customers that I been doing for years and the wheels are still fine. Please any comments will help thanks.
 
Wheel acid is a necessary evil in the car wash industry for its speed and cost effectiveness, so it is used at car washes and lots of low end detailing operations. if used effectively it can be benefical for bad wheels. the concern seems to be about damage to the surface of the wheel and damage to the user. i know i have seen chrome wheels that were repeatedly cleaned in acid, that were starting to show the copper layer through the chrome. i do have acid in my detailing arsenal for bad bmw wheels. i wear gloves and a mask, and thoroughly rinse the wheel with soap after the acid, because it can drip even after the car seems dry, the car moves and it drips. it can also damage caliper paint on nice cars, stain untreated calipers on most cars, and damge ceramic rotors on porsche etc. I have also heard about long term health concerns related to its regular use.
 
Concerns about health and environmental risks are a major factor in many people's decisions to use it. I keep some on hand and use it when necessary, but if i have the option ill pass on it most of the time just because it can be pretty nasty stuff.
 
I mostly do rush jobs. Or at least during the week so I guess this is why I use it. Good thing to know. I do notice that the rotors on most low end Honda,Toyota,Nissan and what not the metal tends to dull out extremely fast! But once they drive it they come right back.
 
For wheels that are in very good condition there should not be a problem, however chrome or cc wheels that have curb rash can become a problem as the acid will seep into these small openings and start to attack the metal causing delamination of the outer coating.
 
I never use wheel acid, at least the ones that contain HF or ABF. The one I do use very rarely, contains a very mild acid combination. Most of the cars I work on only require ONR and a MF towel to clean the wheels. Honestly, if someones wheels are so filthy that I need to use a toxic chemical, I would rather not want them as a customer. Those types of people tend to call you after they have neglected their car for years, and never call again.
 
You have to remember a lot of guys here, not that there is anything wrong with it, do a lot of newer and pretty clean cars that don't require much as far as a wash goes. I've been using acidic wheel cleaners for painted and coated wheels for years without problems. It makes my job much easier and faster.
 
There is nothing wrong with using acid, you just don't want to put it on the wrong finish. ie polished aluminum or billet aluminum. Sometimes the acid and the sprayer of your pressure washer can get into tighter nooks and crannies than a brush and mild cleaner.





John
 
Danase said:
I've been using acidic wheel cleaners for painted and coated wheels for years without problems. It makes my job much easier and faster.
Click to expand...



What brands have you used and do you like?



I can generally get away with car wash on well maintained wheels.



Sometimes I may need some APC to help out.



On a rare instance I may needed Tire and Wheel Assassin but I don't think that counts as an acid.
 
acids can attack rubber seals and hoses that are a part of some break assemblies. It also reacts with raw metal on rotors and calipers. An acid is fine to use on badly treated CC or chome wheels but should not be used as a regular cleaner for automobiles. The best thing to do is just to keep them clean but a lot of customers don't care about their cars like you or I.
 
bert31 said:
What brands have you used and do you like?



I can generally get away with car wash on well maintained wheels.



Sometimes I may need some APC to help out.



On a rare instance I may needed Tire and Wheel Assassin but I don't think that counts as an acid.
Click to expand...



I only use one brand. ;) I used to love Eagle A2Z but they changed something in it and I stopped using it a while ago.
 
The people who run the Metro rail system in Washington DC, were fined $200,000 for using HF acid to clean the trains without the proper containment system.
 
brwill2005 said:
The people who run the Metro rail system in Washington DC, were fined $200,000 for using HF acid to clean the trains without the proper containment system.
Click to expand...



They were not fined for using it they were fined for dumping it into the water system without treating it and causing a sewer to fail.
 
I would like to chime in on this also. As many of us on here, I started out in a couple of dealerships learning the basics of detailing. and we would always use "wheel bright" from "Showcar" it is a NON_Acid, NON-Butyl, Biodegradable wheel cleaner. It is safe on all alloy or clear coated wheels, but not chrome or steel. I've never had any issuse myself with it, but i have seen some other people have problems when they spray it on a HOT wheel. But This stuff is amazing! Spray on let it sit for about 20 seconds and Spray it off and ALL the NASTY brake dust gone! Even back inside the wheels and spoke and everything! but would this be considered "ACID" since it says "NON-ACID"?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top