wheel brightener/wheels/advice...PICS included

M

melissa809

New member
Hey guys...I normally wash my wheels with car wash soap but the break dust on the lugnut area...there are striations.....was impossible to clean. My wheels are stock...machined aluminum with clearcoat. I used meguiars wheel brightener. Whereas there was no damage done to the face of my wheels, the lugnut areas are somewhat cloudy in spots.



Anyway, I tried clay bar and then meguiars step one paint cleaner on these areas and it looks like it helped some. I was wondering, would I have more success with Ice Liquid Clay...step one...I have a bottle of this stuff.



I have some before and after pics. Your advice is greatly appreciated. I also want to add that these lugnut area, after using the clay and paint cleaner, were showing alot of dirt on my microfiber.



http://www.autopia.org/forum/attach...ent.php?attachmentid=15163&stc=1&d=1271440602
 

Attachments

  • wheel before.jpg
    wheel before.jpg
    23.5 KB · Views: 253
  • wheel after.jpg
    wheel after.jpg
    22.3 KB · Views: 209
well, there are tiny indentations on the striations in the lugnut area..I have 0000 steel wool. Would this be better to use to get rid of the cloudiness and "indentations"?
 
melissa809 said:
Hey guys...I normally wash my wheels with car wash soap but the break dust on the lugnut area...there are striations.....was impossible to clean. My wheels are stock...machined aluminum with clearcoat. I used meguiars wheel brightener. Whereas there was no damage done to the face of my wheels, the lugnut areas are somewhat cloudy in spots.



Anyway, I tried clay bar and then meguiars step one paint cleaner on these areas and it looks like it helped some. I was wondering, would I have more success with Ice Liquid Clay...step one...I have a bottle of this stuff.



I have some before and after pics. Your advice is greatly appreciated. I also want to add that these lugnut area, after using the clay and paint cleaner, were showing alot of dirt on my microfiber.



http://www.autopia.org/forum/attach...ent.php?attachmentid=15163&stc=1&d=1271440602
Click to expand...





What kind of SVT do you have? Terminator?
 
Wheel acid is an effective product to clean heavy buildup on chrome & clearcoated wheels, but requires neutralization with an alkaline product to mitigate the corrosive etching. Chances are the acid burned/etched that section of your wheel because it pooled there and didn't get totally flushed away. Not sure, but because the product (polish)you already used slightly worked, you might try removing the wheel and using a more abrasive product like Meg's M105. Can't totally tell from your pictures if there is cracking of the clear, but if the clear is just blushed you should have decent luck at correcting a good part of this problem.



DON'T USE STEEL WOOL!!!
 
If I was completely focused on correcting this, I'd remove the wheel from the car and attempt to correct with polishes.



The Meg's Wheel Brightener is a potent product and has very specific health risks associated with it. I'd use it with great caution and certainly not rely upon it for my weekly cleaning.
 
melissa809 said:
Thanks for the smart *** answer
Click to expand...



Not a smart **s answer at all. Have you ever looked into the dangers of these chemicals? If you had, you probably would choose not to put it any where near you or your car.
 
melissa809- It does look like the finish has been compromised from the long term brake dust exposure and/or the Wheel Brightener. I'd see if some fairly aggressive polishing (with the wheels off the car so you can really access the areas in question) makes things a little better.
 
brwill2005 said:
Not a smart **s answer at all. Have you ever looked into the dangers of these chemicals? If you had, you probably would choose not to put it any where near you or your car.
Click to expand...



brwill2005,



What would you recommend as an alternative? I'm starting up a mobile business this summer and was thinking of picking some up after reading all the raves about how effortlessly it removes all brake dust. My only concern is how dangerous it is, and since I had relatively little luck finding out how to identify different types of wheels, I don't want to screw up a client's wheels. So what do you use for those really filthy jobs? What is compares in terms of cleaning ability that doesn't have the dangers (health as well as ruining wheels)?
 
Playa, you should give consideration to Valugard's wheel cleaner. It's a stronger product intended for production type environments, not weekly use by the casual detailer. They say it's safe for all OE type surfaces.



It tends to be thicker and you let it set for a min or two prior to agitation/rinsing.
 
OP, did you dilute the Megs Wheel Brightner or did you use it full strength? From what I understand, to safely use it it has to be cut 4:1 with water at least.
 
Just out of interest, and I ask this because it was recommended to me by a classic car collector who has had some interesting projects over the years but I'm wary of trying it.

Has anyone ever used Non-caustic oven cleaner to clean really, really badly embedded brake dust on alloy wheels before.

The alloys in question are stained quite brown because of years of being attached to a courier's van that was seldom washed. They're a awkward spoke pattern and I guess the owner just couldn't be bothered.

I've tried Meg's wheel brightener and I've tried the usual acids etc.. with little effect. The oven cleaner was recommended but it's pretty clearly stated on the back of the can that it's a good idea to keep away from aluminium



The one factor that I have in the back of my mind is that these wheels couldn't look much worse than they do now but I'd hate to destroy them.
 
hockeyplaya13 said:
brwill2005,



What would you recommend as an alternative? I'm starting up a mobile business this summer and was thinking of picking some up after reading all the raves about how effortlessly it removes all brake dust. My only concern is how dangerous it is, and since I had relatively little luck finding out how to identify different types of wheels, I don't want to screw up a client's wheels. So what do you use for those really filthy jobs? What is compares in terms of cleaning ability that doesn't have the dangers (health as well as ruining wheels)?
Click to expand...



It is my go-to wheel cleaner for client's cars, if a less aggressive method doesn't cut it. It does remove brake dust effortlessly. I tend to dilute it a lot more, closer to 10:1 and use gloves when handling. Pretty much all recent OEM wheels are clearcoated and unless the clearcoat is compromised, you can use it. I would go with a less aggressive cleaner first like APC or Aluminum Wheel Cleaner, and if that doesn't work then step it up to the big guns. I really cannot stress enough how useful this product is though, if you are careful.
 
JimmyCutlass said:
.... Pretty much all recent OEM wheels are clearcoated and unless the clearcoat is compromised, you can use it...
Click to expand...



That brings up something I always wonder about- aren't *most* customers'/"normal people"'s wheels compromised in that sense? Curb rash, etc. etc.? I know the wheels on Accumulatorette's A8 have a bit of damage, and I think her car's less abused than most :think:
 
LoL. "Accumlatorette's A8."



Anyways, to add to this thread:



I did a car the other day and his wheels were BAD. I'm talking heavily embedded into the clear. It took a lot of work to get the wheel to the point on the left. I was told Meg's wheel brightener would assist in speeding up my work. Would this work?



Here are some photos of a car I worked on. I hit everything with 4:1 Meg's D103 (APC) and used Optimum ONR to wipe the wheel down. This is the result AFTER that:



nissanmaximawheel1.jpg


nissanmaximawheel.jpg




I got the part on the left cleaned off after A LOT of elbow grease with Mother's Polish. I mean it was really tough! So would D140 (Wheel Brightener) cut through that?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top