Suspension/Wheels/Tires/Brakes

What do you clean your wheels with?

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Old 07-13-03, 03:36 PM
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What do you clean your wheels with?

What products do you guys use to clean your wheels. I know some products can't be used with clear coated wheels and that type of stuff, so what does everybody like?

Also, do you use any kind of wax to protect them?
Old 07-13-03, 06:25 PM
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I currently use Eagle One Multi-purpose wheel cleaner but I've heard the Maguiar's multi cleans even better.

FWIW, if the wheels aren't very dirty, I would just clean them with normal car wash soap (after the rest of the car is clean).

And yes, waxing them is certainly a good idea. Just think of your wheels as any other painted piece of metal on the car....
Old 07-13-03, 06:45 PM
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Soap in water. I don't have a lot of trust in the dedicated wheel cleaners as I've heard some horror stories. I just scrub really well.
Old 07-13-03, 08:08 PM
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What would u guys reccomend cleaning the chrome factory wheels with?
Old 07-13-03, 08:55 PM
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Yeah I've just been using soap and water but I was curious as to what others are using.

Thanks
Old 07-14-03, 07:35 AM
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Eagle One all finish wheel cleaner or soap and water. The Eagle One stuff I have used for years and it does no damage to the painted stock wheel finish. Regardless of which I use it still takes a scrubber to get the HP+ residue off the wheel.
Old 07-14-03, 01:28 PM
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On the stockers I found that the Meguiars (in the pink spray bottle) worked best. On the Fikses I just used soap and water--I applied some wheel wax I got from the tire rack, and the brake dust comes off very easily
Old 07-14-03, 09:47 PM
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Be careful with the wheel cleaner stuff. Some of the that **** is really corrosive. It ruined the clearcoat of my old set of rims. The finish became very dull and porous(sp?) where the brake dust wouldn't come off.

I just use soap and water on my new ones. I need to wax 'em when my car gets back form the shop.


Also, be care full when you take your car to those full service car washes..who knows what they are using on your wheels.
Old 07-14-03, 10:25 PM
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is there anything that not only washes the brake dust off, but keeps it off too?
Old 07-15-03, 01:29 AM
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Originally posted by TurboFD
is there anything that not only washes the brake dust off, but keeps it off too?
Yep, not braking!

There's no magic formula. Just keep your wheels waxed and wash them once a week (or at least twice a month). It's the price you pay for having performance brake pads. Hell, I wash the wheels on my wife's Protege like once every 4-6 weeks and they're not even close to as dirty as mine after 2 weeks.
Old 07-15-03, 10:34 AM
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Thats all I was worried about, was the clear coming off my new SSR Comps, if I used wheel cleaner. I have seen that **** take the clearcoat off a car before. I guess I'll just stick with the soap and water.
Old 07-15-03, 04:47 PM
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The multi-purpose wheel cleaners will not harm your wheels or clearcoat. It's the mag/chrome type of wheel cleaner that will do that.

But car wash and water is the gentlest if it gets the job done.
Old 07-15-03, 05:28 PM
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Originally posted by TurboFD
is there anything that not only washes the brake dust off, but keeps it off too?
I clean my wheels (and car) with turtle wax car soap and water. Keep brake dust off too? When done cleaning the car spray the wheels liberally with Eagle One Wax-As-You-Dry. And don't wipe the Wax off, just leave it on and let it dry. You'll barely be able to see it once completely dry, and it leaves a protective layer inbetween wheel and brake dust!!! SUPER easy to clean wheels and I use Porterfield R4S pads on polished aluminum clear coated wheels.

I also spray that stuff on front of car and don't wipe off. Makes cleaning dirt and bugs off the front of car much easier too.

http://eagleone.com/_products/2,2088618.asp

Last edited by DriveFast7; 07-15-03 at 05:33 PM.
Old 07-15-03, 05:38 PM
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I use the Griot's wheel cleaner to clean my wheels. It is approved by BBS. Here is a link to their webpage.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/index.jsp

These guys have the best cleaning supplies that I have ever seen. Every once in a while I put a lite coat of their wax on the wheels to keep them clean.

- Cody
Old 07-15-03, 09:27 PM
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i hand polish all of mine and all that come to me. i use jewelers goo polish and cleaner. takes me ruffly 1 hr per wheel. but it makes them shine
Old 07-16-03, 05:18 AM
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Originally posted by GoodfellaFD3S
On the stockers I found that the Meguiars (in the pink spray bottle) worked best. On the Fikses I just used soap and water--I applied some wheel wax I got from the tire rack, and the brake dust comes off very easily
Yup, the Meguires is the best.
I use it also.
Old 07-16-03, 07:22 AM
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I dont know if its true, but someone told me that after washing the wheels, you should spray them down with some static spray. I guess the dust is magnetic.




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