Cleaning clearcoated wheels. - KCSR

titan636 · 2013-06-21, 10:07 AM

So I got a set of SSR Professor SP1s, Ive never had really nice wheels before and im paranoid of scratching them/ruining them in any way. What do you guys use to clean your wheels? If they do get scratched, is there an easy way to get the scratches out of the clear coat?

**Scooby24** · 2013-06-21, 10:52 AM

Are they clear coated with paint, or powercoated clear? Powder coat is tough and you can use pretty aggressive tools on it. If it 's painted clear, you'll want to clean using something soft like a boar's hair lug nut brush. It will still put in light swirl marks but swirls in your wheel's clear coat will never be noticed. There simply isn't enough surface area to reflect light scratches and unless you are BELOW the wheel looking at it with a light source above, you won't see them in a light reflection like you will on your car's body panels.

If you wanted to be SUPER OCD about it you could choose to only clean using Microfiber media like a MF wash mitt or something similar, however even I won't go to that extent...simply because you won't see the difference...ever.

For cleaners stick with neutral or alkaline wheel cleaners. My cleaner of choice for 95% of wheels is automagic's MAGnificent paired with a boar's hair lug nut brush.

snm95ls · 2013-06-21, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooby24

Are they clear coated with paint, or powercoated clear? Powder coat is tough and you can use pretty aggressive tools on it. If it 's painted clear, you'll want to clean using something soft like a boar's hair lug nut brush. It will still put in light swirl marks but swirls in your wheel's clear coat will never be noticed. There simply isn't enough surface area to reflect light scratches and unless you are BELOW the wheel looking at it with a light source above, you won't see them in a light reflection like you will on your car's body panels.

If you wanted to be SUPER OCD about it you could choose to only clean using Microfiber media like a MF wash mitt or something similar, however even I won't go to that extent...simply because you won't see the difference...ever.

For cleaners stick with neutral or alkaline wheel cleaners. My cleaner of choice for 95% of wheels is automagic's MAGnificent paired with a boar's hair lug nut brush.

Greg, what would you recommend for removing aggressive brake dust, and protecting painted wheels.

I ASSume my wheels are painted versus PC. Dunno for sure.

**Scooby24** · 2013-06-21, 11:57 AM

If the wheels are in relatively good condition with the clear covering any exposed metal , you can use a wheel acid, diluted down. That seems to work really well on baked on brake dust. However, if there's any left over that the chemical couldn't remove with agitation, take a clay bar to it.

snm95ls · 2013-06-21, 12:38 PM

I have been keeping them clean (there is a Friday joke in there) so nothing really baked on yet.

Looking more for something to keep the brake dust from eating up the finish. They are damn near black with about 4 days worth of driving.

Myl DD wheels look like hell because of the brake dust.

**Scooby24** · 2013-06-21, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snm95ls

I have been keeping them clean (there is a Friday joke in there) so nothing really baked on yet.

Looking more for something to keep the brake dust from eating up the finish. They are damn near black with about 4 days worth of driving.

Myl DD wheels look like hell because of the brake dust.

If it's fresh, a good neutral or alkaline wheel cleaner is fine for routine maintenance. I've been using MAGnificent on my 2010 terrain's wheels since the day we bought it and they still look brand new.

Only problem is MAGnificent is bulk only.

I recently got a sample of Blackfire total eclipse wheel cleaner and it worked well, though it's a bit pricey at 14 bucks a bottle.

Sonax remains a good wheel cleaner though I really don't recommend it as it's actually a bit weaker than MAGnificent and costs about 100 times as much after diluting down MAGnificent. You read that right...100 times as much.

snm95ls · 2013-06-21, 12:48 PM

Jaheeeezus!

You pretty much have to buy Automagic from a dealer don't you? Rough cost on the MAGnificent?

**Scooby24** · 2013-06-21, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snm95ls

Jaheeeezus!

You pretty much have to buy Automagic from a dealer don't you? Rough cost on the MAGnificent?

Yup, you do. When I bought it, it was 29.99 for the gallon. Now...I've been using that same gallon for...roughly 4 years now...I think? So....it will last you.

edit: http://compare.ebay.com/like/3208785...Types&var=sbar

snm95ls · 2013-06-21, 12:50 PM

Wow! That is cheap.

Thanks for the help.

**Scooby24** · 2013-06-21, 01:32 PM

Dilute 4:1. Sam's club has pretty decent spray bottles in bulk...walmart has the same but I don't like the nozzles that come with theirs.

titan636 · 2013-06-21, 02:47 PM

they are painted clear, if they are already scratched is there anything you can do about it?

**Scooby24** · 2013-06-21, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by titan636

they are painted clear, if they are already scratched is there anything you can do about it?

You can try hand polishing but it's a real bitch, takes a long time. machine polishing is pretty much impossible without getting something like those drill attachment foam balls or whatever that are small enough to get in the cracks and crevices.

titan636 · 2013-06-21, 03:24 PM

just with a mothers powerball and some rubbing compound or actual metal polish?

**Scooby24** · 2013-06-21, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by titan636

just with a mothers powerball and some rubbing compound or actual metal polish?

Rubbing compound, definitely not metal polish.

titan636 · 2013-06-21, 05:52 PM

thanks!

2013-06-21, 10:07 AM	#1
titan636 Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 453 Post Thanks / Like Thanks (Given): 1 Thanks (Received): 1 Likes (Given): 0 Likes (Received): 4 Dislikes (Given): 0 Dislikes (Received): 1	Cleaning clearcoated wheels. So I got a set of SSR Professor SP1s, Ive never had really nice wheels before and im paranoid of scratching them/ruining them in any way. What do you guys use to clean your wheels? If they do get scratched, is there an easy way to get the scratches out of the clear coat? __________________ 93 RX7 Last edited by titan636; 2013-06-21 at 10:10 AM..

2013-06-21, 10:52 AM	#2
Scooby24 Super Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Olathe Posts: 52,495 Post Thanks / Like Thanks (Given): 52 Thanks (Received): 712 Likes (Given): 366 Likes (Received): 4050 Dislikes (Given): 27 Dislikes (Received): 40	Are they clear coated with paint, or powercoated clear? Powder coat is tough and you can use pretty aggressive tools on it. If it 's painted clear, you'll want to clean using something soft like a boar's hair lug nut brush. It will still put in light swirl marks but swirls in your wheel's clear coat will never be noticed. There simply isn't enough surface area to reflect light scratches and unless you are BELOW the wheel looking at it with a light source above, you won't see them in a light reflection like you will on your car's body panels. If you wanted to be SUPER OCD about it you could choose to only clean using Microfiber media like a MF wash mitt or something similar, however even I won't go to that extent...simply because you won't see the difference...ever. For cleaners stick with neutral or alkaline wheel cleaners. My cleaner of choice for 95% of wheels is automagic's MAGnificent paired with a boar's hair lug nut brush. __________________ -Greg '07 Forester XT Sports 5MT

2013-06-21, 11:57 AM	#4
Scooby24 Super Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Olathe Posts: 52,495 Post Thanks / Like Thanks (Given): 52 Thanks (Received): 712 Likes (Given): 366 Likes (Received): 4050 Dislikes (Given): 27 Dislikes (Received): 40	If the wheels are in relatively good condition with the clear covering any exposed metal , you can use a wheel acid, diluted down. That seems to work really well on baked on brake dust. However, if there's any left over that the chemical couldn't remove with agitation, take a clay bar to it. __________________ -Greg '07 Forester XT Sports 5MT

2013-06-21, 01:32 PM	#10
Scooby24 Super Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Olathe Posts: 52,495 Post Thanks / Like Thanks (Given): 52 Thanks (Received): 712 Likes (Given): 366 Likes (Received): 4050 Dislikes (Given): 27 Dislikes (Received): 40	Dilute 4:1. Sam's club has pretty decent spray bottles in bulk...walmart has the same but I don't like the nozzles that come with theirs. __________________ -Greg '07 Forester XT Sports 5MT

2013-06-21, 02:47 PM	#11
titan636 Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 453 Post Thanks / Like Thanks (Given): 1 Thanks (Received): 1 Likes (Given): 0 Likes (Received): 4 Dislikes (Given): 0 Dislikes (Received): 1	they are painted clear, if they are already scratched is there anything you can do about it? __________________ 93 RX7

2013-06-21, 03:24 PM	#13
titan636 Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 453 Post Thanks / Like Thanks (Given): 1 Thanks (Received): 1 Likes (Given): 0 Likes (Received): 4 Dislikes (Given): 0 Dislikes (Received): 1	just with a mothers powerball and some rubbing compound or actual metal polish? __________________ 93 RX7

2013-06-21, 05:52 PM	#15
titan636 Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 453 Post Thanks / Like Thanks (Given): 1 Thanks (Received): 1 Likes (Given): 0 Likes (Received): 4 Dislikes (Given): 0 Dislikes (Received): 1	thanks! __________________ 93 RX7