Tip of the week: Wheel cleaning and finishing...

[pelotonracer2]

After washing my car and drying it off, I move to finishing the wheels. Since my wheels are gloss black I mainly use soft towels or microfiber towels to dry with to reduce or eliminate swirls in the paint. Once dry, I fold a microfiber towel so that it resembles a triangle and insert into each lug hole and move it all the way around the lug nut hole to remove excess water AND to clean/polish the lug nuts. About every 2-3 washes I will add a coat of Maguire's NXT Tech wax 2.0 OR if I'm in more of a hurry I'll use Turtle Wax ICE synthetic polish to the wheel face and buff off with micro fiber towel. After buffing the wax off the wheels, I apply Maguire's Gold Class Endurance tire gel to the tires using Eagle One tire swipes (which I LOVE by the way). I apply the gel very liberally (i.e. very wet). I then spray either Rain-X glass cleaner with repellent OR Stoner Invisible Glass with repellent onto a clean dry micro fiber towel and do a final wipe down of the wheel surface to remove any gel that may have gotten on the lip/rims. I'm usually very careful about getting tire dressing on my wheels, but sometimes a little gets on the edge of the lip. I use the glass cleaner w/repellent because it appears to keep brake dust off my wheels and calipers MUCH longer than just wiping them down with spray detailer. After letting the tires soak with the tire gel, the last step is to wipe excess tire gel from the tire shoulder slots and from the tire it's self using a "throw away" microfiber towel so that excess gel doesn't get slung all over the side of my car. It still looks shiny black and has a wet look after the wipe down. The end result of the wheel/tire looks fantastic with very little brake dust accumulation on wheels and calipers after a few days and no tire gel sling on sides of the car.

In my next installment I'll show you how to achieve a complete car detail in one hour or less using a step by step process.

 

[MKVIIST]

Good advice. For the lazy folks like me, in between car washes, I'll take my leaf blower and blow off any extra brake dust, seems to help a bit lol.

 

[Perry]

I find if I don't use the brakes, the brake dust doesn't accumulate nearly so quickly. . . .

 

[pelotonracer2]

I find if I don't use the brakes, the brake dust doesn't accumulate nearly so quickly. . . .

Actually, you will still get brake dust... LOL

 

[rooSTer]

I find if I don't use the brakes, the brake dust doesn't accumulate nearly so quickly. . . .

bahaha, or you can just stick your foot out the door and use that for brakes.

 

[NorthernProducer]

After washing my car and drying it off, I move to finishing the wheels. Since my wheels are gloss black I mainly use soft towels or microfiber towels to dry with to reduce or eliminate swirls in the paint. Once dry, I fold a microfiber towel so that it resembles a triangle and insert into each lug hole and move it all the way around the lug nut hole to remove excess water AND to clean/polish the lug nuts. About every 2-3 washes I will add a coat of Maguire's NXT Tech wax 2.0 OR if I'm in more of a hurry I'll use Turtle Wax ICE synthetic polish to the wheel face and buff off with micro fiber towel. After buffing the wax off the wheels, I apply Maguire's Gold Class Endurance tire gel to the tires using Eagle One tire swipes (which I LOVE by the way). I apply the gel very liberally (i.e. very wet). I then spray either Rain-X glass cleaner with repellent OR Stoner Invisible Glass with repellent onto a clean dry micro fiber towel and do a final wipe down of the wheel surface to remove any gel that may have gotten on the lip/rims. I'm usually very careful about getting tire dressing on my wheels, but sometimes a little gets on the edge of the lip. I use the glass cleaner w/repellent because it appears to keep brake dust off my wheels and calipers MUCH longer than just wiping them down with spray detailer. After letting the tires soak with the tire gel, the last step is to wipe excess tire gel from the tire shoulder slots and from the tire it's self using a "throw away" microfiber towel so that excess gel doesn't get slung all over the side of my car. It still looks shiny black and has a wet look after the wipe down. The end result of the wheel/tire looks fantastic with very little brake dust accumulation on wheels and calipers after a few days and no tire gel sling on sides of the car.

In my next installment I'll show you how to achieve a complete car detail in one hour or less using a step by step process.

Nice tip...Thanks.

 

[wrongwheeldrive]

In my next installment I'll show you how to achieve a complete car detail in one hour or less using a step by step process.

I am eagerly awaiting your next installment!! Although it will now be a annual pro-tip.

 

[shmogie]

I just had my ST detailed, and the wheels are once again truly cleaned. The wheels were waxed, and I am using a product from Armour all (sp?) "brake dust repellent" and so far it seems to be working well. Haven't had a run on the twisty windy mountain roads where i do extreme slicing and dicing and come home with filthy wheels from the stock pads. We'll see how it works then

 

[DaveG99]

Brake dust is ridiculous on these cars. Black rims help to hide it some though

 

[FistSt215]

I try the griot wheel cleaner paid like 18 bucks plus tax at pep boys . It works well it does get all the brake dust and grime off my sparcos . I made the mistake and didn't do it while the wheels were cool. It's expensive and the bottle half gone . Will I buy it again ? Probably not because it's expensive and you probably get 2 maybe 3 times of use out of the bottle . I hate cleaning these wheels so I gave it a try .

 

[Siestarider]

I agree the Griot wheel cleaner is expensive, better to buy a gallon right off, its a lot cheaper per clean. I use a "Daytona" long spiral brush, then a shorter stiffer bristle to get corners.

Mostly I clean and wax wheels off the car, since I am switching street to race and back reasonably often. Put them away clean and waxed, really nice to remount.