Alright guys here goes.

I'm tired of buying all these off the shelf wheel cleaners that suck. They cost about $6 each and barely do anything at all. Most the time I end up cleaning the Volk's by hand anyway.

I need a good wheel cleaner that will not damage my multi piece wheels and will get all of those tiny crevices like the bolt heads, and parts of the inner wheel.


Hit me with what you got!

 

Wheel cleaning does not come easily, unless of course they have been maintained through the years. Plus, proper impliments help a great deal. I have had great luck with :
Danase Assassin Wheel & Tire Cleaner 16oz.
Duragloss #821 All Wheel Cleaner 22oz
Four Star Ultimate Wheel Cleaner Gel 18oz
Optimum Power Clean 17oz
SC Beyond Steel Wheel Cleaner 24oz
Wheel Cleaner 'Felgen Reiniger' 16.9oz.

I have used all of these and find each and everyone superior to any OTC products......

 

i would highly suggest the power brush that goes onto a cordless drill. it really is awesome. i just spray some all purpose on the wheel then use the power brush....and its fun! lol

 

If you want something with a ton of cleaning power and totally safe for your wheels, look into investing some serious money with P21S Wheel Cleaner Gel. It goes for $102.95 for a 5L jug. A cheaper alternative to this is Chemical Guys Sticky Wheel Gel.

If you don't want to spend that much, you can always go with the ones that Patrick mentioned.

 

All I use is a very plush cheneel mitt and the tail end of the wash water. I'm not a wheel cleaner fan... first application and any protection you have on the wheel is gone and some can be a little harsh on the clear.

My method has always worked on these wheels.

 

i am the same as dale, i never use wheel cleaner, but i dont use the tail end of the wash soap any more either....

i do the wheels and wheel wells first with a microfibre mitt for wheels and sponge for the wells, then i use a seperate bucket for the car after i do the wheels and stuff....i do this now so that my car isnt sitting clean and wet while i do the wheels....

 

Guys, he has a need for a wheel cleaner though. Those of you/us who frequently clean wheels can get by with hi pressure or just soapy water and a sponge/mitt. Im assuming his have been neglected somewhat and he needs a boost.....

 

The best wheel cleaner combo, use the EZ detail wheel brush from exceldetail with some Meguiars Wheel Brightener. The Megs product is around 20 dollars and has to be diluted. Don't leave it on for too long otherwise you are SOL.

 

I just ordered some P21S gel cleaner for my powdercoated work wheels that have polished lips.. I've read around that people say it makes the condition of wheels look worse because the marring and hazing of the lips stand out more... I have some poorboys wheel sealant too, anyone know if this combo will fair well with my powdercoated work wheels w/ polished lips? I know I shouldn't be using any metal polishes because of damage to the clear coat...anyone have any suggestions/tips? or am i fine with what i have.

 

I use P21S Wheel Cleaner Gel when wheels are very dirty.I use cheap car wash soap or apc most of the time.I also use the EZ detail wheel brush and the power brush.

 

I'm a littl confused .. are your wheels powder coated or clear clated or both? What about the lips .. are they clear coated? And if you read it makes the lips look worse why would you buy it? And if the wheel lips aren't clear coated then metal polish is fine "BUT" watch wheel cleaners on non-cleared wheels/lips as some can really haze them.

 

No not neglected at all one bit. Clean as can be actually. My car is washed at least once a week.

I'm super anal about it and only use certain products on it.

I'm mainly looking for something that will penetrate the rivots on the wheels. It's pretty difficult to clean each individual one every time.

That's why I was asking for a cleaner.

 

If you look at my wheels above they have Allen Head style bolts and I have no trouble keeping them clean with just a plush Chenelle mitt and wash water.

 

It sounds like a little brush agitation is your friend here. There is really nothing that you can use that will just magically dissolve it all away. Your going to need to perform some labor of some sort.

 

^ Agreed.








^

I hate the time it takes to clean my mesh wheels...

I picked up the power brush and I think it speeds things up a bit but I still need to perform cleaning by hand.

 

sorry for any confusion

-powdercoated wheels
-clearcoated polished lips

will the combo of the p21s and poorboys wheel sealant fair well together

I bought it because of the numerous reviews on it, maybe that one person had no clearcoat causing the hazing

anyways thanks for the help guys

 

For wheels w/ clearcoated lips I know you should use polishes that are safe for paint, any otc polishes people would recommend instead of buying menzerna from autogeek

 

I figured as much when I read the "possible neglect" comment.

Those rivets plus Brembo Brake dust =

Toothbrush?

 

I usually just use the tail end of the wash water... but with Pat's DG sale, I decided to try out the DG #821. All I can say is that shit is awesome. 80% of the grime was off by just spraying the entire wheel, let er sit for ~2min, and hose off. I only had to scrub down the corner and cracks. I have a shitload of rivets too. I usually settle with it being still dusty, but even the rivets came out almost shiny (Though they'll just get dirty again once the rain comes back ).

 

wong05tsx, what did you use to clean and/or polish your wheel lips

 

I use this "Wheel wax Wheel wax" stuff every month or so. Works well against brake dust, brings the shine out, and doesn't leave a haze. During normal maintenance I usually just use the tail end of the water, but now that I got the DG #821, I'll most likely use that for my maintenence wash since it makes things much easier/faster.

Product:
http://www.autopia.org/shopping/product/Wheel-Wax.html
though I bought it at a local detailing shop

Having mesh style wheels & lots of rivets is a ***** to upkeep

 

You will find Wheel Wax only lasts a month or a few washes at best. Even when Tire Rack was selling it thier ad said needs to be applied every few washes or once a month.

You will get a lot longer life out of a sealant like NuFinish or Duragloss $105 and at a lot lower $$. #105 is also great on the car paint .. Its my go to.

 

can you layer Duragloss 105? Also you might want to try Rejex, a bunch of BMW owners swear by it...

 

Yes, the cleaners arent that strong where they will compromise the previous layer.
As for Rejex, its more a long the lines of ummm.....NuFinish. Very strong oxidation cleaner (petro distillates). And decent protection. I would bet a side by side would reveal very little difference actually......
I had a Porsche client ask me about the bottle of Rejex he had, I told him I wouldnt use it......

 

Whats this "power brush" I keep reading about? I have always sworn by only using soap and water for my rims.....but now my GT-V's have the hex's screws in them.....and it gonna be a PIA!

 

Try here.......

 

Exactly!

 

What would you guys suggested for painted wheels and a poly lip?



These wheels were stacked up in a garage for a couple years before I got them and they weren't cleaned before stacked. I want to try to get them back to decent shape but I want to make sure I don't mess up the painted surface.

What products would you suggest for the wheel surfaces(black paint and poly lip) I have Tuf-shine cleaner/clear coat for the tires already so I'm focused on the wheels.

 

That's exactly what I do as well....and it has worked fine. In my last detailing products spending spree I went ahead and bought an EZ Detail autobrush from eshine.ca.
Wow, what a let down! IMO, the mitt/soap solution works far better....mind you I regularly clean my wheels so crud doesn't have a chance to collect and start eating away at the clearcoat.

 

No suggestions for cleaner for nearly entirely painted wheel surfaces? I'm worried I'll end up getting something designed for metal surfaces.

 

Are the wheels powdercoated or painted? My Volks are powdercoated and have been using Eagle One forever.

I just got some Chemical Guys Sticky Gel and will be trying it out tomorrow.

Oh yeah, I so want an EZ-Detail Brush. Does anyone know where i can get one locally? Or a good deal with free shipping?

 

I'm pretty sure they're painted... Is there an easy way to tell?

 

$23.00
Or

$5.00

I dont get it!?
If you guys want me to charge more, I certainly can!!
Difference is the Laitner is not flexible.....

 

Hey... I got one of those $5 jobs and it works great....

 

OTC wheel cleaner for painted wheels? Suggestions?

 

You know I have gotten so spoiled with the Laitner Power brush, I dont use mine a lot Dale! I usually use the Rim and Spoke brush when the wheels arent too bad, which isnt too often! Thanks for the kudos on the brush though Dale.......!
Have you ever tried Duragloss AWC?

 

^ Nope but that looks like THE shit based off the description.

I may be placing another order .....

 

DG AWC is good for wheels that are well cared for but not great for anything caked on.



P21S wheel gel is next on the list for me.

 

LOL, Pat, I have one of those $5 brushes too, but once in awhile I'm tell myself "I wish this was a little flexible"

 

Pat, of these you suggested, which would be the best for really dirty wheels?

Like...caked-on dirt on the inside of the rims.