Industrial strength alloy wheel cleaner

Industrial strength alloy wheel cleaner

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All that jazz

Original Poster:

7,632 posts

145 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
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Greetings detailing overlords smile. Is there such a thing as an industrial strength alloy wheel cleaner that will easily remove the hard blobs of brake "dust" that have accumulated in the nooks of my wheels? Unfortunately nothing I've thrown at them thus far has made any real impact and I do not have the patience to sit there scrubbing away at them for more than 30 seconds. I did use some Wonder Wheels once with the little brush applicator thingy but all that did was make my fingers sting a lot as it ran straight down the wheel and onto the ground because it was too runny. I also tried some other product (can't remember name) which was a spray-on-leave-for-60-seconds-wipe-off affair which did the grand total of feck all. Thanks. smile

paintman

7,669 posts

189 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
quotequote all
Patience & hard toothbrush & scrub. The longer you've left them the bigger & harder the deposits will be to remove.

This is the TDS for Wonder Wheels & it contains hydrochloric & phosphoric acid amongst other things.
https://www.tetrosyl.com/images/stories/virtuemart...

If you don't want to wait then you could try something with a greater amount of acid in it - brick cleaner also contains hydrochloric & phosporic acid - but don't be surprised if it damages the clearcoat on the wheel.

I did use a boat cleaner (I use it to remove rust stains on the boat - https://www.mailspeedmarine.com/rust-stain-remover... as normal strength cleaner wasn't having much effect on some truly horrendous alloys & whist it shifted the muck it left them dull - the owner had been warned that this was a likely consequence but as it was a lease return his only interest was that they looked clean. I don't know what it contains, the label just says 'DANGER CORROSIVE'.

I have yet to see an owner's handbook that recommends throwing acid on alloy wheels, the usual advice is frequent washing with warm soapy water

All that jazz

Original Poster:

7,632 posts

145 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
quotequote all
frown That's not the answer I was hoping for. Even though I changed the pads on my Focus ST to a less soft compound they still produce a monumental amount of brake dust which is impossible to keep on top of when you're not able to clean it at least once a week. I don't have time to be nannying them and spending time scrubbing with a tooth brush. mad

Bellini

768 posts

150 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
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Rather than constantly attacking your wheels with an acidic solution, you may be better off having them professionally refurbished and waxed with a recommended wheel wax. Examples below.

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/wheel-seal...

This will reduce (but not eliminate) the tendency for the brake dust to adhere to the wheels and will make cleaning much quicker and easier.


Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
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Look for something like IronX to get rid of the brake dust, Auto Finesse/Geyeon do their own versions, both of which I've used:


MR2 wheel clean by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

The purple is the iron contaminated dissolving. I also use a similar product to remove tar spots.

Then, as has previously been mentioned, I put a couple of layers of wheel sealant on - which means that for the rest of the year I can just use normal soapy water to clean the wheels.


MR2 wheel clean by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Alex_225

6,234 posts

200 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
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As above, IronX or similar is what you're best off with.

There's no real quick fix that's not acidic and effectively harmful to the finish.

IronX for removing the brake dust and those kinds of nasties, Tardis to remove tar spots and if you want to go crazy go for claying the wheels too. Once they clean apply a sealant to them and then all you'll need to do going forward is wash them with a normal wash mitt each time you do the car.

smudgerebt

241 posts

112 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
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If you can get to stockport i can give you some wheel acid and a version of ironx.

Oh and you will need some tar remover as well. Got some of that you can have as well.

alanyork

308 posts

161 months

Saturday 16th July 2016
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Ive used Acidtone brick cleaner on my van wheels, It works.

All that jazz

Original Poster:

7,632 posts

145 months

Sunday 17th July 2016
quotequote all
Thanks all.

smudgerebt said:
If you can get to stockport i can give you some wheel acid and a version of ironx.

Oh and you will need some tar remover as well. Got some of that you can have as well.
I used to be over that way nearly every night of the week but unfortunately not anymore and it's too far from Leeds but thanks all the same smile.


Which product do the Detailing Gods recommend I go for then? A cursory look at ironx on Ebay reveals a lot of CarPro products in spray bottles or paste tubes confused . As usual with these things, looking for something that will just do the job with minimal effort at a reasonable price point. I don't mind paying more for something that just works if it frees up my time to do other more interesting things.

Will I need tar remover and brake dust cleaner or will just one do?

Here's what the fronts currently look like :

http://imgur.com/a/xr9Mw (click for big size)

First one hasn't been touched for about 6 months. Other 3 pics are of n/s wheel which I attacked last weekend without much success. frown

If anyone fancies volunteering to do them for me in exchange for some readies I'm all ears. (why doesn't the ears smiley work?)

smile

Edited by All that jazz on Sunday 17th July 19:02

227bhp

10,203 posts

127 months

Sunday 17th July 2016
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You could always take it to a car valeter or detailer if you can't can't be arsed.
If you can't even be bothered to do that, you might find someone to take it for you or they may come to your house.
If you can't be bothered with that i'm not sure what to suggest, maybe just moan on the internet until someone comes and offers to help or something?
It's a tough life.

Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Sunday 17th July 2016
quotequote all
These are the tar/iron removers I am currently using:
http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/gyeon-q2m-...
http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/gyeon-q2m-...

(Although this looks interesting too: http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/bilt-hambe...

As per my earlier reply I put a sealant on the wheels, so I only need to use normal car shampoo when I wash the car. This is the stuff I use: http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/poorboys-w...

I wash my wheels off the car, but if you want to clean the inner face of the wheel, these are great: http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/pb-wheel-w...

All that jazz

Original Poster:

7,632 posts

145 months

Sunday 17th July 2016
quotequote all
smile Thanks Lewis.

Do I need both the wheel cleaner (bilt hamber) and a tar remover then? Or will the wheel cleaner work fine on its own? That site's prices seem decent enough and it appears to be free delivery too.

Looking at my previously attacked wheel, would you say that wheel cleaner would make short work of that hardened brake dust in between the spokes with a little bit of old toothbrush agitation or am I gonna be in for a lot of frustrating scrubbing?

Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Monday 18th July 2016
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It depends on how much tar there is on your wheels. And how fussy you are. The tar remover I linked to can be used on the body work too, so is worth having.

What did you use last weekend, it certainly looks to have got the worst off?

I haven't done wheels that bad for a few years, but don't remember having to really scrub them, usually it is a case of spray the ironx, wait for 5 mins watching it go purple, rub over with a microfibres cloth (disposable gloves reccomended) then rinse off. You may need to do this 2 or 3 times.

The wheels on my BMW daily are about that bad, I was waiting for a chance to get them off so I could wax them etc, but will try to do one on the car this evening if you want.

smudgerebt

241 posts

112 months

Monday 18th July 2016
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Jet wash the loose off.

Use any wheel cleaner to clean the majority off.

Follow with fallout remover (be it Bilt-Hamber, Envy Valeting, etc etc).

If tar present you can buy a tar remover or clay it.

Depending what wax/sealant you have, put that on then all your will need is car shampoo afterwords.

My off still stands (AS Smart wheels, Envy Iron Awe)

Warmfuzzies

3,961 posts

252 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
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Gtechniq C5 to protect afterwards, makes cleaning them a lot easier afterwards.


All that jazz

Original Poster:

7,632 posts

145 months

Monday 5th September 2016
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That polishedbliss site is constantly out of stock of stuff so I've given up on them and bought from Amazon :

Auto Finesse IO500 Iron Out Remover eek
Auto Finesse OB500 Oblitarate eek

I'll see how I go with these. Not bothering with a sealant myself as I'm planning to get the car detailed soon anyway so he can do that for me hehe.

Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Monday 5th September 2016
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Let us know how you get on!

I still haven't had a chance to attack the wheels on my daily, they will need done before the winter though.

MrC986

3,481 posts

190 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
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Craikeybaby - your wheels looked well 'dusted up'....Were you driving spiritedly on certain Sundays to get them that dirty!? hehe

Joking apart if you must use strong cleaners (which wheel refinishers hate btw), to limit the possible damage, it's best to take the wheels off the car & the centre caps as the product can collect around the back of the centre caps & can quietly eat it's way into the lacquer/base coat.

oobster

7,065 posts

210 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
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I recently got AutoSmart Red 7, excellent stuff. Spray on the wheels then wait a couple of minutes and jetwash off, leaves the wheels looking immaculate.

The smell is a bit 'funny' though, supposed to be Cherry but it's a weird sickly sweet & chemical smell.

Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
quotequote all
MrC986 said:
Craikeybaby - your wheels looked well 'dusted up'....Were you driving spiritedly on certain Sundays to get them that dirty!? hehe
Just keeping up with the car in front wink

Edited by Craikeybaby on Friday 9th September 12:03