Brand new chrome wheels coming in- product rec. for protecting&cleaning

Striker

Active member
Hey fellas-

Got a brand new set of chrome wheels coming in this week.

Before mounting them, I`d like to know your thoughts on protecting these wheels.

I currently have one paint sealant (collinite 845) but I`m wondering if there`s a better option.

I`ve heard a couple members raving about Blackfire Metal Sealant?

****this is for a weekend cruiser/nice weather car**** won`t be seeing rain.


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I`d just clean them every time with HydroFoam and be done with it. That`s what I do. Wheels are always sealed, bead, clean easy - and it`s literally zero extra work or steps. Of course, you have to buy HydroFoam.
 
Regulars here might be surprised to hear that I`d coat them. Either that or just use a Wheel Cleaner each time and spitz with something quick and easy as per Swanicyouth`s suggestion. Or use a conventional LSP that`ll outlast/protect 845 (e.g., FK1000P)

I gave up on 845 for wheels ages ago, still like/use/recommend it, but there are much better things to use on wheels these days.
 
Should I polish them first even tho they are brand new in box or just straight seal them ?


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Should I polish them first even tho they are brand new in box or just straight seal them ?

See how they (really) look when you get them, but I`d just plan on a good cleaning. Some of my "brand new" wheels deserved those scare-quotes, must`ve sent back a dozen over the years...maybe more than that.
 
Brand new chrome wheels coming in- product rec. for protecting&cleaning

Yea I hope it doesn`t get to that level of where I`m returning them. I`m driving across the border to get them so this won`t be possible. Well it would be. But it`s going to be a paint. 3M makes a metal polish from what I heard. I`m guessing like most 3M products it`s good?


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Striker- I never tried that one, so I dunno. Are you 100% certain that they`re really chrome? Some "machined" wheels like on my Tahoe are NOT, even though they sure look like it.
 
Striker- While Mustang wheels are popular with the Crown Vic crowd, I`m not familiar with those. They do *say* they`re chrome...eh, shouldn`t matter a bit unless they`re marred up, so fingers crossed that they`ll be fine. The backsides though are probably *NOT* chromed plated...or at least that`s my guess. We`ll see if I`m right/wrong :D
 
You`re probably right. I had the option of getting them in silver. But on a black car it just looks so much better.


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I generally prefer low-bling wheel finishes (despite what`s on the Tahoe..hey, they`re OE and specific to that year/model), but in this case yeah...I think those`ll look better than the silver (my usual preference).
 
They came in and they look good. I didn`t get a great chance to inspect them for flaws as I was too excited mounting them.

I found a highly reviewed product called Autosol-Metal Polish.

Would it be ok to give them a one over with this and the proceed to seal them with something ?


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Striker- Glad nothing awful jumped out at you. I dunno about using the Autosol...while I haven`t used that one (have used other "metal stuff in a tube") I wonder about:

-abrasives
-what it presumably leaves behind

I`d just treat `em like paint; first something to prep that won`t mess with the coating/LSP you`re gonna use (if any) and then apply the latter (if you`re gonna do that).

My machined-finish wheel approaches: On the Tahoe`s "machined" wheels I used OptiCoat (whatever it`s called now) and I *REALLY* like how it`s working out; it also worked great on the previous Crown Vic`s similar wheels. On the Tahoe`s winter wheels I don`t do anything other than clean `em with Wheel Cleaner and the spritz on something when I dry and that [crapy] approach actually works pretty well. On the A8`s machined wheels I have FK1000P over whatever polish/AIO I used last (which depends on what they needed done to `em...very used daily driver where Autopian Perfection isn`t in the cards).
 
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