cleaning wheels

J

jrock817

New member
my wifes new bmw did not fare so well this winter. sionce it has been nice, ive been able to tend to it. the wheels, after taking them off and cleaning them as best i could, still have some spots on them. it seems to be embedded brake dust. i cleaned them and scrubbed them using Simple Green, as strong as 2:1, and still could not get all the "dirt" off. any suggestions on a stronger product?
 
Get the BMW wheel cleaner - you can get it at the parts counter. If not try Wheel Brightener. BMW wheels are a pain to keep clean. I have to clean mine every two weeks or I cannot keep them clean.
 
Assuming that the wheels are painted, try a clay bar.



That should remove embedded dsst or other contaminants.
 
Assuming that the wheels are painted, try a clay bar.



That should remove embedded dust or other contaminants.
 
clay bar it is, cant believe i was even rolling clay in my hand asking myself what the heck could get the dirt off
 
wheel brightener will do the trick, you can clay them if wheel brightener did miss some stuff, seal the living heck out of them and then keep up the maintenance cleaning and you should be good.
 
I have a Saab and the brake dust is almost as bad as my former BMW.



I just went one month without touching the car due to winter conditions.



I thought for sure I'd need a brush and something abrasive, but I have multiple layers of UPGP on the wheels as sealant.



Brake dust came right off with a sponge and car wash liquid. A little more elbow grease than usual, but no scrubbing.



Definitely seal those wheels up. Brake dust will not cake on as easily.
 
tmg19103 said:
I have a Saab and the brake dust is almost as bad as my former BMW.



I just went one month without touching the car due to winter conditions.



I thought for sure I'd need a brush and something abrasive, but I have multiple layers of UPGP on the wheels as sealant.



Brake dust came right off with a sponge and car wash liquid. A little more elbow grease than usual, but no scrubbing.



Definitely seal those wheels up. Brake dust will not cake on as easily.
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not to threadjack but suggestions on wheel sealant/wax?
 
The new Mothers All Wheel & Tire Cleaner is pretty nice, and it's non-acidic. Use a real strong spray to rinse it off. If necessary, use a gentle brush on tough spots. You might also try clay or a scratch remover to get rid of deep stains.
 
Furd said:
Assuming that the wheels are painted, try a clay bar.
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My wheels are clear coated aluminum (On a '99 Maxima SE). I don't think they're painted. Do the wheels have to be painted to use clay, or is it still okay if they're just clear coated?
 
levander said:
My wheels are clear coated aluminum (On a '99 Maxima SE). I don't think they're painted. Do the wheels have to be painted to use clay, or is it still okay if they're just clear coated?
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I would defer to those with more experience, but I think that its okay to use clay on your wheels.
 
Furd said:
I would defer to those with more experience, but I think that its okay to use clay on your wheels.
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I use clay on all wheel finishes, but I'm very careful/gentle about it on anodized wheels.



IkeRay said:
not to threadjack but suggestions on wheel sealant/wax?
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I do best with heavily layered KSG. FK1000P is a close second and actually (IMO) better if you won't be doing many layers. Collinite's waxes work OK too.



Generally, you can use whatever you want. People warn about "waxes softening from brake heat" and claim that'll cause issues, but I used *Souveran* on the Jag's wheels for ages with zero problems other than having to redo them all the time.



Or you can just *not* LSP them and clean them rigorously with a gentle Wheel Cleaner like P21S/Griot's. But I kinda prefer having some barrier (i.e., the LSP) to keep brake dust from direct contact with the wheels' finish.
 
Accumulator said:
I use clay on all wheel finishes, but I'm very careful/gentle about it on anodized wheels.
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Well, my wheels are clear coated anodized aluminum. I assume the reason to be worried is that you could have pitting show up in your wheels if you're not careful?
 
levander said:
Well, my wheels are clear coated anodized aluminum. I assume the reason to be worried is that you could have pitting show up in your wheels if you're not careful?
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My big fears with anodizing are its fragility (yeah, even the hard, mil-spec stuff) and the way it can't be touched up.



Gotta do everything you can to keep it from getting compromised and gotta avoid abrasion.



IME clear anodizing is almost always especially fragile, so I'd be all about prevention and regular (gentle) maintenance.
 
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