ptim
New member
I'm looking for some brushes that are good for cleaning wheels, the ones I find are too big to go under the big rotors. Does anyone have any suggestions.
Wheel Cleaning Brushes
- Thread starter ptim
- Start date
rwisejr
New member
EZ-Detail brush is what I use for the inside of the wheels and spokes .It gets in those tight spaces between the rotors and rims
Eisen Hulk
New member
+3 for the EZ Detail Brush for getting inside the wheel. I haven't used one yet, but I know people are keen on the BHB that Phil sells for the face.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Guess this'll be another of my EZ Detail Brush bashes 
Be careful that it doesn't mar the paint on wheels with nice finishes, and it won't fit between the wheel and caliper on cars like my S8 anyhow (not even close). And no matter *how* I try, I can't get the inner barrels of most wheels 100% with the EZ...gotta follow up with something else to get that last 5%.
Not *really* my intention to bash the EZ, I have 'em, I use 'em...just not for this on most vehicles.
I clean the back sides with small sheepskin mitts, Quickee Sponge Mops, and/or the large swabs available at Danase and elsewhere. When the caliper/wheel clearance is *really* tight I often just move the vehicle to expose that area.
The small sheepskin mitts (got mine from Griot's) are good for doing the backsides of the spokes too.
Be careful that it doesn't mar the paint on wheels with nice finishes, and it won't fit between the wheel and caliper on cars like my S8 anyhow (not even close). And no matter *how* I try, I can't get the inner barrels of most wheels 100% with the EZ...gotta follow up with something else to get that last 5%.Not *really* my intention to bash the EZ, I have 'em, I use 'em...just not for this on most vehicles.
I clean the back sides with small sheepskin mitts, Quickee Sponge Mops, and/or the large swabs available at Danase and elsewhere. When the caliper/wheel clearance is *really* tight I often just move the vehicle to expose that area.
The small sheepskin mitts (got mine from Griot's) are good for doing the backsides of the spokes too.
steelwind101
New member
Accumulator said:Guess this'll be another of my EZ Detail Brush bashes
Not *really* my intention to bash the EZ, I have 'em, I use 'em...just not for this on most vehicles.
I clean the back sides with small sheepskin mitts, Quickee Sponge Mops, and/or the large swabs available at Danase and elsewhere. When the caliper/wheel clearance is *really* tight I often just move the vehicle to expose that area.
The small sheepskin mitts (got mine from Griot's) are good for doing the backsides of the spokes too.
HERE HERE!!
Dont worry about "bashing" i think so many people seem to have lost there sense a bit on this forum and so often you get only positive comments. Too often, people ask for opinions or would it work and you see a "+1 for XXXX" or "XXXX is great".
I often feel the same way that i end up feeling like im saying bad things about products, when thats not always true i just need to highlight that some products might not work as well as the OP had hoped or others had implied.
You have done well to point out other options and your fault. Good job and much repect :hifive:.
Ptim, if you are not desperate to buy do check out some post on Detailing World with regard metal free "drumstick" brushes. These are going to be back in stock soon very soon according to a post on the wheels section this week. You get 4-5 different size, very whee safe/friendly brushes for around $50. They are a like a giant swab with soft head and plastic body.
Geoff
imported_sal3291
New member
I have a BMW wheel brush kit, got it at work spur of the moment works good for gettin in spokes and lug nuts, for the face of the wheel I used a MF sponge. Accumulator can you post or PM the link to sheepskin mitts and Quickee Sponge Mops? I do not remember seesing these
wascallyrabbit
New member
heatgain
Neutral & Detached
There are decent wheelbrushes at Harbor Freight and at Autozone. Both are similar to the EZ brush....long, flexible, a vinyl cap on the front wire. The Autozone brush has softer bristles than the Harbor Freight one. I've reached everywhere with that brush...the inner drum of the wheel, in between spokes, the back. Very flexible. IIRC, I paid $5 or $6.
The Harbor Freight brush set me back $3 or $4.
The Harbor Freight brush set me back $3 or $4.
imported_User Name
New member
Accumulator said:Guess this'll be another of my EZ Detail Brush bashes
Not *really* my intention to bash the EZ, I have 'em, I use 'em...just not for this on most vehicles.
I clean the back sides with small sheepskin mitts, Quickee Sponge Mops, and/or the large swabs available at Danase and elsewhere. When the caliper/wheel clearance is *really* tight I often just move the vehicle to expose that area.
The small sheepskin mitts (got mine from Griot's) are good for doing the backsides of the spokes too.
I don't have an EZ detail brush but a similar knock off I picked up at Autozone... not sure how much room the S8 has between the wheels and the calipers but on my IS350 and every other car I've worked on, I had enough room to get in that space. As to marring the finish on the wheel... to be frank, I never even considered it, but I think thus far I've been okay.
Accumulator
Well-known member
sal329 said:
For the little sheepskin mitt, just go to Griot's and look in the wheel/tire section. Check out their various BHBs while you're there!
For the Quickie Sponge Mop, I forget where I found mine last (bought a few dozen as they wear fast), but start here: Welcome To Quickie.com
Note that the Quickie thing has a metal core that could do serious damage...sorta ironic perhaps that *I* (Mr. Avoid-Potential-Marring) takes a huge risk using those things, but I'm very careful and they're also great for the wheelwells. But use at your own risk (there, I've warned you
).User Name- The S8 is pretty tight...tighter than my M3 by far and about the same as my Porsches used to be. I can *barely* fit Danase's foam-on-a-stick swab in there and it's really easier to just move the car a half a wheel revolution.
The marring issue is vehicle/wheel dependent; on the Denali XL who cares, but the paint on the back sides of most of my vehicles' wheels is awfully thin and if it gets marred (note the marring retains dirt/moisture more readily than a smooth, clean surface) the required correction will cut through the thin paint in no time (making for increased maintenance hassles). I the marring isn't an issue for somebody then sure, the EZ might be just the thing. But I do get a spray of black [stuff] all over me when I use it on really dirty wheels and it always leaves that last bit of dirt.
steelwind101- Thanks for the support on this one
I was readying my flamesuit as my past posts on the EZ had sometimes generated a lot of apparent animosity..must've called somebody's baby ugly or something.Turbocress
New member
depends on the kind of wheel, you dont want to use a harsh brush on a chrome or polished wheel, grab a tough spongey brush for alloy textured stock wheels, and use a softer brush/microfiber sponge to clean polished wheels, be careful what chemical you use to remove brake pad residue as some of them will damage chrome finishes i believe
E300Diesel
New member
Where does one purchase a Swissvax Brush?
Eliot Ness
Active member
detailersdomain.com:michakaveli said:
Swissvax Wheel Brush
They also sell my all time favorite wheel brush:
World's Greatest Boar's Hair Wheel Brush
Accumulator
Well-known member
Regarding brushes/etc. that're too aggressive for chrome- note that chrome plating is generally a *LOT* harder than paint, so something that's OK on regular clear-coated wheels oughta be fine for chrome. My general rule is that if I wouldn't use it on the hood of a black Bentley I won't use it on my wheels If you use gentle brushes, IMO it's more likely to be the stuff you're cleaning off that causes the scratches, not the brush itself.
Eliot Ness- On your link to your preferred wheel brush (looks nicer than my Griot's ones), I see they sell the round one I like too (everyone calls it an "interior brush"). It sounds like the SwissVax brush has *nylon* bristles...I'd much rather use the (aforementioned) round BHB, even if it does wear out after a while.
If you use gentle brushes, IMO it's more likely to be the stuff you're cleaning off that causes the scratches, not the brush itself.Eliot Ness- On your link to your preferred wheel brush (looks nicer than my Griot's ones), I see they sell the round one I like too (everyone calls it an "interior brush"). It sounds like the SwissVax brush has *nylon* bristles...I'd much rather use the (aforementioned) round BHB, even if it does wear out after a while.
Eliot Ness
Active member
Since I have the set of Griot's brushes that include that round one I haven't ordered another one yet. I also noticed the nylon bristles on the SwissVax brush, but have one on BO anyway just to compare it.Accumulator said:
I think the World's Greatest Boar's Hair Wheel Brush has a little longer bristles than many of the others. After using it for a couple of months I wouldn't use anything else and I might order a couple more during the 20% off sale to keep in reserve.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Eliot Ness said:
I'll be interested in that comparison, and in how it fairs in a CD-test.
Yeah, I noticed those long bristles myself
They're not *too* long are they, as with some good BHBs that're so gentle that they don't even bother the dirt 
Better stock up, my discussions with Jan at CMA convinced me that the availability of good BHBs can change overnight.
Eliot Ness
Active member
For a wheel that isn't badly neglected I think they are just about perfect.Accumulator said:.........Yeah, I noticed those long bristles myself
Thanks for the tip!Accumulator said:
jimmie jam
Active member
jb1 said:
do you have the "big brakes" (Z51/F55)? i have an F55 car and there is alot less room between the rotors and inner wheel barrels. it's a *****. :soscared: