Wheel cleaning issues

[Coleroad]

A little after the fact, but I still have questions. Had taken the wheels off the camaro to clean them.

I had had never been happy with the barrel of the wheels since we`ve owned the car. One I couldn`t get the wheel weight adhesive off of them that had been left behind. Had tried in the past goo gone, IPA, plastic razor blade, we-40. Nothing seemed to soften it so I could even scrape with the plastic razor blades.

Two the black of the barrels always looked like a cloudy haze no matter how much I cleaned them. I ended up deciding that the paint was just ruined. I had in the past used various degreasers, clayed them, various wheel cleaners. I didn`t want to try polish because the surface is machine grooved like a record. Didn`t think that would work out well.

Leads me to yesterday day and today. Come hell or high water I was getting the weight adhesive off. First wheel I started mineral spirits. This softened it so I could scrape with the plastic razor blade. It wouldn`t remove the rest of the adhesive though. Do then I went after that with 91% IPA. This hot the rest of the adhesive off. I was like great I know exactly what you do for the rest of the wheels, or so I thought. The next wheel the mineral spirits and razor worked just like the first. The when I used the IPA. It didn`t do anything to remove the rest of the adhesive. I ended up using brake clean to remove it. So in the end I did two wheels the first way and had to use the second method for the other two. I don`t understand why it took all this?


cleaning the barrel of the wheels. I tried various things including the mineral spirits. I ended up going and buying an acid based wheel cleaner. This with a soft flag tipped brush easily left behind a shiny black wheel barrel.


So my questions. What was I doing wrong to get the wheel weight adhesive off the wheels? Is 3m adhesive remover much better without multiple products?

The wheel barrels, what was that haze, and why after all the cleaning I had done on them over years was it still there? Why would the acid based cleaner be the only thing to remove it? Thirdly, can you machine polish even with the machining grooves?

 

[Bill D]

I always have a hair dryer on hand to help soften up the adhesive and I let the Goo Gone or Goof Off dwell for several minutes. This is what worked for me.

 

[The Guz]

As long as the wheels are not a matte finish then you can polish them even with those grooves.

 

[Accumulator]

What was I doing wrong to get the wheel weight adhesive off the wheels? Is 3m adhesive remover much better without multiple products?

IMO you were using ineffective solvents that aren`t up to removing Wheel Weight Adhesive.

Yes, IME the 3M *is* that much better (and the Pre-VOC stuff is the *really* effective product). It has *NEVER* failed me, and it`s all I use for this. Some adhesives will still be a hassle, but I`ve *NEVER* had any major issues removing Wheel Weight Adhesive with the 3M.

I have GooGone, Dissolve It, and [something else I`m not recalling the name of] and while they usually work fine for household stuff, I don`t even keep `em in the shop area because I know I`ll just reach for the 3M (keep cans in both garages and the basement workshop so they`re always handy).

Part of it is getting an effective Dwell. Saturate a paper towel (I find the "cloth-like" Vivas to be best for this) and then find some way to hold that pressed against the adhesive (e.g., a 2 x 4 with a weight on it to hold it in place). Let the stuff dwell like that for a good long while (just not until it all evaporates) and also be prepared to add some heat (heat gun, hair dryer).

I never understand the use of IPA for this kind of thing...I`m not flaming it, but I simply *NEVER* reach for it the way so many people do for so many things.

After the weights are off, you might find that extended period with brake dust/etc. around their perimeters might have corroded the wheels in an outline of the weight(s). For that, I start with aggressive clay. Then I`ll maybe use a Compound if it looks beyond a milder Polish (or AIO).

The wheel barrels, what was that haze, and why after all the cleaning I had done on them over years was it still there? Why would the acid based cleaner be the only thing to remove it?

Dunno what it was, but maybe Oxidation. Were they well-protected with a Coating or LSP? Since the finish on those areas is seldom very decent (even on high-end cars), the aluminum isn`t really all that well protected.

Thirdly, can you machine polish even with the machining grooves?

Won`t know unless you try, but I myself would probably just do `em by hand, going "with the grooves", if only so I don`t beat up the pad too much (or I`d use an old one).

You said they`re *black*, right? So they have some kind of finish that`s presumably so-so quality/porous (hence the hazing stuff the Acid took off). I`d be a little careful so you don`t abrade it enough to have an oops.

 

[Mike lambert]

I’ve seen the haze you said was there. On new and older gm wheels. I think it is fro the process they use. And just get the 3 m remover and you’ll love it.

 

[Coleroad]

So I`ll get a can of 3M adhesive remover to have on hand in the future.

So the haze haze sounds like a common GM thing. Just wanted to make sure I wouldn`t do something in the future to cause it to comeback.

Like I said I know this post was after the fact, and I got the job done. Spending about four hours on just as many wheels wasn`t very efficient. So next time such a job faces me I can make better use of time and product. I appreciate the the knowledge from here.


accumulator, I don`t know how the wheels were treated the first 3 years of its life. I put two coats of Fusso Coat after this cleaning. With just the adhesive removed, before getting the rest of it cleaned well. There was no oxidation around where the adhesive was.

Where the adhesive was was so clean and shiny. That`s what prompted me to really try to find a way to get the rest of the barrel cleaned to match. The shiny spots made the wheel look about as bad as the adhesive did.

 

[Accumulator]

Coleroad- Heh heh, I actually had to stop and think about "four hours for four wheels"...sounds blazingly fast to me! It took me a lot longer to just coat the Tahoe`s lug-covers/centercaps/hardware, never mind doing the prep or tackling the wheels themselves

That`s great that there`s no oxidation where the weights were! And yeah, I have that "shiny in protected areas" effect on a few of mine too.

With just three years on `em, I trust they cleaned up well and basically look like new.

When shopping for the 3M, I hope you can find the non-aerosol version. Lately (well..post-VOC) I see the spray version all the time, but never the one I have.