WheelWax (initial impression, not a comprehensive review)

J

JustinR32

New member
This product was recommended to my place of business by the American Racing Wheels rep, to protect aftermarket wheels from brake dust buildup, and from oxidation and pitting.



Autopia has been lukewarm to WW, if "search" is to be trusted as thorough. It seems to be more highly regarded elsewhere. In the past I've used Nu Finish and #20 on my SSR Comp wheels. The Comps are a semi-solid forged wheel, anthracite with a stainless steel rim.



WheelWax claims to be all about durability and resistance to brake dust, so I'll have to wait a while for that part.



It's a bit expensive, it goes on easy and comes off easy, it smells good and a little goes a long way; I did all 4 wheels with half the wax that was stuck to the top of the jar. WW has an odd consistency, like pudding.



When I was done, the wheels looked... well, like I'd just waxed them. No surprises there. They felt very smooth and slick, with a little stiction and "waxiness".



There it is. Rule #1, it's gotta look good, and WheelWax looks good. Rule #2, it should be fun to use, and WW gives lots of sensory feedback, through smell, feel, look, etc.



I'd wager that WW is milder polish- and solvent-wise than either NF or #20. All 3 look good. #20 and Nu Finish both last a long time, and have the added advantage of doing "double duty", ie not being a special purchase for wheels. Still, a little WW goes a long, long way, and wheels are expensive and take a beating. If it holds up to that abuse, it could be a nice addition to the cabinet. I'll let you know.





Tom
 
There's one fatal flaw with Wheel Wax:



It's carnauba based.



The heat that your wheels generate, combined with the harsh operating environment (road grime, brake dust, water immersion, etc) simply makes it impossible for any almost any carnauba based product to successfully protect a wheel for any amount of longevity.



Wheels get *hot* while driving, especially if you drive for a long period of time or push the vehicle's performance envelope. How hot do wheels get? Here's a pic of a temp reading from our 2002 Tahoe after a 30 mile round-trip drive:



tahoe_wheel.jpg




Now, from what we know about carnauba wax, it's stable until about 180-185F. So, the temperature alone of my wheels would cause the carnauba to literally "melt" away from the wheel.



But, to make matters worse, carnauba is blended with oils, solvents and other waxes. Those other waxes (typically beeswax, paraffin and/or montan wax) all have incredibly low melting points of right around 130-135F. So, when the blended waxes heat up and melt, what happens to the rest of the wax?



Just my $0.02....Like I said, it's a good idea, and it does look good, but as the saying goes, "If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen." :) (maybe it should be, if you can't take the heat, don't try to work on wheels?) :D
 
Also, while I'm on the subject of temperatures and carnauba based products...Can someone explain to me how any carnauba based product can be durable in a hot climate?



I took this reading a few weeks ago. Black car, 90F ambient temperature and sunny.



fb_temp.jpg




We managed to find a few spots on the car where the temperature had gone over 200F...So, I just don't get it - how can some claim that their carnauba based products last more than 90 days in this sort of environment? How? ;)
 
:nixweiss



WW claims "heat-resistant sealants" along with carnuba, and in their FAQ list, they are reasonably matter of fact about its durability, only claiming that it "lasts longer", not that it is miraculous.



I've always reasoned the way you just did, that's why I've used #20 for the last year.



OTOH, testing and sharing is fun, and sometimes observation and prediction are at odds, forcing a reevaluation of what we know.



In other words, I'll waste ten bucks so that you won't have to! :D LOL, I should make that my sig.



How long do you think WW will last, on a car that goes about 150 miles a week? My impression is about a month. Interestingly, WW claims increased durability with consistent use; do you think there might be a sealant/resin buildup they are relying on for that claim?



Tom
 
I tend to ignore claims that carnauba just melts off of a car. If wax truly melted off at that temp., then there should be no wax on the car by the end of day one. To me it's that simple unless someone can provide a better explanation. Maybe high temps do decrease durability but i dont buy that the wax melts off the car.
 
I believe that many of the other components in a wax (certain solvents, oils and silicones, for example) remain after being "cooked," which leads people to believe that the wax is still working...



Tom-

I have Wheel Wax and have used it on several occasions, but I was extremely disappointed by how non-durable it was; after about a week I noticed *more* dust on the wheels (I can only assume that the reason for this was due to the oils, etc. that were in the wax?). :(



Also, note that I'm not taking exception to your assessment - I think you're right on the money with the appearance thing. I just wanted to share my durability concerns and experiences with the product.
 
I've used the WW and Collinites 845 Insulator wax and prefer the Insulator Wax since it seems to hold up better over the long-term. My wheels just seem to stay cleaner longer with the 845.



Just my .02
 
I have been testing wheel wax for about a month now. It cleans up and shines the wheels nicely. The durability has been ok for me so far. I live in a fairly cool climate and do very little long term high speed driving so it has been holding up for me pretty well. I did a 2 hour drive about a week ago, and instantly saw the dust build up much quicker. Since its so easy to apply, i havent minded re-applying it so far.
 
I use wheel wax topped with collinite insulator wax. It works great...I can wipe it right off.



I posted this before but what the heck...this shows how it comes off with just one wipe:



cleanwheel1.jpg




I used nothing but a towel to get the brake dust off:





cleanwheel2.jpg
 
I just bought a tub of it today @ Advance.



Its still pudding-like; which is why I started searching. Certainly an odd consistency and after reading some of this I wish I hadn't bought...



I'll be trying it soon so I'll let everyone know how it does.
 
I've got it, I like it. Cleans the wheels nicely, decent slickness and makes the wheels easier to clean. Discount Tire also carries it.
 
I just went in a new Advance today because they ALWAYS stock the new stores with wayyyyyy too much stuff; so you never know what you're going to find.



Temptation was too great; figured it can't be too bad.
 
Expecting no brake dust to accumulate at all is expecting too much isn't it?



I've been using WheelWax for about a year and I like it too. The look is nice and glossy, but I like how easy it makes to clean the wheels. I just use car shampoo and sponge and after a quick wipe and rinse they are clean and shiny again. If I start to get little black dots of dust that start to embed then I use a Mother's Mini Powerball and polish & seal the wheels again with some more WheelWax and we're like new again. The cleaning ability is pretty good.
 
Call me a skeptic, but I get the same ease of cleaning results as the rest of you with just a single coat of Aquawax on my wheels
 
I 've got it, not impressed at all. AW seems to be just as good and is much easier to use. Back in the day - mid '70's we would use Rain Dance or Turtle wax on our Crager SS wheels, if memory serves me - that lasted just as long, but was a PITA to remove if you got it just a little too thick!
 
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