Cleaning inside wheel surface
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,818
Likes: 470
From: Wichita Kansas
Cleaning inside wheel surface
"A" says: Oh man, look how dirty that is. "B" says: Just don't look at it.
What I say everytime I remove one of my tires. 50 years of road rash, leaky brake fluid, and who knows what. The only time I think I want to clean it is when I take the stupid tire off, SO JUST FORGET ABOUT IT! Well, once again I have a tire off, so how is the best way (with tire on) to clean. I was thinking a wire wheel brush on hand drill. What have all y'all used?
What I say everytime I remove one of my tires. 50 years of road rash, leaky brake fluid, and who knows what. The only time I think I want to clean it is when I take the stupid tire off, SO JUST FORGET ABOUT IT! Well, once again I have a tire off, so how is the best way (with tire on) to clean. I was thinking a wire wheel brush on hand drill. What have all y'all used?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 7,670
Likes: 2,474
From: Indiana
Assume bare aluminun.
i would start with
soap dawn stiff brush
then solvent to remove rubber crap etc..tougher spots srubby pad and even scotchbrite pad to remove.
plastic trim tool or putty knife, paint stick
rinse repeat drive
and enjoy seeng thru wheel
i would start with
soap dawn stiff brush
then solvent to remove rubber crap etc..tougher spots srubby pad and even scotchbrite pad to remove.
plastic trim tool or putty knife, paint stick
rinse repeat drive
and enjoy seeng thru wheel
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,227
Likes: 671
From: Northeast
Get a spray bottle and mix 1 part Dawn and 10 part white vinegar. First wash and try to remove the surface stuff. Then spray on and let it sit for @5 minutes then scrub with a stiff brush, wash it off .
You will probably need a 2nd application if they were anything like mine.. After scrubbing the second time I used my power washer to remove the grime..If you need it cleaner then you need you need a plan B.
Dont forget to rinse the front of the wheels to remove any vinegar or dawn..
Assume you have vinegar and Dawn so worth an experiment..
You will probably need a 2nd application if they were anything like mine.. After scrubbing the second time I used my power washer to remove the grime..If you need it cleaner then you need you need a plan B.
Dont forget to rinse the front of the wheels to remove any vinegar or dawn..
Assume you have vinegar and Dawn so worth an experiment..
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,607
Likes: 7,053
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
I bought a bead blast cabinet just big enough to put my steel wheel/tire inside it.
It takea about 5 minutes to blast the rim...then...
wipe down with acetone...
tape off tire...
repaint steel rim with rattlecan.
ohhh...while you are at it...pressure wash the squished raccons off the inner fender area and repaint.
It takea about 5 minutes to blast the rim...then...
wipe down with acetone...
tape off tire...
repaint steel rim with rattlecan.
ohhh...while you are at it...pressure wash the squished raccons off the inner fender area and repaint.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,960
Likes: 4,517
From: Virginia
Of course leave the tire on the wheel. But take the wheel off of the car, if you want to do the job correctly.
Get the big chunks with a pressure washer and some Dawn (light degreaser) and/or Simple Green (more serious degreaser). To get the brake dust, you'll need an iron decon, like Carpro Iron X.
Get the big chunks with a pressure washer and some Dawn (light degreaser) and/or Simple Green (more serious degreaser). To get the brake dust, you'll need an iron decon, like Carpro Iron X.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 2,329
Likes: 725
From: Marietta GA
My 73 OEM steel wheels had rust plus the last owner / shop probably painted over the old rust. My wheels were so bad, that I had the tire shop remove the tires. I first used my pressure washer and then hit both sides with an assortment of wire wheels. I didn’t go down to bare metal, but I wanted to make sure the paint would adhere. Before painting, I wipe down everything with mineral spirits. I used a 8 feet piece of round wood through the center of two wheels and supported it between two metal chairs. I wanted to paint everything at one time. I sprayed the inside black and used a grey Rustoleum for the side where the trim ring / derby hat goes. I wanted a week before having the tires installed so the paint would be completely cured.
