Cleaning Wagon Wheel Rims
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 365
Likes: 19
From: Hugo MN
Cleaning Wagon Wheel Rims
My brother-in-law is bringing over his 99 convertible next week and we're going to remove his wheels and clean the rims, including the inside barrels.
They are NOT the chrome upgrade and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for a good metal cleaner/polish that would be best on these rims. The car has very low mileage and the rims are mint outside of needing a good cleaning. Thanks for any suggestions you can provide!
They are NOT the chrome upgrade and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for a good metal cleaner/polish that would be best on these rims. The car has very low mileage and the rims are mint outside of needing a good cleaning. Thanks for any suggestions you can provide!
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The wheels are painted and clear coated just like the exterior of the car. If you have something like tar spots on them, a Bug and Tar Remover will work well as will just using a good wax. Soap and water is good for the first step and then see what remains to be done.
If you do use any polish, make sure it is very mild as you would not want to put any scratches in the clear coat. Meguires makes some good products as does Adam's polishes. Once you have all the grime off the wheels, finish by applying a good coat of wax.
If you do use any polish, make sure it is very mild as you would not want to put any scratches in the clear coat. Meguires makes some good products as does Adam's polishes. Once you have all the grime off the wheels, finish by applying a good coat of wax.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 365
Likes: 19
From: Hugo MN
I appreciate the responses as I was unaware of the fact that they were painted and clear coated. I assume that the inside barrel can be just cleaned with soap and water as well. For some reason I thought that it was an aluminum rim.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 4,260
Likes: 429
From: Houston TX
You can clean the inside barrels with a normal wash mitt. Once done, never use that wash mitt on the exterior again. Some of the grime will be stubborn so a product like Adam's Deep Wheel Cleaner might be necessary. If you're super picky, you can even clay bar the inside of the wheel after cleaning to get everything absolutely clean. Once cleaned, you'll want to seal them to protect them and make dirt harder to stick going forward.
On future cleanings, invest in some wheel woolies. You can keep them clean without having to take them off again
On future cleanings, invest in some wheel woolies. You can keep them clean without having to take them off again
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,606
Likes: 355
From: Rochester New York
The inside of the barrels might have ridges that trap a lot of dirt. Sometimes a wheel cleaning brush wont get them clean. A red scuff pad with degreaser and water will work well getting the insides clean. But the red scuff pad can leave minor scratches, not noticeable if the barrels are rough/ribbed to begin with.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 7,832
Likes: 2,274
From: Brighton MI
Once you have the wheels clean, treat them with Rejex. Future cleanings will be a breeze...
http://www.rejex.com/rejex.html
http://www.rejex.com/rejex.html
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