Snowwolfe

I have a 2001 coupe with the polished wheels. Are they clear coated? What is the best way to clean them?
Thanks

jdavis

Your wheels are clear coated. To clean them use mild soap (a good car wash soap) and water will clean them nicely. Waxing them also might be a good idea.

Mean Green

moving from Tech to Car Care :cheers:

Corvette Poor

A L A S K A ? :eek: :eek:

Been there, done that...Too cold for me

rubyred93

You will want to treat your rims just as you do your finish - with care. Acid based cleaners are out of the question. :nono: They can ruin the clear coat before you even have the chance to rinse the wheel.

Since you specifically asked about cleaning the rims, my advice is that the "initial" cleaning be done with a non acid-based wheel cleaner in order to remove brake dust/road grime. I would feel comfortable in using a soft bristled brush on the back side/inner part of the rim in order to aggitate the cleaner, but not on the face. Rinse well and dry.

In order to make subsequent cleanings easier, and to give the rims a degree of protection against embedding brake dust, you will want to seal them.

I do not recommend the use of wax on your rims. Wax is fine for the finish, but not on the rims. The reason being is that the fracture point for wax is much lower than that of a sealant and it simply will not last with the heat generated on the rim. It greatly lacks durability for this purpose and will offer you little to no protection.

A quality sealant will serve you much better for this application, as it can withstand the heat far better than a wax. Once sealed, your rims will be much easier to clean and maintain and should only require the use of your regular car wash and a 100% cotton wash mit or chenille covered sponge for cleaning.

Depending on how frequently you drive the car, you may get up to 4 months of protection from a few layers of a quality sealant. You are the best judge of when it is time to reapply.

If you are interested in a polish for clear coated rims, Mother's produces a polish that is specific for clear coated rims. The product review that I read on it stated that it is very mild and may take several applications to address fine scratches.

I would just be cautious - from my own personal experiece, the clear coat on the rims is not as "forgiving" as the clear on the finish. :nonod:

MrVegas

great advice!

what is a good non-acid based wheel cleaner? brand name?

i'm gonna look for that Mothers sealant for clear coated wheels. :chevy

rubyred93

MrVegas -

Hi. The Mother's product that I was referring to is actually a polish that is intended for clear coated rims - it will specifically say that on the bottle. Mother's does produce a sealant, but I was referring to a polish. :)

In regard to an acid-free wheel cleaner, Klasse used to produce an excellent acid-free wheel cleaner, but that has become impossible to find.

Two more than suitable replacements would be the following: P21S Wheel Cleaner (like Klasse, a German product line as well) and Sonus Wheel Cleaner (also a German product line).

Both are 100% acid-free and WILL NOT harm the clear coat on the wheels. Both of these products - along with a multitude of other great products- can be found at : http://www.properautocare.com

If you are looking for a quality sealant, my recommendation is Klasse Sealant Glaze. I have several coats on my rims and am very pleased with it's performance. In order to clean the rims of brake dust after I have taken the car out for a drive, I use Sonus Acrylic Spritz. It is intended for use with Klassed surfaces and works very well. These products can also be found at the web site that I provided. I have ordered from Classic Motoring Accessories many, many times - both the service and the products are top notch. :yesnod:

Intermezzo

RubyRed, great posts! Couldn't have said it any better!

I would also add Eimann Fabrik High Intensity Cleaner to your list of good non-acid wheel cleaners. EFHI can also be used as a general purpose cleaner for other parts of your car too, like your engine, tires and around the house.

Matt IFBA

Well, I'll add my .02

I"ve used Z2 or Z5 on my wheels for the last 3 years, and have great luck. No brake dust buildup wit hthe Gt Rotors and race pads, plus the chrome shines better than it did without a coating.

However, it is important to use something that will stand up to the extra heat generated by brake dust.

MrVegas

Thanks for all the advice!

I have a white C5. The brake dust coats my fenders pretty quickly. I wash the car, drive to work and back home, and .... voila ... more brake dust on the white paint. Is there a spray product or something to quickly remove the brake dust from the paint without having to wash the whole car?

Thanks.

rubyred93

MrVegas -

There certainly are spray products to help remove brake dust - they are called "Quick Detail Sprays". You actually have many to choose from. I do not know what you are using on the finish (a polymer vs. a carnauba or a combination of the two) but generally speaking, your Quick Detailer should be compatible with your top coat on your finish.

If you are a Zaino user, you will likely use Z-6. If you are a carnauba wax user, you can choose from sprays like One Grand Show Off, Pinnacle Crystal Mist, Eimann Fabrik Clear Pearl, etc. (all of these contain carnauba and will enhance/help maintain a carnauba finish) or if you use another non-carnauba product on the car, you can choose from such Quick Detail Sprays as Eagle One Wet Wipe&Shine, Sonus Acrylic Spritz, Meguiar's Final Inspection, Mother's Showtime...and the list goes on.

Keep in mind that a Quick Detail spray is only intended for very light dust or minor road grime. I always quick detail my car after I take it out for a drive. These sprays are not intended as a substitute for a full car wash if that is what the car really needs. Always be sure to apply plenty of spray to reduce the risk of any scratching. I also use different towels for the midline of the car down.

Quick Detail sprays can be a valuable tool if used properly. :yesnod: