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When doing a complete detail of your car how many take off the wheels to clean the back side of them. And if you do take off the wheels do you have a plastic lined socket for the lug nuts? and do you use a torque wrench when putting the wheels back on?
For a complete detail (annually), yes to removing the wheels. The wheel and tire (sidewalls and tread) get a thorough washing and blown dry. This is also good time to thoroughly inspect the tire and pull any imbedded debris - I'm surprised by the stuff I pull out of the tread, these tires pick up everything. The wheel gets an IPA wipe down and then clayed and polished, including the barrel. Then a wheel coating, and the tire gets a coat of Chadwick's No-Sling tire dressing on both sidewalls. Before remounting, the wheel liner gets cleaned up along with the caliper, hub face, wheel studs, splash guard and suspension items that are easy to get to with the wheel off. A near-microscopic wipe of anti-seize on the first thread only of each wheel stud, then mount and torque to 50 and then again to 100 lb/ft. A little OCD? Maybe, but only done once per year over the winter when there is not much else going on. Sure are easy to keep clean the remainder of that year though, and the wheels look great.
I don't use a rubber coated socket and the lug nuts aren't marked up. I do use a breaker bar to break the lug nuts loose rather than an impact wrench which I believe keeps the lug nuts from seeing any socket markings or damage.
The backsides of these factory wheels aren't finished to the degree I would spend significant time detailing them. I tried. And was disappointed with the finished on the inside. I was going to apply a ceramic coating them and the calipers. Let's just say only the brake calipers were coated.
I started taking the wheels off about once a year on my C6. It had chrome wheels and the bits of road tar would build up on the inside. Washing with a brush wouldn't cut it. Now, with black rims on my C7, I'm not sure if I'll keep up that cycle. Always use a torque wrench.
When doing a complete detail of your car how many take off the wheels to clean the back side of them. And if you do take off the wheels do you have a plastic lined socket for the lug nuts? and do you use a torque wrench when putting the wheels back on?
I always remove the wheels when doing a deep detail. No plastic lined socket just using a deep socket wrapped in black electrical tape to not dent or scratch the wheel face. Always use a good torque wrench and tighten in an off set or star pattern. The C-6 Corvette requires 100 Foot Pounds of torque for the wheels.
Yes if client request is for wheels off, barrels cleaned along with calipers with the option to polish both and glass coat.
Yes, investment was made for nylon sleeved sockets
Yes wheels are torqued by hand to 100lbs and my customer is advised to re torque after 100 miles.
* Always use foam ceramic rotor protector when required to avoid damage to some expensive parts.
I use Adam's Turbo Stick every time I wash the Corvette, but I also take the wheels off twice a year to clean and Rejex the barrels. Rejex makes wheel cleaning much easier.
I do not use a plastic socket, no issues with a standard steel socket.
And I check the torque 4 - 5 times a year, especially before a long road trip.
Yes, CG Spyders have a nice finish on the barrel and I like to keep it that way. Lately I have been using my Quick Jack to lift the car. I can then reach the inside of the barrels without taking the wheels off.
When doing a complete detail of your car how many take off the wheels to clean the back side of them. And if you do take off the wheels do you have a plastic lined socket for the lug nuts? and do you use a torque wrench when putting the wheels back on?
Jim,
The tools you suggested are indeed well used when taking wheels off any car. That said, there are several great wheel brushes and wheel woolies that can help you keep the calipers and barrels clean without the need to remove wheels. If you do remove the wheels, consider a coating to protect the hard to reach areas as it will protect for years and make cleanup easier too.
Detailing
