Turbobrick Neutral Newbie January 3, 2002 Share January 3, 2002 To brudders and sistars using chemical wheel cleaners: I recommend using 3M tire and wheel cleaner as it's alkaline based and does not damage the rims clearcoat in the long run. Also if 3M digs too deep into your wallet, dilute it with 3-5 parts of water. The solution is pretty concentrated and using it 50% diluted can easily clean of a weeks worth of brake dust. Use the cleaner with a sponge or soft brush and work up some foam as lubrication as you clean the wheel. I have many bad experiences with acid based cleaners like Armor All & Mother's as they bite into the clearcoat leaving streaks of white behind. ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watzup Neutral Newbie January 3, 2002 Share January 3, 2002 I using eagle 1 all wheels and it's ok, no white marks and dirt from wheels come off real easy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myfocus Neutral Newbie January 4, 2002 Share January 4, 2002 Autoglym wheel cleaner is supposed to be alkaline based too. No problems with it so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madarmour Neutral Newbie January 4, 2002 Share January 4, 2002 I do not use wheel cleaners at all. Just wash a bit harder! My friend's calipers were corroded by cleaners! Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yongwd 1st Gear January 4, 2002 Share January 4, 2002 ArmorAll for Aluminium rims or unpainted rims, effect is good but not recommended for painted rims. If you spray ArmourAll wheel cleaner onto a painted rim when it is hot, the brake dust will be baked onto the surface and u will have a hell time trying to remove it. 3M is good for painted rims. If u run out of wheel cleaner, u can try Autogylm engine degreaser on painted rims too. Same cleaning effect w/o dulling the surfaces. Turtle wax wheel cleaner is good too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbobrick Neutral Newbie January 4, 2002 Author Share January 4, 2002 I use car shampoo for light dust on the wheels now as I Klass-ed my rims so dust washes off easily. For tougher jobs I use 3M wheel cleaner. btw, anyone tried using simple green to wash wheels? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myfocus Neutral Newbie January 4, 2002 Share January 4, 2002 Ah, now I recall. Saw some cars at used car dealers. there were white stains on the calipers and hubs of the brake disc. Could have been effects of chemical cleaners. I do not use wheel cleaners at all. Just wash a bit harder! My friend's calipers were corroded by cleaners! Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madarmour Neutral Newbie January 5, 2002 Share January 5, 2002 A lot of people who use wheel cleaners often forgot to rinse the spray off the calipers. If the spray can do that to the calipers, I don't feel good applying it to my rims, no matter how 'clean' it looks. Most rims are painted, together with topcoat. I think it should be treated as the body. Nobody spray wheel cleaner on the bodywork, right? Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbobrick Neutral Newbie January 5, 2002 Author Share January 5, 2002 Yup, most aluminum rims now are clearcoated like the body paintwork. So in fact car shampoo is the best to use for rims! But brake dust clings on stubbornly so wat I'll recommend is not to spray the chemical and leave it there. There's no such thing as spray on and spray off crap. Best way is to spray some of the chemical on a wet sponge or brush and agitate it to foam up, then clean the wheel while rinsing it lightly as well. The foam or soapy solution lifts the dirt off and U don't wanna scrub the dirt back in right? So continuous rinsing is the key to prevent scratches as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barakian Neutral Newbie January 5, 2002 Share January 5, 2002 What I used to do was to spray Armour All Alloy Wheel Cleaner onto the sport rim, leave it to sit for about 15-30 sec, then sponge off the brakedust and thoroughly rinse off the rim.....found no problems of staining when I did that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbobrick Neutral Newbie January 6, 2002 Author Share January 6, 2002 Was it the Armor All "Quicksilver" wheel cleaner? That one has quite a high acid base content compared to Autoglym or 3M, and not cheap either. I guess not leaving it over 1min on the wheel (when it's cold btw) shouldn't let the acid etch into the rim. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barakian Neutral Newbie January 6, 2002 Share January 6, 2002 Errr......can't really remember manz....think it was, and yeah, it had a very strong smell of ammonia. I made it a point to use it ONLY on cold rims and for a very short period of time at a go to remove brakedust. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbobrick Neutral Newbie January 6, 2002 Author Share January 6, 2002 Yah, I tried it before too, smell can knock U out! That's why I love 3M wheel cleaner so much, alkaline based and got citrus smell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yongwd 1st Gear January 6, 2002 Share January 6, 2002 Maybe I should try 3M, where to get (the cheapest - very important)!!! [tongue] Expendable item must keep the cost real low!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbobrick Neutral Newbie January 6, 2002 Author Share January 6, 2002 Cheapest I got was at Pin Liang, looks like old stock But it works lah, so neber mind. $12. To make it more cost efficient, if U clean your wheels oftern U can dilute the wheel cleaner up to 50/50 with water. Else it's $14.90 at hardware shops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seven11 Neutral Newbie January 6, 2002 Share January 6, 2002 Didnt know that PinLiang sells wheel cleaners as well. They have another shop selling handphone stuffs a few units away. Looks like business not bad for them. Always go there - always got few customers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbobrick Neutral Newbie January 6, 2002 Author Share January 6, 2002 Pin Liang sells a bit of car care products and most are cheaper by a few bucks, a bit dusty though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seven11 Neutral Newbie January 6, 2002 Share January 6, 2002 A bit dusty? Thats why cheaper by a few bucks. I like the place... the people there quite friendly and not pushy. Hate those neighbourhood accessories shop that eye on you when you step in. Like as if must buy something, if not, you will be cursed to the 18th level of hell. Pin Liang sells a bit of car care products and most are cheaper by a few bucks, a bit dusty though ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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