Cleaning up my new wheels, advice please

[DMS_Dan]

You should get the stuff from Car Care Products tomorrow as i assume it would have been sent express post. If it was sent courier you should get it Thursday. They dont muck about with sending out product, because im in Sydney i call up before 10am and i have the stuff by 4 that avo.

Yeah give them a good clean with either a wheel cleaner (i recommend autoglym custom wheel cleaner AWESOME) and a soft paintbrush to get into all the little nooks. Then polish away

[RhysQ]

here are some piccies.....




THIS IS THE WORST WHEEL

[Mrk_Mickey]

Dude...they look awesome. Hope they come out how you want them to!

Of course if they don't I'll take 'em

[RhysQ]

I gave one a quick clean up last night with a wet cloth (the bad one with the black marks/scrapes on the spokes), and I was surprised at how much dirt came off them just from doing that! More than half of that black stuff came off the spokes, and a lot of dirt on the lips. Hopefully the polishing soap will get the tarnish off the lips, that's my main concern.

One main problem I had... I tried to get the studs out last night but because the wheels are so old, they are completely fixed in there. There are nuts on the underside but even with a spanner, i nearly stripped the pattern on the nut. It didn't even move slightly . Looks like I'll have to work around them.

Dan you might be able to help me a bit here. Apparently that polishing soap cannot be used on clear coated or painted wheels. The spokes on mine are clear coated silver paint. Will I have to tape them off so absultely NO soap gets on them, or does it more mean not to purposefully rub it on the spokes. Do you reckon it will be ok if I get a little bit on the spokes when cleaning the lips?

[Mrk_Mickey]

Not that I'm Dan, I'm just taking a stab... My guess would be that unless the soap has an acidic pH level or it's abraisive, I don't think it would matter getting a tiny bit on there.

[RhysQ]

All advice is welcome, not just Dan. I just thought it would be a question Dan would know most about. I thought the same as you Mickey anyway. Just my luck though, the paint will start bubbling away and I'll end up having to get them sandblasted . I really don't want to lose the RS logo's...

On another note, I've just jumped off the phone with another custom wheel shop (Dr Wheels) here on the Gold Coast and they quoted me $10+GST per wheel to bore the centres out . Another place (Depulu Wheels - very high quality, many exotics go through this place) quoted me $25 per wheel!! Looks like i'll be getting them done THIS Friday instead of next. If all goes to plan they will be on and rolling this weekend

[jasn78]

Rhys, have a look on google for threads about maintenance etc on 2 and 3 piece rims might want to give them a good check up first.

[RhysQ]

Rhys, have a look on google for threads about maintenance etc on 2 and 3 piece rims might want to give them a good check up first.

got any links. i can only find basic things like 'clean foreign material' and 'throw out cracked rims'.....duh! haha

[jasn78]

geez im too kinda sometimes

[RhysQ]

Cheers. The only thing is on the inside of the wheel barrells, at first it looked like caked on dirt/brake dust but I think it might be some light surface rust as I could not clean it off. I'll buy some steel wool this afternoon and give them a good rogering tonight!

Any other tips to get rid of this?

Dan, the Polishing Soap arrived at my house at 10am this morning! I only ordered it at about 1.30pm yesterday afternoon!

[jasn78]

Yeah Greg @ car care products is great, mind you every car detail guy i have dealt with so far seems ultra nice and helpful which so far is limited to Greg, Dan and Dave @ waxit

[Mrk_Mickey]

Lol, what do you expect? They're detailers...things in their lives have to be close to perfect otherwise they'll clean outside of the job!

[DMS_Dan]

Dan you might be able to help me a bit here. Apparently that polishing soap cannot be used on clear coated or painted wheels. The spokes on mine are clear coated silver paint. Will I have to tape them off so absultely NO soap gets on them, or does it more mean not to purposefully rub it on the spokes. Do you reckon it will be ok if I get a little bit on the spokes when cleaning the lips?

Just dont rub it on. If it touches it will be fine. If you rub it your essentially polishing clear coat with metal polish, not cool. You could probably bring them back using car polish but best to avoid the issue. If your really worried cover then in plastic bags, will mean less taping.

Not that I'm Dan, I'm just taking a stab... My guess would be that unless the soap has an acidic pH level or it's abraisive, I don't think it would matter getting a tiny bit on there.

YOU WILL NEVER BE ME MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Mrk_Mickey]

Just dont rub it on. If it touches it will be fine. If you rub it your essentially polishing clear coat with metal polish, not cool. You could probably bring them back using car polish but best to avoid the issue. If your really worried cover then in plastic bags, will mean less taping.



YOU WILL NEVER BE ME MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Hahaha no I don't need to be you, I'll just take over you some day!

[KI11Z]

wow, i think these will definately look the biz!! i'm looking forward to seeing them on! What tyre sizes are you going with?? streeeeeeetch?? just do eeeet, it looks wicked