Okay, the outside of my stock 2002 SE rims are great, but, the insides are all caked and spotty in places. Whats the best stuff to remove that nasty stuff???

thanks!

 

i personally use eagle 1 a-z. works great.

 

A typical rim cleaner wont work. I use the P21s gel on the wheels and it doesnt get it all off, so Im sure im gonna need something very intensive.

 

P21s Gel still requires agitation, so I guess the answer is P21s gel with a brush.

 

I agree with AMG. The P21S gel is pretty capable, you still need to agitate it with a firm sponge. Don't expect the product to work miracles. You'll waste more product if you just expect to spray it on and watch the wheels become new again.

See my pics in this thread:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=387236

 

I have another great wheel cleaner. DuPont Teflon Wheel Cleaner

This stuff works well the first time you use it. It does require agitation, but it leaves a nice teflon film so that the next time you use the product you end up using less (and depending on the condition of the wheels) you also may not have to scrub. This is especially true if you wash the car at least once every 2 weeks.

 

It's funny you mentioned teflon, I was about to buy a can of teflon spray and spray the interior of my wheels but I wasn't sure if it would stick. Hopefully this would help the brake dust from sticking. Here is the link of stuff I was planning on purchasing: http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...OVMTC=standard

What do you guys think?

 

IIRC, Teflon will not bond to a surface unless it is heated to some 600*F or something. So basically the "Teflon" products are just a gimmick.

 

I use a brush after spraying the gel on my tires. I know its not spray on, rinse off. The rims come clean, pretty much, but they still have some black flecks left behind. But I have since found something that works. Its "Wheel Wax" and I got it from ProperAutoCare.com, Its great!

 

.....

 

Its not an actual teflon coating, like a frying pan. Its a wheel cleaner that leaves behind a teflon wax. The layers build up as you use it, making it more difficult to bond firmly to the wheel. I think alot of ppl make that mistake though.

 

I would have to agree with e55amg2.

 

Wheel acid, takes everything off.

 

Including your clearcoat if you make a habit of using that ****.

 

and the silver enamel as well

 

Your funny. I work at a detail shop, using the wheel acid once isn't gonna mess your clear coat you paint up. Using it constantly it will. So if your wheels are really dirty and your tried all purpose cleaner and what not. The wheel acid take real dirt off.

 

I believe he said if you make a habit out of it...

I worked for a Mercedes/porsche/audi/BMW dealer as a detailler. We only used wheel acid on wheels that are chrome. Even the dirtiest wheels came clean with Ardex wheel cleaner and a soft bristle wheel brush. I would never use acid on any painted wheel, period.

 

I agree. I wouldn't either. My wheels, and customers' wheels, are only touched by pH-balanced wheel cleaners.

A lot of "detail shops" don't know what the hell they are doing. I used to work at a dealership as a car washer, and our "detailing" department would RARELY release a swirl-free car. The morons that worked there were using rotaries with wool pads and compounds all day. Apparently they expect a wool pad and compound to leave a swirl-free finish?
And my boss...he told me to mix new soapy water every 4 cars. What kind of bullsh*t is that? You'd think the manager of a body shop department would realize that washing a car after the same 5 gallons of water were used to wash 3 salty dirt-covered cars before it, would scratch the hell out of the paint.

So your statement that you work at a detail shop means nothing to me. I washed/detailed the cars at the shop, and I used all kinds of improper methods and chemicals for different things (because my boss - the genius that thinks he has so much credibility just because he works in a body shop/detail shop - told me what to do).

Used Super Iron Out to remove some rail dust that clay could have easily handled.

Used lacquer thinner everytime we had tar on the paint. Wipe on with a paper towel (scratching the paint) and be done with it (IOW no removal of the lacquer thinner residue).

I was also told that any cars on the road nowadays were fine to spray down with a hose + spray nozzle on full blast. "The cars today are sealed up real well under the hood...don't you think it gets wet when they drive in the rain?" says the genius.

Oh and the "master buffer" who had been working in the shop and using a rotary for decades, would almost daily, be caught releasing a car with holograms all over it. The genius manager (or "Master Buffer") apparently didn't think it was necessary to clean the pads, or store them away from dust accumulation. They would be sitting out on a cart overnight, allowing thick Bondo dust to settle on them.

 

Our shop was the exact opposite. The boss wouldnt let us send a car out with any sort of visual blemishes (then again, we did charge 150-500 a pop to do them). He was also SUPER **** about our equipment (keeping it clean, etc..).