Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Wheel cleaning

I live by the sea and my aluminium wheels look pretty crappy. Can someone recommend a product to get them clean and try and keep them clean. Let's face it triumph didn't think about how we would clean the things did they lol

you think it's a pain cleaning those wagon wheels, try having spokes

I use Mequires wheel cleaner and a brush

Like Dave said, a good cleaner and brush is really all you can do. But living by the sea there I can imagine the salt doing nasty things. Cleaning often would be the name of the game in your case to keep the wheels looking good.

I wonder if getting them anodized would be expensive.

maybe u should try this rim wax

This might sound a bit odd, but I clean my wheels with something called Metal Protector, which is a synthetic oil based version of WD-40. I have found nothing cleans, lubricates and protects better. Once in a great while I use Mothers Chrome polish, but only about once a year.

I only live 4 blocks from the beach, so I have to deal with corrosion on a constant basis.

Tom

Ok here's something!!

I asked my mate who owns a spray shop if there was anything he could bung over them to seal em. He said there's a new chrome paint that's uber hard that he can spray them in and they'll just look like polished chrome. He can then whack on 3 coats of that alloy wheel clear that's really tough and I can just was n wax them... Sounds very tempting.

He showed me a set of wheels he had done and they literally look like waxed chrome wheels even up close it's not obvious.

Anyone else done this?

I've used Macguier's cleaner & Mothers Mag & Alum polish for years on both auto & cycle wheels with "sparkling" results. But then again I don't have to contend with sea salt & it's corrisve effects on a daily basis. Maybe after a good cleaning the rim wax Grzegorz metioned would do the trick for sealing them, Something short of throwing "chome" paint on em would be best IMHO.

Ill ask! Apparently it's all in the application and finish whether it's amazing or just ok but it looks convincing enough for me to try it. I'll post up pics when done

Even if it's not completely perfect it's got to be better than what I've got. Take the wheel off, strip brakes etc from it buff the crap out of it. Oil it up with polish protector or wax only to have to repeat every month or so... At least with painted I can wash it normally to some extent.

Whatever you do I recommend that you don't use Eagle 1 wire wheel cleaner which claims to be recommended by major wire wheel manufacturers. I used it on some Dayton Wire Wheels on my 85 Jaguar and it ate into the chrome and left permanent streaks. Dayton recommends only mild soap and water followed by a coating of WD40 and never any caustic or acidic wheel cleaner.

Get the shiny ones, so much easier to keep clean.

Know what you mean about living near the sea.

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cycle care is the only cleaner that works the way it advertises.

It's funny, but in the long ago past my Triumph dealer told me not to use chrome cleaner-wax on my new bike's chrome parts, said it actually accelerates rust. My guess was it holds in moisture. That was many decades ago and I am sure chemistry has moved forward.

Interesting,I spen hours last night trying to clean a set of rims from Florida,they shine but the salt spots are still there.

simply green,. that stuff cleans everything pretty good. I use it on my rims with great sucess, chain, everything.

I use Simple Green on my wheels and engine, not the chain. SG and a plastic brush. I started buying the concentrate and mixing it a bit weaker than suggested.

where do you get it?

Any hardware or autoparts store.