Reconsiderations for cleaning my new (old) alloy wheels.

[bigfatnick]

Hi all.

My boss, knowing that there are loads of local companies short of drivers has decided to try make me happy. Eminoxes so i can finally hear the v8, shiny bits, and some more quids are doing their job, he's also just shoved some rather unloved alloy wheels on my truck and it looks a lot happier. Thing is, they need some love. I've watched the online videos and i dont have time/access to the tools to spend an hour a wheel making them all shiny and polished, at least not right now.

So can anyone recommend me a product for getting my wheels somewhere near shiny, at least until i have time to apply some elbow grease and do them properly?

I'm thinking buying some wheel acid and brushing it on neat or near neat before steam cleaning it off, having a good scrub then re-applying. Something like this... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500ML-STRONG-ALLOY-WHEEL...


Your thoughts?

Thanks

Nick

[bigfatnick]

And i realise the title is wrong, hit the wrong spell check suggestion.

I also put it in the commercial section, because i figured those in the cleaning forum (if there is one - i've not looked) would treat truck alloys like car ones, painted/laquered and generally a bit soft, as car detaily types tend to be.

[2004sti]

The wheel cleaner you've linked to will make your alloys really dull as it's acid. It'll clean the crud off them but leave them dull and maybe stained. I used some stuff like that on my old wheels and regretted it.
I'm afraid it's elbow grease and time that will bring them back, try wire wool first, then Autosol . I used this method , then used Lucas metal polish on mine, it brought them up a treat and was very easy tans quite quick to use and keep on top of.

[grumpy52]

I have used Nielsen Chemicals Non Acidic Wheel cleaner .
Can be found on the Bay of E .
It's also used by the trade to de grease fifth wheel plates so it does clean crud off quite effectively.
Spray on agitation with a stiff brush and rinse off straight away .

[robinessex]

If you polish alloy wheels, you'll need to re-polish them every day to keep them nice. As for the road salt in winter...........ahhhhhhhhh. Best way is have them powder coated. Have a chrome finish, they'll kook pretty good, and won't be a pain to keep clean.

[s p a c e m a n]

Depends what's on them, if it's metal brake filings then you're screwed. Acid will work but as said will make them dull, what you really want is a bulk bottle of proper de greaser. If you've now got a a few shiny bits you'll need it anyway, stick it in an old spray bottle, soak all of the dirty shiny bits on the lorry and work it in with a toilet brush, then spray it all again and go home. Do it again in the morning and hose it all off, then do it a few more times when you're bored, once you've got it all clean it's easy to keep ontop of.

[bigfatnick]

thanks guys. i got some aerosol stuff from halfords just after posting this, trying to shift the thick stuff inch by inch until i get a better solution. thanks for all the suggestions. they have been taken on bored.

[bigfatnick]

robinessex said:

If you polish alloy wheels, you'll need to re-polish them every day to keep them nice. As for the road salt in winter...........ahhhhhhhhh. Best way is have them powder coated. Have a chrome finish, they'll kook pretty good, and won't be a pain to keep clean.

i suggested doing them white before he fitted them (to go with the colour scheme of the truck) but he just kind of looked at me blank and didnt seem to get my angle. haha

[bigfatnick]

update on this. after realising im never going to spend the time keeping a mirror finish on them, i decided to throw a load of acid at them, thinking the comprimise of bright, but matt looking wheels is better than mucky filthy ones. ive no idea what i used, all i know is that i got it from a local coal merchant who uses it to clean stuff and a mutual aquaintance who deals in trucks told me to get it from him. it was decanted into a clear 2 litre container before i saw it.

bloody hell its good stuff! fizzed and bubbled up the tarmac when i spilt it. and now i have very clean wheels, a knackered brush, a well used steam cleaner and a very healthy respect for acid. - i'd always wondered what the fuss was with those acid attacks you hear of in the news, i've got battery acid on me loads of times with no bother. now i understand. nasty stuff!

[Getragdogleg]

We must use a similar acid to yours, we have an old dishwasher to clean small parts on vehicles we are restoring. the parts come out like new, even better if they are alloy. A cup full in the bottom seem to work a treat.