Cleaning and Waxing Wheels

[RamAirV1]

It's time to clean and wax the wheels on the goat. I have a few questions.

Which wax would you use? I have a choice between NXT (paste or liquid) and #20. NXT will probably give a better look. #20 dries more quickly and may be a little bit easier to remove. I would like to wax the wheel and have it dry so I can remove it before moving on to the next one. Maybe I should do 2 wheels with NXT and 2 with #20. Up until now, I have mostly used #20 with good results. I also have MPPP but it takes too long to dry. The anti-static properties would be a plus though.

Now for the cleaning part. The wheels are painted, clearcoated silver. I don't see much need for a cleaner/polish but there are a few tar spots that need attention. Would you use clay or tar and bug remover? Any tar spots will be very small, like dots. For tar and bug remover, I have my choice of either Autoglym or 3M. 3M is pretty aggressive. How does Autoglym compare? And will tar and bug remover harm the tires at all?



RamAirV1

[Murr1525]

The bug and tar remover shouldnt hurt tires.. I would expect them to be exposed to far worse on the road. It could remove dressing though...

I dont know which synthetic wax would be best..

[RamAirV1]

Thanks I went with the NXT. I used paste and liquid on different sections. The paste definitely sets up faster. The liquid is easier to apply on wheel though with the irregular surfaces.

I used the Autoglym tar remover and it is excellent! It has less of a strong solvent smell than the 3M. I bought it from BCC.

RamAirV1

[Accumulator]

I'd clay them *and* use some sort of cleaner/polish. I'm always amazed at all the stuff that comes off of "clean" wheels. And the gentle "smoothing" action from the cleaner polish will have other benefits too.

I'd use the longest-lasting LSP you can and then just clean with regular car wash solution instead of a wheel cleaner.

[RamAirV1]

Originally posted by Accumulator
I'd clay them *and* use some sort of cleaner/polish. I'm always amazed at all the stuff that comes off of "clean" wheels. And the gentle "smoothing" action from the cleaner polish will have other benefits too.

I'd use the longest-lasting LSP you can and then just clean with regular car wash solution instead of a wheel cleaner.

I agree. I never use wheel cleaner as it will easily strip the wax off. I definitely will use a cleaner on the next go round. I should have tried the Color X, but I didn't have any on hand. #6 has enough cleaning action that it may have been a good option.

RamAirV1