Meguiars Wheel Brightner

[gbackus]

Originally posted by Setec Astronomy
Huh? First you're telling us not to jump to HF conclusions and comparing ABF to the fluoride in toothpaste, then you're saying "I'd be more worried about the health problems associated with ABF, particurlarly what it can do to your lungs with prolonged exposure."

There's a very large difference between the immediate attention needed when HF comes into contact with your skin, and the safety precautions needed when using ABF. WHen HF comes in contact with your skin, you feel nothing, however the acid needs to be neutralized(the name of the exact compound escapes me at the moment)quickly, or the acid will quickly seep into the pores all the way to your bones in a matter of minutes. In large enough concentrations, this is DEADLY AND FATAL, in very small concentrations, the acid reacts to water by leeching calcium from your bones. This is very different from the damage that ABF can do when you are exposed to compound for prolonged periods of times over many years(not uncommon for a detail operator working in a poorly ventilated area without the proper safety equipment) when not following proper safety protocal. I hope this clears up any confusion on my part, I did not mean to say that ABF is safe, it poses a a very real danger if not handled properly, I just wanted to get across the point that it is not HF, and does not pose the DEADLY threat that HF does.

[SiriusRIMZ]

is this stuff safe for all wheels? Would Non-clearcoated wheels be eaten alive?

[Setec Astronomy]

Originally posted by gbackus
WHen HF comes in contact with your skin, you feel nothing, however the acid needs to be neutralized(the name of the exact compound escapes me at the moment)

Calcium gluconate.

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Originally posted by SiriusRIMZ
is this stuff safe for all wheels? Would Non-clearcoated wheels be eaten alive?

It depends how much you dilute it. It should be safe for non-clearcoat if diluted down ALOT (like 10:1 or more)

[SpoiledMan]

Originally posted by SiriusRIMZ
is this stuff safe for all wheels? Would Non-clearcoated wheels be eaten alive?

The bottle says not safe for un-coated or anodized wheels.

[Jeff Smith]

Speaking for myself, I have gotten into the habit of doing the very best I can to avoid using a wheel cleaner, I keep it down to a minimum. I'll explain:

For my truck, I tend to keep it pretty clean. I use NXT Metal Polysh from time to time and after polishing, I go to one of the Synthetic Polymer waxes. From then on, I simply a regular car wash shampoo during a normal wash along with the Versa-Angle Wheel Face Brush and the Safety Tip Wheel Spoke Brush.. After this I find I can maintain the Chrome using any of the QDs

If I know I am getting ready to polish then wax, I might hit the Chrome with a pressure washer to knock off some loose junk.

So far, using the above methods work very well for me but I am by no means a high mileage driver. I might put 10-15 miles a day on my truck. Lucky there. I try to avoid using the wheel cleaner as I figure it would likely eat off the wax I had previously applied to the Chrome.

But, I tend to do alot of other peoples vehicles and depending on how bad off the wheels are, then I may use a Wheel Cleaner. Right now I am using Gold Class Instant Wheel Cleaner. I just use this in place of the car wash shampoo by using the same method as above.

Now that you know where I am coming from, I am seeing where my method as described above leaves alot to be desired "inside" the rims. Not the Chromed surface but the inside of the rim itself. I tend to find the stuff in there as geting hard to get off so I am looking to start hitting that with a wheel cleaner. Once I finish using up my consumer line Wheel cleaner I do plan to switch over to my gallon of Wheel Brightener I bought several months ago.

So I'd like to ask a few questions about this product before I get into using it.

1. Will this product eat the Wax off my Rims? I figure yes but wanted to ask anyway.

2. Can anyone recommend some method that will allow me to get this product "inside" my rims to work where I need it without getting all over my Chrome surfaces? If I can figure out how to do this I would have it made.

[kpagel]

Jeff, this is strong stuff so yes, it will more than likely remove your wax off your wheels.

As far as getting it inside the wheels, the only method I can think of is sticking your sprayer inside the wheels and spraying, then being very careful about where you spray. Let it sit for a minute, then rinse. Its very strong, I have cleaned very dirty wheels with no agitation.

One thing I do if I have the time is to put my truck on jack stands, removing all the wheels and really cleaning them from the inside out. Then I coat the entire wheel, even the inside, with whatever sealant I'm using. This is kind of a PITA and I don't know if this is a viable option for you, but it has helped me. It makes it easier to keep the insides clean without needing a wheel cleaner. After I seal my wheels, I don't use wheel cleaners on them, just soap and water. This chore is made easier by the fact that I have a car lift in my garage .

[Jeff Smith]

Originally posted by kpagel
Jeff, this is strong stuff so yes, it will more than likely remove your wax off your wheels.

As far as getting it inside the wheels, the only method I can think of is sticking your sprayer inside the wheels and spraying, then being very careful about where you spray. Let it sit for a minute, then rinse. Its very strong, I have cleaned very dirty wheels with no agitation.

One thing I do if I have the time is to put my truck on jack stands, removing all the wheels and really cleaning them from the inside out. Then I coat the entire wheel, even the inside, with whatever sealant I'm using. This is kind of a PITA and I don't know if this is a viable option for you, but it has helped me. It makes it easier to keep the insides clean without needing a wheel cleaner. After I seal my wheels, I don't use wheel cleaners on them, just soap and water. This chore is made easier by the fact that I have a car lift in my garage .

I was thinking it might be worth a shot to try soaking a small HF, sticking it through my spokes and working it around then come back and use my previously described routine for a final wash. Might be worth a try.

I will be removing my Chrome wheels and putting the OEMs back on soon. I keep putting that off. So one good cleaning and polishing inside the rims a year is definately doable. And I can apply several good coats of sealant and then do the best I can from there out for the rest of the year.

Editing here. Adding a pic to show what kind of wheels I am working with.

[Fr0zen]

I just take care when spraying it, I normally wear saftey gloves, but not so much always wear eye protection. When it's windy yes, when it's not, then no. As for breathing it in, I always use it in a well ventilated area. I dilute it 4:1, it smells like grapes and works well. I normally only use it when my wheels are heavily soiled, if not I use Meguiars APC+, or if the wheels are in really good shape I just use Hyper Wash to not remove wax or sealents.