Wheel Wells

[SL1CK]

What is the best way to clean wheel wells? Right now my cars wheel wells look horrendous, I hate the brown dulled dirty look over clean, shiny tires. Any tips?

[scarface_]

Got APC or APC +? Heard that works real well on them. Works on everything i used it for but haven't got to the outside of my car yet due to all this rain .

[SL1CK]

APC, of course!, havent tried that. Thanks for the info scarface!

Edit: BTW, what would you use to clean it? A brush? I wouldn't want to use my Versa Angle Tire Brush and then get alot of dirt buildup on it then proceed to get some on my tires.

[fuzzydd]

quick question: does APC take off rustproof?

[scarface_]

Originally posted by SL1CK
APC, of course!, havent tried that. Thanks for the info scarface!

Edit: BTW, what would you use to clean it? A brush? I wouldn't want to use my Versa Angle Tire Brush and then get alot of dirt buildup on it then proceed to get some on my tires.

Well the APC + foams. So depends how gunked on it is. If its not, let it sit for a minute and hose it off. Because inside the house and car, i can just see it eating the dirt and grime away.

[imacarnut]

in addition to using apc, car soap, etc.. for the wheel wells, turn the steering wheel to the right as it will make it easier to get into and clean.

[Murr1525]

I picked up the Meguiars spray bottle, and the foaming sprayer. Nice to get the APC to cling a bit to the wheelwell. Maybe get a brush if you need some agitation.

Then dress with your favorite dressing.

And if you have any coating in there, it certainly cant be good for it.

[miked2]

The tire brush, unfortunately, is still too thick for low-profile vehicles. It works OK with our SUV, but not well with our Saab 9-3 Vert. I'm hoping meg's comes out with a low-profile brush for wheel wells . . . .

[Simply Perfect]

You could try using a floor jack if you have one. Lift it up enough to seperate the wheel well from the tire but dont lift the wheel off the ground. This should give you enough room to get in there. you should also use a jack stand just to be on the safe side.

[WaspHunter]

Originally posted by miked2
The tire brush, unfortunately, is still too thick for low-profile vehicles. It works OK with our SUV, but not well with our Saab 9-3 Vert. I'm hoping meg's comes out with a low-profile brush for wheel wells . . . .

Then again if you lower your car far enough people won't be able to see in the wheel wells

Since I don't have a pressure washer handy I've just taken to cleaning them more often. Old toothbrush and old (soft) scrub brush help. Hopefully I'm not removing too much of the undercoat with them.

[Accumulator]

Originally posted by Simply Perfect
You could try using a floor jack if you have one. Lift it up enough to seperate the wheel well from the tire ...

Great advice I keep a pair of floorjacks in the wash bay for *just* this purpose. Well, I *had* a pair before the one died on me

Oh, and once you get the wheelwells clean, it's easy to keep them that way. A few minutes at every wash and you'll be all set.

It pays to do this area. Dirt retains moisture, which can lead to rust. And looking around in there on a regular basis can help with noticing minor maintenance issues before they become serious.

[SL1CK]

So use the brush, or a brush? Not my Versa Angle ? or just spray the APC on there, let it work in, and rinse away?

[Accumulator]

sl1ck- I never get good cleaning without some kind of agitation. Brush, mit, sponge, *something*. Use something small enough that you can get up in there and clean the nooks and crannies. I use a number of different things on each wheelwell, but then again I'm a bit of a fanatic about how I wash.

[kpagel]

Go buy a 'junk' brush. Just pick up a scrub brush used for sinks or toilets from the grocery store. Then only use it for things like wheel wells.

For trucks or cars that have really dirty wheel wells I use APC, Super or Safe Degreaser, sprayed in with a Meg's foaming sprayer. I allow it to set for a couple minutes, agitate, then rinse with a pressure washer. After I'm done washing the car I dress with Hyper Dressing or Meg's new Water Based Dressing.

[The Doctor detailer]

The little details in detailing is what makes the car to really look like new, so if you clean the wheel wells it gives that extra look. I always clean the wheel wells because once that they are clean it´s more easy to keep them that way, but if it´s the first time that you are gonna clean them it´s more time consuming.

you don´t really need a pressure washer (that said it will make things easier) but what I feel that you really need is:

1.- A garden hose with some atachment to shot more water.
2.- A degreaser (preferably Meguiar´s of course).
3.- A spoke wheel brush something large and slim so it can fit in that area.
4.- A towel of any type but something that is not going to be used anywhere else on the car.
5.- Latex gloves or something similar.
6.- The cheapest plastic protectant you can find.

If the wheel wells are very dirty it´s better to apply 2 times the degreaser than to try to remove all the dirt in the first pass.





After application of degreaser.


If you don´t have jacks simply turn the wheel all you can, that should give you more access.