Rim Detail Question

[GoodKarmaGuy]

Hello,

Let me start by saying I'm a car detailing newbie. I've read on a couple of forums that you have to be careful of the rim cleaner you use and that you shouldn't use acid based products. Although tire and rim cleaner products don't list ingredients I assume the ones that are instant cleaners (or have warnings to call the paramedics if it touches your skin) are acid based.

My rims are pretty common and I want to make sure I buy the right product. Up to this point I've just been using Meg's Gold Class car wash with some passion and a MF.

Here is a pic of my exact car and rims.

[Murr1525]

Re: Rim Detail Question

All I am getting is red X's.

Do you know if they are the usual painted/clearcoated aluminum wheels?

If so, the mildest product would be the new Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel Cleaner, or the old Multi-Piece Wheel Cleaner if you can find it. You can also clay you wheels of course, and if they are painted, a good paint cleaner could be used as well after washing to detail them more.

[GoodKarmaGuy]

Re: Rim Detail Question

Thanks for the response Murr1525. Apparently, I'm also a Newbie at posting pics. I've never considered claying my wheels but will also do that next time I clay my car.

It's a 1999 Porsche Boxster with the standard rims. I'm under the assumption they're painted alluminum so I'll try the Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel Cleaner as you suggest. I'll be happy with something mild and time consuming. I've searched all over and have had trouble getting advice I trust.

[Murr1525]

Re: Rim Detail Question

Remember once the clay is down on the wheels, only use it for the wheels, polished exhausts, barbecue grill, etc. Dont bring it back up onto the paint.

Its actualy not a time consuming product at all... I just use a couple sprays, and then a couple different soft wheel brushes to gently scrub around. Then rinse off.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Rim Detail Question

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!


Just to note, "Hot Topics" is a forum that we move threads into, or create to in to start with because the topic is deemed popular and worthy of being in this forum.

Members can choose from a host of other forums to post their questions in and when in doubt, post them to Detailing 101

Thanks....

This thread will now show up in Detailing 101 as we're going to move it.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Rim Detail Question

The first photo is a thumbnail hosted on ImageShack, here's the regular size....




The code behind the red x is a MOL URL, not sure what it was supposed to be?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Rim Detail Question

Hello,

My rims are pretty common and I want to make sure I buy the right product.

First contact the car manufacture or if they are after market wheels contact the wheel manufactures and ask them,

What they recommend?
What are the wheels coated with?
or
What are the wheels made out of?

The correct answer to one of the last two questions will determine what you can use safely. That is, in order to choose the right and best wheel cleaner you need to know exactly what you are working on, as in what is the surface? Is it a coating like chrome or clear paint? Or is the wheel solid aluminum and the aluminum is polished?



Car wash soap will work for light dirt and grime, if you get brake dust and road grim built-up on the wheel surface then you can use a wheel cleaner to go after these types of specific contaminants.

[GoodKarmaGuy]

Re: Rim Detail Question

Thanks MP & Murr1525.

Just this morning I thought I was only a newbie at car detailing. Now I can consider myself a newbie at posting pics and choosing forums as well.

Would Hot Rims Wheel Cleaner be a good long term choice? Being in Vancouver BC Canada I very limited choices as far as car care product retailers go. I checked my local Canadian Tire and that is all they offer as far as Meg's rim products go. Megs does say it's safe for all rims. If I have to order the Hot Shine Aluminum Wheel Cleaner from an online store I will.

I think this is one of the rare places that people appreciate me being ultra picky about what I'm applying to my car's exterior.

[GoodKarmaGuy]

Re: Rim Detail Question

I just re-read Murr's post. I assume they're the regular painted/clearcoated aluminum wheels. The Porsche manual actually recommends applying Vaseline to the rim after washing. Vaseline sounds like a brake dust, dirt magnet to me. Who would've thought.

[Murr1525]

Re: Rim Detail Question

Mikes advice to check for manufactures recomendations is of course best. But no vaseline for me.

But if the Hot Rims products are correct for you, there are a couple different Hot Rims products.... Aluminum, All-Wheel, Chrome, plus some metal polishes, etc. Make sure you order the Aluminum.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Rim Detail Question

The name "All Wheel Cleaner" is a little inaccurate but it's hard to change the name of a product that has a long and successful performance history as well as a HUGE loyal customer base. It's just something you don't do. (change names).

It's not safe for

Polished aluminum - Almost nothing is safe on polished aluminum
Anodized aluminum - Almost nothing is safe on this type of coating
Polished magnesium - Almost nothing is safe on polished magnesium

Starting to get the picture? It's not safe for for just on the polished aluminum or magnesium as it will dull the finish. Anodized aluminum is a complicated treatment that impregnates the aluminum itself and is prone to staining and once stained the only fix is to un-anodize the aluminum.

If you have FACTORY Clear coated Wheels then it's perfectly safe and this goes back to what was posted previously...

What are you working on?

What kind of wheel? Factory or Aftermarket?

What is it coated with or made out of? If you don't know, (and most people don't), the the first thing to do is to find out, that way you can make the right and the SAFE choice for a product whether it's a Meguiar's product or any company's product.

Make sense?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Rim Detail Question

I assume they're the regular painted/clearcoated aluminum wheels.

You want and need to find out for sure as there's a HUGE difference between coated aluminum and painted aluminum.

If you can't find out then our new Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel Cleaner
is completely safe on ANY surface. The trade off is it's not a strong a cleaner, thus the safety.


Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel Cleaner




Someone at the dealership where you bought it should be able to tell you. If they're factory wheels you could also join one of the Porsche forums and ask one of the seasoned aficionados there.

[GoodKarmaGuy]

Re: Rim Detail Question

Thanks guys. I'll find out the type of finish on my rims and take it from there. They're the factory wheels. I never would've thought it could be so complicated but I believe if it's worth doing, you might as well do it right.

Mike, your participation and thoughtful answers in this forum has made me a HUGE Meguiar's fan. I can't think of another product I consume that offers support like you offer.

[HagFan]

Re: Rim Detail Question

What I learned here has made me leave the wheel cleaner sitting in the bin. I clay, Cleaner/Wax and #21 my wheels about twice a year. In between that full treatment I recoat with #21. I never use the wheel cleaner because it will remove the wax. Instead, I wash them just like washing the car. That is, with Meguiar's Hyper Wash.

Ditching the wheel cleaner has the added advantage of allowing tire dressing to last through 2-3 washes.

Like Murr says, retire your used body paint clay bars to the wheels.

Treat Clear Coated wheels like your body paint. You don't spray that with wheel cleaner...

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Rim Detail Question

That is the same way I do my rims. I also qd them between washes. It keeps them clean.