wheel brightener?

[redhotchevy2000]

what exactly is "wheel brightener"?

is it like super degreaser specially for wheels, or more of a wheel acid type deal?
we got a bunch of meguiars test products at work, and among them we recieved

super degreaser to replace our redhot which we have been using for a while
wheel brightener to replace "wheel bright - wheel acid"
and a few other products such as APC, APC+, last touch... etc..

my question is, would wheel brightener be better than wheel acid for cleaning extremely dirty wheels, or would it be beneficial to keep both around.

[roushstage2]

Re: wheel brightener?

WB is a strong acid cleaner IIRC. As for which to have, who's wheels are you mainly using it on and what type are they? WB is for factory style wheels, clearcoated and chrome really.

[Mike Pennington]

Re: wheel brightener?

Wheel Brightener is an "acid based" wheel cleaner and has a pH of 5.5 (7 is neutral).

It is designed to go after brake dust, where as, "all purpose cleaners" and "degreasers" traditionally work better for dirt, grease and grime since they are on the alkaline side of the scale. Note: APC + is 13.2 and Super Degreaser is 13.5 on the pH scale...

You really need a combination of wheel cleaners, degreasers and all purpose cleaners if you are doing complete detailing.



Mike

[Carfire]

Re: wheel brightener?

[redhotchevy2000]

Re: wheel brightener?

that was what i was thinking. the wheels mainly delt with are factory wheels. we are using basically HSO4 acid currently which is the main ingredient in the wheel acid we use.

i will inform my boss with this information and explain to him that i was right and he was wrong :-p

as for everything else. thank you for the pH values, being a science major i love numbers. haha

[Mike Pennington]

Re: wheel brightener?

[Pats300zx]

Re: wheel brightener?

Is WB safe for clear coated and chrome wheels?? I was always under the impression that it wasn't...

[roushstage2]

Re: wheel brightener?

Yes, it is. Those are factory style wheel finishes.

DILUTION:
Up to 4:1

DIRECTIONS:
Apply only to the wheels that are cool to the touch. Dilute to required strength and spray on cool, dry wheel surface. Let sit for 30-45 seconds and rinse with water. Clean and rinse one wheel at a time. NOT FOR USE ON POLISHED ALUMINUM OR ANODIZED WHEELS.

PROFESSIONAL TIPS:
For severe accumulations of brake dust, use a wheel brush and agitate area during the application of Wheel Brightener.

[Andrew C.]

Re: wheel brightener?

Make Sure to Pay attention to the warning: NOT FOR USE ON POLISHED ALUMINUM OR ANODIZED WHEELS."

It works amazing on all other wheels!

[Chop]

Re: wheel brightener?

I'm clueless abouth my wheels but I don't think they are either polished aluminum nor anodized. Is there a way to tell from a pic?

Here is what I have on one of my cars:



Just making sure Wheel Brightener can be used on my tires before I add it on my next purchase.

[Murr1525]

Re: wheel brightener?

I would probably avoid it. If you dont know (and cant call a dealer , or other MB forum), just stick with the Aluminum Wheel or All Wheel Cleaner. There is a good chance they are painted.

You can always clay them, and use a paint cleaner on them later, when you know for sure.

[Tim Lingor]

Re: wheel brightener?

Just to add more to the discussion....

WB is very powerful and does work amazingly well, but you must be careful!

1. Do not use on wheels that are really warm or hot to the touch. The concentration of WB will increase as the water in the dilution evaporates. It will create a strong gas and will raise the strength of the WB.

2. As mentioned, do not use on Polished Aluminum or Anodized wheels. Just because the car/truck has OEM wheels does not mean they are clear coated. I found that out the hard way on one detail where I swore the stock wheels where clear coated, and they were not.

3. Avoid using on concrete as it will stain it, permanently! You can wet the concrete driveway first which should help some. But I would avoid using it on concrete to be safe.

4. Use safety equipment: gloves, masks and goggles etc. This is an acid and some some common sense needs to be used. Ie. do not spray when it is windy outside in case it blows the mist back into your face etc.

5. Rinse all spray heads with clean water after use as WB is hard on the seals, even in the chemical spray heads.

I use a lot of WB and quite like it! But it does need to be respected for the powerful cleaner it is...

Tim

[roushstage2]

Re: wheel brightener?

I'm clueless abouth my wheels but I don't think they are either polished aluminum nor anodized. Is there a way to tell from a pic?

Here is what I have on one of my cars:



Just making sure Wheel Brightener can be used on my tires before I add it on my next purchase.

They look like factory machined aluminum and coated wheels. I'm not positive that is what they are, but that sure is what they look like. Give MB a call and ask them. They should be able to tell you what the finish is on them.

[Chop]

Re: wheel brightener?

They look like factory machined aluminum and coated wheels. I'm not positive that is what they are, but that sure is what they look like. Give MB a call and ask them. They should be able to tell you what the finish is on them.

Yes they are the factory rims. I checked around other MB forums too to make sure. I think the little hub cap is made of plastic though (can't remember). If so then they have to be removed before using WB right?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: wheel brightener?

Yes they are the factory rims. I checked around other MB forums too to make sure. I think the little hub cap is made of plastic though (can't remember). If so then they have to be removed before using WB right?

Did anyone tell you what specifically the rims are besides being factory?

The look like machined aluminum but that's not the end of the story, are they COATED with a layer of clear paint, are they ANODIZED or are they BARE ALUMINUM?

That's what you need to find out. You need to know what the surface is either made out of or coated with as you're working on the surface of the wheel and you have to make sure your wheel cleaner is safe for whatever the surface is made out of.

As for the plastic center cap, how hard is it to remove?

If WB is not safe for your center cap, is this something you don't mind removing every time you use WB?

If the cap comes of easy, no problem, if it's a pain to remove then you might want to find a wheel cleaner that's safe for everything or just you use your normal car wash solution for a wheel cleaner and a brush for extra cleaning power.