Jigs2895
26th August 2013, 18:30
Decided to make a little guide on how to deep clean alloy wheels. You see a lot of rusty old VTR alloy wheels around, just thought this guide might be useful to some people who want to bring new life to their alloys.
So first things first we start off with an old warn VTR alloy. I find it more useful to jack the car up and take each alloy off at a time so you can clean the back of the alloy as well as the front, but this isn't always necessary http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/18555r14saxo001-500x500_zps79a48ce7.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/18555r14saxo001-500x500_zps79a48ce7.jpg.html)
Firstly you want to soak the alloys in Auto Glym Clean Wheels, cover all the wheels in this and allow it to soak for 5-10 minutes, this will remove the majority of the break dust off the wheel. Once they have soaked, you need to get an old thoothbrush and give all the wheel a good scrub, spend about 5 minutes on each wheel scrubbing away, applying more Auto Glym Clean Wheels if necessary.
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_005_zps3c933c2c.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_005_zps3c933c2c.jpg.html)
Now give the wheels a hose off, if possible with hot water. I am able to use a jet wash with boiling water out the tap, this is best as the boiled water helps to break down the tar (our worst enemy). Now dry the wheels off, and get a fresh cloth and apply some tar remover to the wheels. This is the hardest part, but makes the most difference. A good amount of elbow greese will defeat the tar, spend again another good 5-10 minutes per wheel removing all the tar. Once you have done all 4 wheels, jet wash them off again.
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_006_zps3c72b2c4.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_006_zps3c72b2c4.jpg.html)
Now here is the part that most people don't do. Get hold of some metal polish if you can, i find that Auto Glym metal polish does the best job. dry the wheels and apply the polish to the wheels in the same way you would your car, in small circles, applying with a bit of pressure. Leave all 4 wheels for 5 minutes so the polish sets. And buff off with a clean cloth.
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_007_zpsf35b5e7b.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_007_zpsf35b5e7b.jpg.html)
The metal polish also works wonders on your exhaust!
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_003_zps02b4bba3.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_003_zps02b4bba3.jpg.html)
Lastly you want to apply Auto Glym Alloy Wheel Seal. This will form a protective layer over the clean alloy so next time you come to clean it, it is 10X's easier! You simply spray it over the wheel and buff it into the wheel. It helps to prevent tar sticking to the alloys again as well :y:
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_008_zpsb7b418a3.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_008_zpsb7b418a3.jpg.html)
All in all, they should come out something like thishttp://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_002_zps9fb93b35.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_002_zps9fb93b35.jpg.html)
If your taking the wheel off then I would suggest giving the brakes a clean along with the wheel arches, as these are prone to rust and cleaning them properly can help keep the rust away :y:
So first things first we start off with an old warn VTR alloy. I find it more useful to jack the car up and take each alloy off at a time so you can clean the back of the alloy as well as the front, but this isn't always necessary http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/18555r14saxo001-500x500_zps79a48ce7.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/18555r14saxo001-500x500_zps79a48ce7.jpg.html)
Firstly you want to soak the alloys in Auto Glym Clean Wheels, cover all the wheels in this and allow it to soak for 5-10 minutes, this will remove the majority of the break dust off the wheel. Once they have soaked, you need to get an old thoothbrush and give all the wheel a good scrub, spend about 5 minutes on each wheel scrubbing away, applying more Auto Glym Clean Wheels if necessary.
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_005_zps3c933c2c.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_005_zps3c933c2c.jpg.html)
Now give the wheels a hose off, if possible with hot water. I am able to use a jet wash with boiling water out the tap, this is best as the boiled water helps to break down the tar (our worst enemy). Now dry the wheels off, and get a fresh cloth and apply some tar remover to the wheels. This is the hardest part, but makes the most difference. A good amount of elbow greese will defeat the tar, spend again another good 5-10 minutes per wheel removing all the tar. Once you have done all 4 wheels, jet wash them off again.
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_006_zps3c72b2c4.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_006_zps3c72b2c4.jpg.html)
Now here is the part that most people don't do. Get hold of some metal polish if you can, i find that Auto Glym metal polish does the best job. dry the wheels and apply the polish to the wheels in the same way you would your car, in small circles, applying with a bit of pressure. Leave all 4 wheels for 5 minutes so the polish sets. And buff off with a clean cloth.
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_007_zpsf35b5e7b.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_007_zpsf35b5e7b.jpg.html)
The metal polish also works wonders on your exhaust!
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_003_zps02b4bba3.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_003_zps02b4bba3.jpg.html)
Lastly you want to apply Auto Glym Alloy Wheel Seal. This will form a protective layer over the clean alloy so next time you come to clean it, it is 10X's easier! You simply spray it over the wheel and buff it into the wheel. It helps to prevent tar sticking to the alloys again as well :y:
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_008_zpsb7b418a3.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_008_zpsb7b418a3.jpg.html)
All in all, they should come out something like thishttp://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a554/Zac_Jiggins/WP_20130826_002_zps9fb93b35.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Zac_Jiggins/media/WP_20130826_002_zps9fb93b35.jpg.html)
If your taking the wheel off then I would suggest giving the brakes a clean along with the wheel arches, as these are prone to rust and cleaning them properly can help keep the rust away :y: