Wheel Cleaner

ensteele · #1 02-24-2003, 10:53 PM

I found a product that works great on wheels, both stock and others. I didn't have any of my wheel cleaner the other day when I got home, so had to use something else. I tried an orange product that is called "Orange Clean" which is a multi-purpose cleaner. It smells nice and is fairly mild, but is a good cleaner for road tar and other tough stuff caked onto wheels. I sprayed it on, and before I could get my brush out, all of the road tar started to dissolve right off of the wheel. I sprayed the wheel off with a strong water spray, and the wheels looked like they had been scrubbed for hours. Well, they looked good anyway. It is the best product I have used on wheels yet. More good news, it is fairly cheap too.

PS Don't drink the stuff even though it smells good enough to. But, who knows, it may work on other stuff that way too!

#2 02-24-2003, 10:59 PM

Try Eagle1 Wheel cleaner!!. Gets everything off. Spray and rinse!

ensteele · #3 02-24-2003, 11:07 PM

Is that what your avatar is drinking?

Thanks for the tip. I will try it.

kuoh · #4 02-24-2003, 11:35 PM

I've used the Eagle1 A2Z wheel cleaner and it works great, especially on chrome wheels. I thought the chrome wheels on my old 300M were toast because I couldn't get the water spots and brake dust to wash off no matter how much soap I used, but one spray from the A2Z and it was all shiney and clean again.

KuoH

Quote:

Originally posted by JLittell
Try Eagle1 Wheel cleaner!!. Gets everything off. Spray and rinse!

LarryIII · #5 02-25-2003, 04:42 AM

Earl,

Citrus skin oils have been used in industial cleaners for years. The 'orange cleaner craze' sweeping across the country is just a watered down version of the industrial cleaners. Orange skins (peels) are plentyful because they are basically a waste product of orange juice manufacture. Some of the citrus skin oils have great properties. We use a chemical called Delimamine, which is made from lime skin oil to lubricate mechanical seals on the mixer shafts of cryogenic reactors for pharmaceuticals because it will not freeze at - 400 F, is considered 'food grade' by the FDA, and will not support combustion.

However, it taste like Red Line synth. ATF so don't confuse it with Rose's Lime juice when making gin drinks.

ensteele · #6 02-25-2003, 08:06 AM

Thanks Larry. I will keep the other stuff away from the bar and not use it in my drinks. I wouldn't want to get oiled now would I?

#7 02-25-2003, 12:18 PM

I've always jused used warm water and a rag. That has always worked great for me.

Mike

DavieGravy · #8 02-25-2003, 02:01 PM

Liquid laundry detergent and a scrubbing brush works wonders. I got my wheels cleaner than they'd ever been at one point.

#9 02-25-2003, 02:56 PM

What's with all the solvents? I have never had any problem with just wiping my wheels off with water... Are my wheels different?

Mike

#10 02-25-2003, 03:00 PM

Brake dust.

WestCoastSVX · #11 02-25-2003, 03:01 PM

Mike - you have magic wheels.

#12 02-25-2003, 03:04 PM

The brake dust usually just wipes right off mine... I can even wipe it off with a dry cloth no problem...

I'm talking about my stock wheels by the way.

Mike

WestCoastSVX · #13 02-25-2003, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JLittell
Brake dust.

Not sure what you mean by brake dust exactly, but yes our wheels get that on them.

I'm with Mike, generally my wheels are sparkling after I wash the car with soap and water, no matter how bad they look to start. I'm talking stock rims of course, as sparkly as that type can be. Those that mentioned chrome rims, etc, may have different results because stains and water spots are more noticable on those surfaces.

Speaking of the brake dust, I just put on ceramic brake pads. I think I'm one of the first to try this out so I'll report back the results as far as the alleged "less brake dust" thing.

As far as performance, so far BIG improvement. Of course I did new slotted/drilled rotors, rebuilt calipers, and SS lines at the same time.

kuoh · #14 02-25-2003, 03:16 PM

Brake dust and water spots are not easy to get off chrome once they have set in. Even on our painted wheels, it is not always easy to tell that they have a very light coat of grime and dust. It isn't until you clean one wheel and compare it against the rest that you realize how much of a difference there is.

KuoH

Landshark · #15 02-25-2003, 06:54 PM

the stock wheels are clear-coated and painted, so i wouldn't use anything super harsh on them, just as you wouldn't to the car's paint. it may be easier to "spray n' rinse" with some all-purpose wheel cleaner, but that clearcoat probably won't last too long.....
mine were grungy, so i used some paint polish compound (or a glaze would work), followed by a good coat of wax. there's a pic in my locker of what a nice clean wheel should look like.