What do you use to clean your stock Rays wheels?
 

Guys,

What are you using to get the brake dust and road grim off your tires and stock, sport Rays?

I've been using Westley's Bleach white but I think it might have started tarnishing my rims. Its not drastic, but I can slowly see the "corners" of the rims starting to turn black as if its etched in to the rim itself.

Thanks,

Wes

Don't use anything acidic! Simple soap and water should get dust off. If not, pick up a bottle of P21S Wheel Gel. It's PH neutral and the best you can get for wheel cleaning. After you clean them up, seal the wheels so you have some protection against dirt and break dust in the future. By sealing them it also makes cleaning them super easy!

:iagree:

I like Poorboy's Wheel Sealant. It works really well and layers nicely.

Poorboy's is great! They make some darn good products. I'd put their Natty's Blue against some of the higher end waxes any day!

I also Agree on not using anything other than soap and water with a soft cleaning pad or sponge.
The finish on the wheels are not the greatest

Has anybody tried Armor All Wheel Protectant?

Armor All - Product Detail

I use the EZ-Brush for my rims great for getting into our big rims along with normal soap
EZ Detail Brush Mini, Motorcycle Detailing Brush, Mini Wheel Brush

I'd stay away from this stuff. No one is sure of the long term ill effects off it and actually turning your wheels white.

That's a great brush!! :D

Swissvax Wheel Brush with car wash only—no wheels cleaners that are off-the-shelf from your local automart as they are far too harsh.

I started using Wheel Wax awhile back and it does a nice job after cleaning to help keep the crud off. I did my brake calipers too. :cool:

Smells good too!

These brushes are great for lug nuts and the small triangles on the Ray wheels. You can actually get this exact type of brush from Michael's for about $3. I've never had an issue with bristles falling out or anything.

What about with matte or satin finished wheels? Can you still use the sealers or waxes?

I wonder if using Simple Green on the wheels would be ok? (Haven't had to use anything but soap and water so far...)

I really like using Meguire's APC+ with a 4:1 ratio and Optimum ONR, and a few different brushes. The ONR also has some protection to it and I top with the Spray wax from them as well.

Stoner's Glass Cleaner - $3 a can. Get the aerosal can one NOT the pump one. The aerosal one foams the spray which acts to lift the dirt off the wheel. I have been using this product on wheels for over a decade and it never damaged any of the wheels I used it on. And I wipe the wheels off every evening.

The products that you have to worry about are those that contain lye in the formula. You know it has lye in it by its smell as it smells just like Easy-Off Oven Spray. The lye will eat through the clear-coat on the wheels and eventually the clear-coat will crack and crumble off.

Dawn Liquid Dish soap if really dirty.
Zaino car wash if normal.
Shine with Zaino Z-6 quick detailer spray.
Going to add Z-2 to the wheels when it stops raining.

I hope I havent done too much damage to the wheels. they dont look bad, I just notice up close inspection that it started to show that small black etching dots that I thought was brake dust at first. I've got Zanio, so I will Z-2 them and Z-6 them afterwards.

IF this starts to happen, is there an easy cure for it?

No. Once the cracking of the clearcoat starts then peeling is not far behind.

The peeling usually happens in large size chunks. The thing to do when it starts to peel is to pick all the remaining clear coat off, unmount the tire from the wheel and reclearcoat the wheel with a can of clear coat enamel spray.

Is the Meguiar's Rim Cleaner safe for the Rays?

Meguiar's Direct Hot Rims® All Wheel® Cleaner

if it's just brake dust i use Prima Slick and a soft paper towel.

if it's been through rain then i wash using car shampoo (Griot's CarWash) and a soft boar's hair brush. then finish off with Prima Hydro. just spray and wipe off with a towel for a slick smooth polymer sealant finish. it's too easy. :D

Diluted Simple Green and any other non-amonia all purpose cleaner (again, diluted) should be fine.

I use that and paper towels or microfiber rags. A gentle wheel brush should be okay for tough to reach spots.

These wheels are just painted silver, right? If so, anything that could strip paint or is abrasive would be bad.

yah, the paint on the wheels is soft and thin...so i recommend minimizing the use of polishes and cleaner wax (has diminishing abrasives).

i think someone posted a pict of his Sport wheels taken care by some novice detailer which ended up with the removal of paint. he had black spots at the edges of the spokes.

:iagree:

Don't let the break dust bake on them. Wash the wheels first with soap and water.

+1 ... and then (obviously) rinse before washing the rest of the Z.

That's what I just bought and I'm wondering if I should return it after seeing this thread..