Painted Wheel Care

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

> From: SOP8920@Siena.edu
> 
> I used to be fairly satisfied with some wheel cleaning products for aluminun
> wheels.  As of my last understanding, paint is different.  (Duh.)  Has
> anyone found the "magic product" which will clean these painted wheels of
> brake dust deposits quickly and easily and without damaging the paint?  If
> so, please share your recommendations."
> 
> I have the same problem or perhaps a more severe one on my 89 200TQ. With a
> team consisting of myself, a buddy, and my brother we scrubbed those damn
> wheels for a good while with toothbrushes, rags, and Quicksilver. The stuff
> seemed to work on the light brake dust but not in the heavy deposits. I also
> noticed that one side of the spokes were much worse than the other b/c of the
> way the wheels draw heat (and dust) from the brakes. Compared to the "stick
> your finger in it" depth for the pearl on the body, the wheels look very bad.
> When you find the miracle cure.. let me know. 

I don't have the ultimate cure, but I offer those notes:

1)  I used Quicksilver for a while, but heard that over time, it's 
hard on wheels.  I ditched it and changed over to Turtle Wax's "Wheel 
Brite".  It's labeled specifically for brake dust, and works OK, 
but as noted above it's better on light than heavy deposits. 

2)  For heavy deposits, the best thing I've found is a firm 
fingertip inside a standard shop rag dipped in wash water - after 
the deposit has been sprayed with the Wheel Brite.  I also tried a 
pointed-end brush with soft nylon bristles, but even they scratched 
the pain visibly after a few uses.

3)  I also wax the wheels every so often.  A thought: I RECALL a trick 
I used in the 60's with chrome wheels on my '66 GTO - I coated 
them with with Clear brand Floor Wax.  It's pretty tough stuff.  It 
might be worth trying a test patch on these painted wheels to see if 
Clear will work on them!

Vaya Con Queso......

Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.             Fax:    409/862-1202
College Station, TX 77843           Email:  a-powell1@tamu.edu 
W3 page - http://agcomwww.tamu.edu/agcom/satellit/rpe/alpage.htm
"Baseball is 90 percent mental.  The other half is physical"...
...Yogi Berra.