# Nothing will get my wheels clean :-(



## yellow-beast (Dec 22, 2009)

I am after some advice please, in order to improve the look of my car I got my wheels powder coated in a metalic gloss black, they looked fantastic, they always cleaned up well, I changed my brake pads for PF pads which are a soft compound. Since this I have not been able to get them back to how they should be. I have used the following products:
Auto glym wheel cleaner
Wonder wheels
Muc off
Iron cut

If I can't sort this I will be forced to have them re-furbed. I have changed the brake pads 

Thanks 
Mike


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## clokey (Oct 13, 2010)

What about bilberry. Or megs wheel brightener. Both are mixed so can make up as required.


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## The Doctor (Sep 11, 2007)

Post some pics of them and what your trying to clean off.


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## Deeper Detail (Oct 31, 2010)

Bilberrys really good with a detailing brush, make sure you rinse properly tho as it takes a bit of rinsing off. Great though 8)


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## Deeper Detail (Oct 31, 2010)

Dilute it though in most cases


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## Eddy (Apr 13, 2008)

Bilberry neat
Tardis
Claying


All worth trying


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## Scrim-1- (Oct 8, 2008)

Pictures??


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## *Das* (Aug 9, 2010)

Wonder Wheels will remove most. I know a lot of people on here prefer the soft option but Wonder Wheels always work for me. In what way do you mean "I have not been able to get them back to how they should be" ?


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

I have seen a few so called wheel jobs and they have used the wrong paint, water based paint and sometimes no clear over the top, and other problems.

Once the brake dust has got on there is no way to clean them.


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## yellow-beast (Dec 22, 2009)

Thanks guys



> What about bilberry. Or megs wheel brightener. Both are mixed so can make up as required.


Will order some bilberry tonight:thumb:



> Post some pics of them and what your trying to clean off.


Pics below (sorry, would have helped:wall

Bilberrys really good with a detailing brush, make sure you rinse properly tho as it takes a bit of rinsing off. Great though 8)

Will order some tonight



> Bilberry neat
> Tardis
> Claying


Will give it a go:thumb:



> Wonder Wheels will remove most. I know a lot of people on here prefer the soft option but Wonder Wheels always work for me. In what way do you mean "I have not been able to get them back to how they should be" ?


Not able to get them clean & shiny:thumb:



> I have seen a few so called wheel jobs and they have used the wrong paint, water based paint and sometimes no clear over the top, and other problems.
> Once the brake dust has got on there is no way to clean them.


These wheels were powder coated, so no paint as such

Pics as promised


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

You need a serious acid based wheel cleaner for than and not these nancy boy ones like Billberry (which is probably ok on medium to light soiling)

Something like AutoSmart Ali-Shine neat on there given a scrub with a tooth brush....if you can get the AS product try something like the Megs or AutoGlym wheel cleaners. 

Tardis wont touch that as its not TAR....and claying will take forever!

You need some wheel cleaner with some serious grunt....do one at a time and rinse well...you should be fine!


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## Leemack (Mar 6, 2009)

Neat Megs Wheel brightener?


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## toni (Oct 30, 2005)

That doesn't look good at all! I tend to go with Mirror Finish, bad paint job.

If Wonder Wheels and Iron Cut won't it nothing will.


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## Jordan (Dec 22, 2008)

toni said:


> That doesn't look good at all! I tend to go with Mirror Finish, bad paint job.
> 
> If Wonder Wheels and Iron Cut won't it nothing will.


to be honest, iron cut wouldnt take out brake dust anyway?

or would it? i thought brake pads were compound


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## Divine (Jul 16, 2009)

They look long gone to me - How long did you leave before cleaning? I have black wheels and I can leave them for up to a month without any trouble at all

If this was after a couple of weeks, i'd definately put it down to the paints finish


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## wadoryu (Jan 28, 2010)

i recon you've had a bad powder coat on those wheels try some agressive clay.


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

jason2800 said:


> to be honest, iron cut wouldnt take out brake dust anyway?
> 
> or would it? i thought brake pads were compound


Correct....



toni said:


> That doesn't look good at all! I tend to go with Mirror Finish, bad paint job.
> 
> If Wonder Wheels and Iron Cut won't it nothing will.


Sorry disagree totally my 206k mile 405 MI16 had this all over the inside and AS Ali Shine neat with a stiff brush and old tooth brush removed it....ok took 2 hits but thats whats neede to shift crap like that. If its really bad something like the Nielson acid based wheel cleaner will shift it but thats really really strong

Iron Cut wont cut it cos its not soely metal its a build up of dust and gunge etc!


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## johninspain (Sep 30, 2009)

It looks to me like the acid cleaners have striped the paint or at least dulled it. i dont tink its dirt at all just F***ED pain


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## big ben (Aug 25, 2009)

they need a refurb definately, as above


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## Miglior (Feb 12, 2006)

It looks to me like there are some fast road pads in that car and it's been working the brakes very very hard. 

The wheel has got very hot the received some of the brake pad. You ever had brake fade with this car? Looks like the pad has got too hot and given up


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## toni (Oct 30, 2005)

jason2800 said:


> to be honest, iron cut wouldnt take out brake dust anyway?
> 
> or would it? i thought brake pads were compound


I'm not sure about the composition of the brake pad, but Iron Cut really works on brake pad dust.


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## BAXRY (Aug 11, 2009)

There heavily pitted and in some places the pitting has caused patches to come away referb sad times.


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## ade33 (Jun 4, 2008)

That almost looks like the finish has come off rather than brake dust. As stated if WW won't shift it there ain't much Bilberry will do, even neat.


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

ade33 said:


> That almost looks like the finish has come off rather than brake dust....


Agreed, plus there seems to be heavy scratches on the metal/paint. I would refurbish the wheels, put some sealant on and then cleaning will be very easy and the wheels will look great


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## yellow-beast (Dec 22, 2009)

Ok guys, just to clear up a few comments, 

these wheels are not painted they are powder coated.
The wheels are not ruined, if i use 2000 paper it comes off, problem i have is the time to do so then correct the finish afterwards
The brake pads were a soft compound & did get used hard!
Iron cut did remove some but not all
I have left the brake dust on too long, i should have cleaned this off before & should have protected the wheels before.

Below is what the wheels looked like before damage








Below is the car it comes from:thumb:








Thanks for all your comments so far:thumb: its greatly appreciated

mike


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## johninspain (Sep 30, 2009)

you have answered you own question , u need some 2000 grit and some time, there is no quick fix when detailing you need patience to do the job correctly


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## BAXRY (Aug 11, 2009)

Are you from south shields by any chance?


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## Elliott19864 (May 11, 2008)

Shame about the wheels, pass your work most days and the car always looks gleaming.

Who refurbed them?


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## CHRIS172CUP (Jan 24, 2007)

PF's will ruin wheels just like the carbone lorraines did to my wheels. And at a guess you don't hang around so they will give off a lot of dust 

You're lucky your paint work is still in good order, i've seen PF's damage paint down the sides of a car before.


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## AcN (Nov 3, 2010)

Give a try with the Cartec Wheel Cleaner... Might be acid-free, but it freaking kicks all dust off (wear gloves and mask if you want to survive though). After that, do what Eddy suggested : claying


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## scotty_boy (May 1, 2010)

might sound a bit silly and maybe people wont agree but have u tried cilt bang lime and grime the one in the purple bottle and orange sprayer? has worked for me with some really bad wheels and did the wingmirror chrome effect coverson a astra that lived by the sea looked a bit like ur wheels sort of rusty patches gave them a squirt and a good rub with a mf hope this helps


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## Mr_Scisco (Oct 22, 2009)

+1 for cartec non acid wheel cleaner. Not sure about your wheels but it's shifted everything that I have come across.


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## Serious (Mar 19, 2008)

as ali is what you need. if that doesn't work then refurb


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