# Wheels not cleaning too well



## Ravinder (Jul 24, 2009)

Hey guys. Took the wheels off the rover and thought I'd give them a good clean. I got the pw out on it first. Then sprayed bilberry wheel cleaner at quite a strong ratio. Scrubbed with brush, rinsed again, tar remover, wiped off then iron x and this is the best I can get them. The fronts looks absolutely fine but the tough stuff at the back I can't get off. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

From this:

















To this. All 4

































But the back:

















Thanks. Ravinder.


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## witcher (Nov 25, 2010)

try bilberry wheel cleaner 1:5, agitate and rinse with boiling water (be careful though), sometimes it does the trick. 
Other than that try iron X again and see if it still bleeds, if so, it means there is still baked brakedust that needs to be removed.


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## EliteCarCare (Aug 25, 2006)

You need something a little stronger on the rear section. Something like Valet Pro Blue Wheel Gel (acid based) should do the trick, it's a gel so it's designed to cling.

Ideal for wheels in this condition. :thumb:

Alex


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## DannyMair (Jan 18, 2013)

Possibly try steam cleaner on the back to loosen it?


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## Beancounter (Aug 31, 2006)

Blimey, looks like Stevie Wonder balanced those wheels


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## id_doug (Apr 6, 2011)

As I one off treatment I would try an acid based wheel cleaner otherwise your probably going to be on for ever trying to clean them.

Some quite magnificent wheel balance weights in them!


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## luke123 (Mar 30, 2010)

concrete cleaner


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## Ravinder (Jul 24, 2009)

Beancounter said:


> Blimey, looks like Stevie Wonder balanced those wheels


What do you mean?

Thanks guys. I have some wonder wheels so ill give that a go and see how it comes out.


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

Wonder Wheels FTW.

The weights are stacked in one place, never seen that before!


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## bildo (Mar 29, 2008)

Ravinder said:


> What do you mean?
> 
> Thanks guys. I have some wonder wheels so ill give that a go and see how it comes out.


From the pics it looks like the wheel weights in the back of the wheel are mounted on top of each other?

Normally you'd put them in a neat and reasonable fashion.


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## Beancounter (Aug 31, 2006)

Ravinder said:


> What do you mean?


This vvvvv 



bildo said:


> Normally you'd put them in a neat and reasonable fashion.


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

As above, wtf is going on with those balances


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## Ravinder (Jul 24, 2009)

They were already like that. Should I change them? Does it have an impact on the road?


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## bildo (Mar 29, 2008)

Considering that you're bothered enough to be cleaning parts of the wheel you won't be able to see whilst the wheel is on the car I'd be getting it done anyway personally.

No matter how good you get the wheel looking inside those weights will look a mess, and for me personally ruin the look of the wheel.


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## Ravinder (Jul 24, 2009)

OK, thanks.


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

There are two options for cleaning them up, multiple hits of Iron X and Tardis or some acid based cleaner. I would go with the acid based myself.

As for the wheel weights, i would take them off so that you can clean all of the wheel then have them re balanced.


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## Ravinder (Jul 24, 2009)

Thanks. That is the plan. I have some Wonder wheels somewhere in the garage so I will try this first and see what difference it makes. I think it will shift some of it as I remember using it on my old wheels on a previous car and it shifted a fair bit.


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## VW STEVE. (Mar 18, 2012)

Ravinder said:


> They were already like that. Should I change them? Does it have an impact on the road?


..........i bet the wheel has had an impact with a pot hole & thats the only way he could get it to balance?. Looks a mess tho !!.


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## Stewartfinley (Mar 3, 2012)

I used Wolfs Chemicals v3 Decon Gel to go from this:



















Agitated:










To this:


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## Ravinder (Jul 24, 2009)

^^^

Wow. What a difference. Looks very good.

So the wheel may be buckled? Is there any way of telling if it is?


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## pharmed (Feb 11, 2013)

If it is buckled badly you would have been told (hopefully!) when you went to get tyres fitted.

If you haven't changed tyres on them recently - take it to any tyre fitting place and get them to spin it up and test it


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Ravinder apply the wheel cleaner on the back of the wheels again, a stronger dilution and see if this works, if this does not were abouts are you based, more than happy to help you out if locally.


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Costco 5 ltr wonder wheels £7


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## Ravinder (Jul 24, 2009)

Trip tdi said:


> Ravinder apply the wheel cleaner on the back of the wheels again, a stronger dilution and see if this works, if this does not were abouts are you based, more than happy to help you out if locally.


Thank you for your offer. It's much appreciated. I'm in Fife, Scotland. Don't think I'm local? I will try a stronger dilution with hot water and wonder wheels. It must shift it!


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Ravinder said:


> Thank you for your offer. It's much appreciated. I'm in Fife, Scotland. Don't think I'm local? I will try a stronger dilution with hot water and wonder wheels. It must shift it!


You are 100's of miles away from me  that's a shame.

wonder wheels will do it, might take number of hits and attempt's spray on and place some pressure with a brush to agitate, then blast off and spry again and agitate and the muck will come off, just rinse the wheel afterwards well with water and wax the back two times, makes future cleaning easier plus do them regularly when you can :thumb:


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

VW STEVE. said:


> ..........i bet the wheel has had an impact with a pot hole & thats the only way he could get it to balance?. Looks a mess tho !!.


Or it could simply be a cheap/crap tyre, which needs more balancing on that side.

Lets not forget wheels are often near perfect in comparison to the tyres which have varying thicknesses of rubber all the way round.


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