# Ceramic Coatings for Wheels



## kkh120 (Oct 30, 2006)

After reading a few threads where the consensus seems to be that a ceramic coating for wheels is a good way to go, I'm interested in trying this. I've no experience in applying any ceramic coatings and was probably going to try Gtechniq C5.

My question is much do you need to treat all five wheels and how long is it likely to last? (Thankfully my VW has a full sized spare!!!) 

I know the how long question is dependant on a wide range of factors so I was just looking a ball park figure like 3-6 months.

C5 seems to come in 15ml and 30ml sizes. So just wondering if I should spring for the larger volume as I'll need to reapply after a while.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

I’ve not used C5 and the likes as I can’t garage the car and can’t 100% guarantee them not getting moisture on them for 12+ hours afterwards. 

You can do (as I think, your thinking of) 1 wheel at a time and let that cure, then onto the next… 

I use Raceglaze Nano wheel sealant, very, very easy to apply / remove, lasts a good while, but it’s so easy to apply, you can top up as and when - takes minutes really…


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## sharrkey (Sep 11, 2017)

You should look at the new Gyeon Cancoat Evo or even the new MOHs evo for wheels


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## RS3 (Mar 5, 2018)

15ml should do for 5 wheels. You won't need to re-apply for 2 years or so, so don't keep the c5 on the shelf as it is likely to crystalize in that time.


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## grunty-motor (Aug 11, 2016)

Unless you hit the wheels with harsh chemical cleaners every week, then easily last way more than 6month (i am just over 2year with Gyeon on mine)
(i find snowfoam / shampoo enough for my wheels)


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

Whichever ceramic coating you use, will need to be applied to spotlessly clean wheels, both inside and out, and will need to cure for a good period of time indoors, ideally 24 hours, so they properly set up and 'stick' to the wheels.

C5 is easy to use, but so are all the consumer wheel coatings from CarPro, Carbon Collective, Gyeon etc. I would most likely pick any of those over C5 as it is an OLD quartz coating which is very versatile, so can coat almost anything, but which has poor hydrophobics and self cleaning compared to more modern blends. It is the same product as C1 and C4, like I said, it can be used over virtually anything! Forensic Detailing did a wheel coating test a while ago and C5 didn't do that great. 

Also, for 5 wheels, inside and out I would get 30ml. RandomlySet's excellent video series with Kelly Harris has loads of great tips and one of those is that coatings should be applied at a decent thickness. Not overapplied and wasted, but not parsimonious...stingily applied so you're trying to eek out extra product. 

My personal view is that if your wheels are powdercoated or painted/clearcoated, then you can use any ceramic coating on them. They can all cope with very high heat, more than enough for wheels and as such, provided you're comfortable applying it, you can apply it to wheels, and it will do a good job. As they are coated, you shouldn't need to use strong chemicals to clean them and a decon wash every 3-6 months, depending on mileage with a limescale remover and then a fallout remover should perk them up and help them to last. A decent coating should last anywhere from 12-24000 miles.

If you want the MOST durable wheel coating, then it is KKD R-Evolve, but it isn't easy to apply. I remember old ceramic coatings when they were mostly all difficult, so I don't really mind, but things can be so easy these days and the consequences of getting it wrong mean a lot of work to remove as it is soooo damn tough, it needs to be noted. For how durable it is, on my wheels which had been coated for just over 2 years with it they were looking a bit flat. I knew it was just clogged so I hit it with acid and boom, much more zingy behaviour. It still looks a bit clogged and could do with a wheels off proper wash, but nothing else I have seen would be able to cope like this, and I have abused them.


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## sniktaw (Mar 25, 2015)

roscopervis said:


> If you want the MOST durable wheel coating, then it is KKD R-Evolve, but it isn't easy to apply. I remember old ceramic coatings when they were mostly all difficult, so I don't really mind, but things can be so easy these days and the consequences of getting it wrong mean a lot of work to remove as it is soooo damn tough, it needs to be noted. For how durable it is, on my wheels which had been coated for just over 2 years with it they were looking a bit flat. I knew it was just clogged so I hit it with acid and boom, much more zingy behaviour. It still looks a bit clogged and could do with a wheels off proper wash, but nothing else I have seen would be able to cope like this, and I have abused them.


@roscopervis can you detail how you prep for and then apply KKD R-Evolve please. Tried on gloss black CooperS wheels before and it was a disaster. Looks hazy. Still cannot get it off.


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

Prep is fully clean, decon (de tar, fallout removal, clay) then polish, though this step depends on what state they are in. Might only need a light hand polish, might need more, or you might not want to bother if they aren't in great shape, but you want to protect.

Then panel wipe fully. The above applies for all ceramic coatings.

For R-Evolve, one question I have is - what did you do?

This product isn't the glossiest, its a protector plain and simple. It really doesn't add anything to satin or matte paint. It also has decent self levelling so if you think you might have borked it AND its on the barrel or inside/less visible and still in the wipe off/curing window, add some more product and see if self levelling helps.

Otherwise, my tips are:

0 - Fundamental : Lots of microfibres that are good at removing coatings!!!! Also, these will be ruined at the end of it, the coating will crystallise in the cloths and then will cause scratches on paint if used again. You can use them for mucky jobs. I dunk them into a bucket of Feynlab Pure Rinseless wash which does as well as anything in stopping the coating crystallising. I think this would probably save most applicators and cloths from 'normal' coatings, but I'm still to scared to test with R-Evolve.

1. Start with the inside of a wheel, on a barrel and do a quarter. Time how long that takes and see if the wipe off is ok. Basically, you are timing how long is your window to wipe off. You don't want to let it go too long at any cost. Use a good light source.

2. Once you know what that time window is and how much of the inside of the barrel you can do in that time, keep practising on the barrels and back of the spokes. I tend not to wipe off on the back of spokes - rough bits from the casting/forging that you won't see. Leave it self level for a thicker coat.

3. Once you have done a couple of wheels, you should have a good feel for the timings, so you can start on the fronts. Set an alarm so that you don't spend too long, and work in small sections, enough so that you don't spend too long and it doesn't start to 'turn'. If it does, apply more coating and quickly try to buff that off.

4. I don't buff in the wheel nut barrels and I try and leave a thicker coat in the corners of the spokes, particularly where they join the rim, just enough so the finish is nice.

5. The best tip for wheel coatings, particularly durable ones and if you want to make some money doing it is to get an air brush kit and practice with it. When you know what you are doing, you get a nice even layer that you don't buff off, you can get into all the fiddly places easy and it's pretty fun. If doing this (or spraying any coating through any kind of sprayer) immediately spray through some panel wipe or glass cleaner so that the little pipes don't get clogged up, then blow that through so it's totally empty of all coating and panel wipe, ready for next time.


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

There are plenty of coating coming to the market now where you don't need to cure as long. 
Some are good to get wet within a hour. 
You don't really need a specific wheel coating wheels don't get that hot.


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

Stick to an easy coating like C5 or CC Platinum Wheels (basically the same product)

Prep the wheels well and wash with a shampoo mix regularly and you'll easily exceed 12mths.

I've used CC Platinum Wheels a few time and it's a user friendly coating. Apply with a lint free applicator, wait until it starts to flash off (temp dependant but it's easy to see) and then use a decent MF to wipe over the the surface. no need to be buffing/being harsh with it.

C5 application will probably mirror this.


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

C5 may no longer be the best out there but I'm happy using it as it's easy to apply, simple as that. I do remove all my wheels so they have no problems curing inside my garage.


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## Kris1986 (May 19, 2008)

Not tried C5 myself, but I can recommend Gyeon Rim, I find it easy to use and it is durable. Bonus for me is the 30ml bottle compared to the 15ml.


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## R60BBA (Nov 8, 2021)

Ceramic coatings, whilst effective in terms of water behaviour, from my experience they dull the finish on wheels.

You are better off using a spray wax as drying aid after every wash. Spray waxes provide a better finish and if applied regularly allow for easy cleaning come wash day.


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## The Guz (Jan 27, 2019)

R60BBA said:


> Ceramic coatings, whilst effective in terms of water behaviour, from my experience they dull the finish on wheels.
> 
> You are better off using a spray wax as drying aid after every wash. Spray waxes provide a better finish and if applied regularly allow for easy cleaning come wash day.


Out of curiosity what wheel coatings have you used that caused this dulling effect?


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

R60BBA said:


> Ceramic coatings, whilst effective in terms of water behaviour, from my experience they dull the finish on wheels.
> 
> You are better off using a spray wax as drying aid after every wash. Spray waxes provide a better finish and if applied regularly allow for easy cleaning come wash day.


That's just not correct.. either misapplication or a poor quality product used.

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## R60BBA (Nov 8, 2021)

The Guz said:


> Out of curiosity what wheel coatings have you used that caused this dulling effect?


Carbon Collective Platinum Wheels.

Gyeon Q²M WetCoat as a topper.


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

I haven't used Platinum Wheels but I'd be surprised if that was a characteristic of the product. Albeit I wouldn't touch CC coatings with a barge pole, based on the reviews I've seen. Those poor reviews are centred around lack of beading and durability though, never the finish. 

I and a number of other members have found that Wetcoat is more likely to be the one that streaks or hazes, especially where applied on an already protected surface.

Alternatively it could be an issue with how the ceramic is interacting with the wheel finish, maybe there was underlying contamination on the wheel but certainly any paint or wheel ceramic I have used is optically clear, and would only add saturation to the finish, unless the residue hadn't been fully wiped. 

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## kkh120 (Oct 30, 2006)

Thanks for all the responses. It certainly looks like you get out what you put in to a large extent. I've only ever done a full wheel detail once and I'm not sure how successful that was a. My current wheels are diamond cut with black gloss in the recesses. I found the Race Glaze recomendation interesting. I'm sure not as good as a ceramic coating. I'm mainly looking for protection and durability although wouldn't want massive dulling. It appears that dulling is more likely to come from the user than the product.


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## The Guz (Jan 27, 2019)

R60BBA said:


> Carbon Collective Platinum Wheels.
> 
> Gyeon Q²M WetCoat as a topper.


Never used that coating. But how often were you using wetcoat?


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## RS3 (Mar 5, 2018)

R60BBA said:


> Ceramic coatings, whilst effective in terms of water behaviour, from my experience they dull the finish on wheels.
> 
> You are better off using a spray wax as drying aid after every wash. Spray waxes provide a better finish and if applied regularly allow for easy cleaning come wash day.


I would agree with this although i'm not sure its the ceramic making them dull but more like wax improves the perception of gloss. I have used C5, various Si02's and Wax and the wax for me provides the nicest finish - almost makes them sparkle, just doesn't last so long.


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## macmaw (Mar 5, 2007)

R60BBA said:


> Carbon Collective Platinum Wheels.
> 
> Gyeon Q²M WetCoat as a topper.


Interesting. I would say the wet coat is the issue there. 
I've had three sets of wheels protected with CC Platinum Wheels and never had any of them dull with it. 
On the other hand, I once applied Wet Coat to my old car a few years ago, but I hadn't hand washed the car beforehand, I had only pressure washed it, and stupidly applied the Wet Coat to that. 
That did dull the paint quite a bit, it mottled it too, wasn't pretty. 
So if the wheels haven't been washed too a "decon" level then this could be why you are seeing it dull.


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## sharrkey (Sep 11, 2017)

I put wetcoat on my Cancoat protected alloys yesterday, streaking and dullnesses on the gloss black parts never again. 
Will need to give em a good clean now with GT Decon to remove wetcoat now

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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

R60BBA said:


> Carbon Collective Platinum Wheels.
> 
> Gyeon Q²M WetCoat as a topper.


CC Platinum Wheels has never dulled any alloys that I've coated with it so I'd assume the prep wasn't up to it or the application wasn't followed.

A lot of LSP complaints are all centered around poor prep and user error.

Not saying you've done either or both but dullness is not what you get from CC Plat Wheels.

Gloss black here with CC applied after a full decon, polish and IPA wipe down before application.


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## R60BBA (Nov 8, 2021)

macmaw said:


> Interesting. I would say the wet coat is the issue there.
> I've had three sets of wheels protected with CC Platinum Wheels and never had any of them dull with it.
> On the other hand, I once applied Wet Coat to my old car a few years ago, but I hadn't hand washed the car beforehand, I had only pressure washed it, and stupidly applied the Wet Coat to that.
> That did dull the paint quite a bit, it mottled it too, wasn't pretty.
> So if the wheels haven't been washed too a "decon" level then this could be why you are seeing it dull.


That's interesting, but not the case for me.

When I applied CC Platinum Wheels, I applied it to a brand new set of wheels (which had never had tyres fitted). The wheels were cleaned and then IPA'd before the coating was applied. However immediately after applying I noticed the dulling.

WetCoat, I applied at the end of the wash process, wheels were cleaned with fallout remover (which I'm not a fan of anymore) and Garage Therapy's Wheel Shampoo and snowfoam thereafter. Again, immediately after applying I noticed the dulling.

However I do not notice this when I use a spray wax (ie Autoglym Express Wax aka Rapid Aqua Wax) as a drying aid on my other car (where the wheels are not coated). The water behaviour is not as good as the ceramic stuff however the finish is better. And for me the finish is more important.

I do want clarify though that when I say dulling, I do not mean that the wheel turns completely dull. What I'm saying here is that to the eye, the wheel is not as shiny or glossy as if left bare paint or protected with a spray wax. We are talking fine margins here and from afar you wouldn't notice it, it's only when you get up close you can see it. I have also spoken with others about this and they too have confirmed that they noticed the same.


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## Sawel (Aug 5, 2016)

R60BBA said:


> That's interesting, but not the case for me.
> 
> When I applied CC Platinum Wheels, I applied it to a brand new set of wheels (which had never had tyres fitted). The wheels were cleaned and then IPA'd before the coating was applied. However immediately after applying I noticed the dulling.
> 
> ...


I have to say, this is one of the most bizarre posts I've read in a while.

It's like saying a ceramic coating dulls the paintwork which is laughable. I think you're trying to get yourself out of a deeper hole that you're digging by saying others have noticed it too - I think those who do this on a professional basis and have coated hundreds and thousands of wheels with different wheel coatings would laugh at your statement.


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Not doubting that a specific wheel coated in a wax may give a more desirable finish to you, but the generalisations that ceramic coatings 'dull' paint are completely false, hence why ceramic coatings are the desired form of protection these days.

Also not doubting that a small subset of people probably agree with you, but you'll find that on every subject.. e.g. there are multiple people who think the world is flat also , that doesn't mean it is!

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## R60BBA (Nov 8, 2021)

Sawel said:


> I have to say, this is one of the most bizarre posts I've read in a while.
> 
> It's like saying a ceramic coating dulls the paintwork which is laughable. I think you're trying to get yourself out of a deeper hole that you're digging by saying others have noticed it too - I think those who do this on a professional basis and have coated hundreds and thousands of wheels with different wheel coatings would laugh at your statement.


https://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/thre...-ceramic-coated-need-help.245964/post-3294982


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## Sawel (Aug 5, 2016)

R60BBA said:


> https://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/thre...-ceramic-coated-need-help.245964/post-3294982


The one person that agreed with you on that thread said they used a product called V3 Max Protect on their wheels.

A quick google found this...

https://max-protect.co.uk/ultimate-nano-coat-v3-30ml/

"Ultimate Nano Coat v3 is a permanent nano glass coating for bare metal. Works on any type of metal, ferrous or non-ferrous. A single layer of this product stops bare aluminium from oxidising.

UNC v3 can be applied in multiple layers for increased durability. We recommend to leave at least 12 hours between the layers.

Heat resistance of up to +1200c, ensures this product can be applied on engines and exhausts or any other bare metal parts."

So, to conclude, he used a bare metal coating on his wheels and did not use a dedicated wheel coating. It's meant for exhausts and engines as advised - the clue is "bare metal".


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## R60BBA (Nov 8, 2021)

Sawel said:


> The one person that agreed with you on that thread said they used a product called V3 Max Protect on their wheels.
> 
> A quick google found this...
> 
> ...


The coating he used can be used on wheels mate. http://max-protect.pl/ultimate-nano-coat-v3.html

He's not the only person that agrees with what I am saying either. As mentioned before I have spoken with a number of folk who are into detailing and pretty much all have reported back the same.

It is also common knowledge that waxes provide a "warmer" finish than ceramic coatings. There is nothing _laughable_ about this.


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## Sawel (Aug 5, 2016)

R60BBA said:


> He's not the only person that agrees with what I am saying. As mentioned before I have spoken with a number of folk who are into detailing and pretty much all have reported back the same.
> 
> It is also common knowledge that waxes provide a "warmer" finish than ceramic coatings. There is nothing _laughable_ about this.


No one is debating about waxes providing a warmer finish.

You said that "Ceramic coatings dull the finish on wheels". That is laughable. It's laughable because it's absolute nonsense. If you used the correct coatings and applied and removed properly, unlike the guy on that thread who used a bare metal coating, then the wheels would not be dulled.

We can put your experience down to user error - ie, not using the correct materials like your buddy on that thread or application and/or removal error.


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## R60BBA (Nov 8, 2021)

Sawel said:


> We can put your experience down to user error - ie, not using the correct materials like your buddy on that thread or application and/or removal error.


This I find comical.


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## Sawel (Aug 5, 2016)

R60BBA said:


> This I find comical.


It's not a dedicated wheel coating though. The UK site only mentions the paint coating as being suitable for wheels. https://max-protect.co.uk/unc-v1-unc-v2-kit/

It doesn't mention anything about wheels for the bare metal coating like I linked to earlier - like I said, the product is not a dedicated wheel coating. Not labouring the point anymore so will leave it there.


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

This took a turn! Nowt stranger than folk.


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## MaDMaXX (Jun 18, 2008)

So back on topic, what's the latest favourite for ceramic wheel coatings?

I've only used CarPro DLUX, and i didn't wipe it off, i just left the smoothed coating on the wheels to dry for several days. The result was a nice increase in gloss and shine with some filling of minor paint/clearcoat damage.

I've got new wheels coming, i could get the same stuff again, but i didn't really research it the first time, so now i'm wondering if there is anything better?


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

MaDMaXX said:


> So back on topic, what's the latest favourite for ceramic wheel coatings?
> 
> I've only used CarPro DLUX, and i didn't wipe it off, i just left the smoothed coating on the wheels to dry for several days. The result was a nice increase in gloss and shine with some filling of minor paint/clearcoat damage.
> 
> I've got new wheels coming, i could get the same stuff again, but i didn't really research it the first time, so now i'm wondering if there is anything better?


Im biased to car pro. They are the original ceramic company and actually make their own products. Most other ceramics come out of a blending chemical company.


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## MaDMaXX (Jun 18, 2008)

Mirror Finish Details said:


> Im biased to car pro. They are the original ceramic company and actually make their own products. Most other ceramics come out of a blending chemical company.


I can't say i have any complaints about it, i just don't know if it's what i should get.

It's meant no need for wheel cleaner since applying it nearly a year ago, some pretty dirty crap just came off it with only basic agitation and car shampoo.
It's nice to have clean barrels, rare on cars, no one cleans them, but if they just needed a basic wipe, i think more people would.

Clean barrels are a bit like clean glass - most people agree the vehicle looks better, but they can't say why.


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## The Guz (Jan 27, 2019)

I still prefer 22ple VM1 over CarPro DLUX. It performs much better and lasts longer than DLUX for me. Can’t go wrong with DLUX though.


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## roscopervis (Aug 22, 2006)

I have given my recommendation in this thread previously. I would also say that if the wheels are painted or powder coated any high quality ceramic coating would work as they are all capable of dealing with the heat and chemicals put out by wheels. The trick is to get the thickest layer you can on.


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## MaDMaXX (Jun 18, 2008)

roscopervis said:


> I have given my recommendation in this thread previously. I would also say that if the wheels are painted or powder coated any high quality ceramic coating would work as they are all capable of dealing with the heat and chemicals put out by wheels. The trick is to get the thickest layer you can on.


I can't recall exactly why anymore, possible related to me being sleep deprived as well as CarPro's instructions being a little vague, but....

I layered on a reasonably thick coat, and left them, i did not buff off. I found out after the fact that you can do that, so long as you've smoothed out the application at the time, and that they're given a long time to dry.

Given the options, cost etc. i'm probably going to do the CarPro again, and use the same method.
The wheels will be brand new, only handled to put the tyres on and balanced. So i think a basic cleaning will be all that's needed before i apply the CarPro.


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## Gas head (May 28, 2010)

nothing wrong with c5, still my go to now even though i have a choice of coatings.


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## SadlyDistracted (Jan 18, 2013)

MaDMaXX said:


> ...
> It's nice to have clean barrels, rare on cars, no one cleans them...


Steady on there, my winter wheels are Revolve X'd, and even today my wheel woollies cleaned my barrels nicely.. they get done every wash:thumb:

Although I did not roll the car a bit so there will be a mucky bit behind the calipers , which I'll get next wash


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## The Guz (Jan 27, 2019)

MaDMaXX said:


> I can't recall exactly why anymore, possible related to me being sleep deprived as well as CarPro's instructions being a little vague, but....
> 
> I layered on a reasonably thick coat, and left them, i did not buff off. I found out after the fact that you can do that, so long as you've smoothed out the application at the time, and that they're given a long time to dry.
> 
> ...


Can't go wrong with DLUX. It's a good option and can also be used on plastic trim.

I did experiment with a second layer and I find it performs longer with a second layer.

All you need is a panel wipe and then the coating.


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## MaDMaXX (Jun 18, 2008)

You can panel wipe the cured coating for another coat?


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## The Guz (Jan 27, 2019)

MaDMaXX said:


> You can panel wipe the cured coating for another coat?


No you don't


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## MaDMaXX (Jun 18, 2008)

The Guz said:


> No you don't


Oh i think i see what you're saying, panel wipe for first prep, apply, and then follow instructions? for second coat?


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## The Guz (Jan 27, 2019)

MaDMaXX said:


> Oh i think i see what you're saying, panel wipe for first prep, apply, and then follow instructions? for second coat?


Yeah apply one layer. Wait a few hours and apply the second.


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

Very interesting thread! Has anyone had any issues with wheel weights not adhering to the barrels after a coating has been applied?


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## MaDMaXX (Jun 18, 2008)

Naddy37 said:


> Very interesting thread! Has anyone had any issues with wheel weights not adhering to the barrels after a coating has been applied?


I know that the wheel weights that were applied to my wheels after i'd put just turtle wax hybrid ceramic on them, did not stay stuck, they fell off before i drove it.


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