Wheel Woolies or Microfiber Barrel Blades?

[Eldorado2k]

I would have a talk with shop manager before any work is done explaining how the jack points are tricky and to be extremely careful. A plus would be when they do in fact successfully jack up the car you can ask them to show you where they jacked it up and then you can take pics of the locations.

True, but it’s always 1 of those things where I don’t want to offend the guys who should and most of the time know how to do their job.

But I should ask them and get an answer next time I’m there.

 

[Bill D]

That’s the way to go. Hope they don’t offer a “free car wash” at the end of the job.

 

[Eldorado2k]

That’s the way to go. Hope they don’t offer a “free car wash” at the end of the job.

Haha. Nope, I quit getting my oil changes at the car wash many years ago… It was the free car wash with an oil change deal.

Coincidentally that local car wash that I went to for years is called the Eldorado.
They did a decent job, but then again my car was always clean going in.

I always admired how good they were at cleaning the glass. For years I couldn’t match their results on the windows. I stole the flag tipped brush for applying tire dressing idea from them too.

 

[Bill D]

I have a feeling you’re going to find out how to easily jack up your car from the shop pretty soon

Speaking of oil changes, when my Cadillac was in for all that work I had them throw one in. Now I only have the Audi and Honda to change. I’m not doing it until this heat tones down or Fall though, whichever comes first.

 

[Desertnate]

I feel you on the fear of jacking up the car. Those images are pretty frightening. There doesn't seem to be any stressed frame member anywhere around that photo. The scale in those diagrams is likely a little off and the jack points are farther inboard towards the center of the car. You need a pretty robust area of the unibody frame for the jackpoint.

Someday when the inheritance from a long-lost relative rolls in, or we hit the Powerball, I'll invest in an EZ Jack. Having a small, easy to maneuver frame lift like that would be amazing!

 

[Prange]

I’d ask the guys at Cadillac what jacking points they use.

 

[chefwong]

Just circle back on the Barrel Blade. I have not used any of my Wheel Woolies after having the Barrel Blade. The material itself is *long* so it dunks nicely in the bucket bringing with it a full *blade* of scrubbing power that reaches into 11 1/2 barrel widths.

It's not flexible and due to how the profile of the stick is somewhat rigid/wide, and depending on what spoke profile you are entering, there is a learning curve on each wheel on where some spots may get missed in the front of the barrel and or how much you have to tweak the angle *aft* left or right. For the spots missed by it, it is easily touched with the wheel facing cleaning mitt so it's fine there...

It's not the tool that will fit into between large caliper, large rotor and smaller wheel like now, with the winter snow shoes on.....
But sofar it has become my inner wheel barrel of choice. I bought the 3 pack of extra barrel blade scrubs but the material rinses cleanly between each dunks, I haven't had a need to find a use case to swap to a new barrel blade MF at all

 

[Eldorado2k]

I have a feeling you’re going to find out how to easily jack up your car from the shop pretty soon

I feel you on the fear of jacking up the car. Those images are pretty frightening. There doesn't seem to be any stressed frame member anywhere around that photo. The scale in those diagrams is likely a little off and the jack points are farther inboard towards the center of the car.

I found out. I changed my wheels & tires yesterday. I’m waiting for my bottle of Shout foaming cleaner to arrive today to clean the whitewalls, which is why I haven’t posted pictures yet.

 

[Bill D]

Told ya you were going to do it. Looking forward to the pics.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Here’s what I mean. Here’s the illustration compared to real life. Does this look like a match? Not really. Lol

Actually yes, to me it looks like your picture is showing the pinch weld and the opening in the rocker cover where you would jack. I generally use a polyurethane jack pad with a slot in it, but that isn't always the greatest. I have a rubber one but that doesn't fit in one of my cars. I think the manual depiction is pretty accurate if you know what you're looking for.

However, where you have your jack in the other picture, which looks to be the engine cradle, is fine, also. Not sure what you did at the back, though.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Actually yes, to me it looks like your picture is showing the pinch weld and the opening in the rocker cover where you would jack. I generally use a polyurethane jack pad with a slot in it, but that isn't always the greatest. I have a rubber one but that doesn't fit in one of my cars. I think the manual depiction is pretty accurate if you know what you're looking for.

However, where you have your jack in the other picture, which looks to be the engine cradle, is fine, also. Not sure what you did at the back, though.

Sounds like you’re much better at that than I am. I’ve dealt with bent rocker panels & fenders before, not by my doing but things that happened with previous owners and I’ve been somewhat spooked ever since. Seems like 1 wrong move could spell disaster and that would just kill it.

 

[Desertnate]

I generally use a polyurethane jack pad with a slot in it, but that isn't always the greatest. I have a rubber one but that doesn't fit in one of my cars.

I use a generic one I got off Amazon and it isn't too bad. If nothing else, it avoids metal-on-metal contact. On pinch welds it distributes the weight a little better and on flat surfaces I feel it give a little more stable surface. I'd be afraid of something slipping off.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I use a generic one I got off Amazon and it isn't too bad. If nothing else, it avoids metal-on-metal contact. On pinch welds it distributes the wait a little better and on flat surfaces I feel it give a little more stable surface. I'd be afraid of something slipping off.

I have one car with a small opening in the rocker, and the polyurethane pad of the diameter that will fit in there, the slot isn't deep enough, pinch weld cuts into the pad, blah blah.

 

[Desertnate]

That isn't terrible if you go in knowing the pad will get chewed up a bit. The pad I use has the same problem and after a few uses it is chewed up a bit already. However it was under $20 for pair and I'll just toss it when it gets too bad.

I've seen people cut their own blocks out of hockey pucks or use them straight and just let the weld cut the puck.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Sure, it's a wear item. Ha, hockey pucks, I remember that from the old days before everything was a click away at Amazon.