Who cares about Wheels?

DetailKitty

DetailKitty

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I saw a new Jeep Wrangler the other day (parked next to it while out) and it was fairly clean. But I looked at the wheels and instead of being silver they were matte brown. They were SO dirty and caked from brake dust they were literally a matte brown.

WHY don't people take care of their wheels? I know so many people who have "just washed their car". Yet their wheels are filthy and they obviously didn't touch them. Usually when I call them out and ask, "if you just cleaned your car why are your wheels still filthy?"
Their usual response... "oh I don't bother with the wheels".

I just don't get this mentality! To me if I don't take care of every part of the vehicle then it doesn't look clean or properly maintained to me!

Anyone else here experience this from others?
 
I'm with you. Drives me nuts. It is a universal practice around here...trucks, cars, sports cars, etc.

What most of those people don't realize is that brake dust is caustic and will slowly eat away the finish on their wheels. Keeping them clean will ultimately save them money by not having to replace or re-finish their wheels in the future.
 
EXACTLY! They are doing damage to their wheels NOT cleaning them!
 
I said this in another post..it's like taking a shower and not washing your feet.
 
That's because cleaning wheels is like cleaning one's own undercarriage. It's just not fun and it gets dirty real soon again.
 
Desertnate said:
I'm with you. Drives me nuts. It is a universal practice around here...trucks, cars, sports cars, etc.

What most of those people don't realize is that brake dust is caustic and will slowly eat away the finish on their wheels. Keeping them clean will ultimately save them money by not having to replace or re-finish their wheels in the future.
Click to expand...

Tbh, the kind of people who wouldn’t bother to clean them in the first place probably wouldn’t care enough to replace/refinish them anyway.

I️ like to think of the massive amounts of built up break dust I️ see on cars as their way of getting a free set of black wheels :D


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
when the wheel wells aren't cleaned that's just as bad as dirty wheels. it's like wearing a suit (or clean clothes) with dirty socks/shoes...
 
VISITOR said:
when the wheel wells aren't cleaned that's just as bad as dirty wheels. it's like wearing a suit (or clean clothes) with dirty socks/shoes...
Click to expand...

The wheels SHOULD be cleaned as well, yes, but I️ can be a little more forgiving if someone doesn’t have them pristine.
Wheels are so obvious! Just clean them!
 
VISITOR said:
when the wheel wells aren't cleaned that's just as bad as dirty wheels. it's like wearing a suit (or clean clothes) with dirty socks/shoes...
Click to expand...

Yeah, a nice suit and tie and scuffed up dirty shoes.
 
Just saw a Ram this morning that was 2 years newer than mine. Chrome wheels were quite literally brown.

Otherwise, the truck was in ok shape.

Disgusted me a bit, but made me feel a little better about mine that haven't been washed in a week. Lol
 
PaulMys said:
Just saw a Ram this morning that was 2 years newer than mine. Chrome wheels were quite literally brown.

Otherwise, the truck was in ok shape.

Disgusted me a bit, but made me feel a little better about mine that haven't been washed in a week. Lol
Click to expand...

No kidding.... when I’m feeling bad about no washing my vehicles I️ see something like that and it’s not so bad.
 
This is a great point.

QUOTE=Finick;1538443]Tbh, the kind of people who wouldn’t bother to clean them in the first place probably wouldn’t care enough to replace/refinish them anyway.

I️ like to think of the massive amounts of built up break dust I️ see on cars as their way of getting a free set of black wheels :D


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]
 
I see this constantly and it drives me nuts. When I spot a car with neglected wheels my mind begins to wonder about what is required to get them back to better condition. I really like cleaning super dirty wheels because the result is oftentimes very noticeable.
 
I just “love” cleaning wheels on vehicles
that have certain braking-systems—ones
that are notoriously known for spewing out,
and then depositing, wheel-contaminates,
that, upon close(r) inspection: look like fine
pumice ash laminae accumulations from a
volcanic eruption; and, that of which its
removal is basically a continuum of the
old adage: “An exercise in futility”.

Vicious.

But such a small price to pay for
the stopping-on-a-dime ability.



Bob
 
I never feel like i do a good job cleaning the wheels if they are still mounted on my car. i can still see dirt on the inside of the wheel as well as on the break caliper. I reach in there best i can but one a year, i like to pull them off and give them a good cleaning. Is this overkill?

Was considering buying one of those lifts that lift the entire car up so removing wheels and cleaning wheel wells would be easier. Do any of you have experience with these?

Dave
 
crovello said:
I never feel like i do a good job cleaning the wheels if they are still mounted on my car. i can still see dirt on the inside of the wheel as well as on the break caliper. I reach in there best i can but one a year, i like to pull them off and give them a good cleaning. Is this overkill?

Was considering buying one of those lifts that lift the entire car up so removing wheels and cleaning wheel wells would be easier. Do any of you have experience with these?

Dave
Click to expand...

Buy these brushes. They have the best reach. They can fit into pretty much any wheel where the others fail. They do a better job at cleaning too.

485af793f74d2389dd2df419db98b16f.jpg


ee628344ba3b17c4fb2d19d7407b9c95.jpg


Single brush.

https://www.autogeek.net/16wiwhbr.html

Twin pack.

https://www.autogeek.net/b62526.html

You’ll be glad you did.
 
I have a winter and summer set of wheels and tires, so when I swap them out I clean them up really good.
Aside from that they get cleaned as best as possible still on the car with various wheel brushes :dblthumb2:

crovello said:
I never feel like i do a good job cleaning the wheels if they are still mounted on my car. i can still see dirt on the inside of the wheel as well as on the break caliper. I reach in there best i can but one a year, i like to pull them off and give them a good cleaning. Is this overkill?

Was considering buying one of those lifts that lift the entire car up so removing wheels and cleaning wheel wells would be easier. Do any of you have experience with these?

Dave
Click to expand...
 
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