Experiences with Matte - Semi Matte Clearcoats

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chefwong

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I never connected the dots until now...

I've run plenty of matte and semi matte Powdercoated Clear Wheels.
IME, the texture is not as smooth and flat as -Gloss Clear-. It's not that the finish appears optically clear vs matte-semi matte.

This I attribute to wheels getting a bit dirtier depending on Brake Dust Compound and does require a harder cleaner/brush cleaning of these finishes than a smooth *flat* clear coat gloss wheel.

I hate cleaning wheels - it's the least favorite task of car cleaning. Between stooping down, and just hand cleaning every nook and cranny.....and then the barrel cleaning, and then the separate

Does anyone concur ? Or in your experience, glossy or matte is the same level of -easy to clean- .
 
Re: Experienes with Matte - Semi Matte Clearcoats

Where is your question?
 
One of my previous vehicles had wheels with a satin silver finish, no clear coat. They weren't easy to clean, and regardless of what sealant I used on them, it made no difference. So I assume it was the satin finish that collected brake dust. Later on I found the same wheels with a machined face, and clear coat, they were so much easier to deal with. I also plastidipped the original wheels matte black, so brake dust wasn't an issue after that.

Cleaning wheels is a pain, but it is make or break with the look when you're done. Doing the barrels on the FJs wheels is near impossible without removing them, you can get a brush through the holes, but then you can't reach the barrels, and you often get stuck on the calipers or discs. So I just live with them being dirty. Also, cleaning black powder coated wheels isn't fun, they're hard work, they do look good, but not for long.

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Big Dave said:
One of my previous vehicles had wheels with a satin silver finish, no clear coat
Click to expand...

Never have seen a OE wheel that was not gloss. My read on this is that you have a 2 stage paint on the wheel, silver with a satin clear.....can't think in this day and age who would paint it 1 stage. I have ZERO experience with factory matte-semi matte finishes. For me, it's primarily mods - and the finish I specify when having the wheels done.

And just short of it being that much harder to clean, it never registered to me that it was due to the finish itself and it wasn't as -flat- as gloss and it had a small textural bite to it until just recently as I was cleaning on set of wheels that were taken off the car as I -thinking-
It never registered as to me, the wheel cleaning was just a -chore- of the daily wash process that I just wanted to get it done and never put the *Autopian thinking mindset* into it.
 
chefwong said:
Never have seen a OE wheel that was not gloss. Regardless, my read on this is that you did have a 2 stage paint on the wheel, silver with a satin clear.....can't think in this day and age who would paint it 1 stage. I have ZERO experience with factory matte-semi matte finishes. For me, it's primarily mods - and the finish I specify when having the wheels done.

And just short of it being that much harder to clean, it never registered to me that it was due to the finish itself and it wasn't as -flat- as gloss and it had a small textural bite to it.
It never registered as to me, the wheel cleaning was just a -chore- of the daily wash process that I just wanted to get it done and never put the *Autopian thinking mindset* into it.
Click to expand...
This was the vehicle, a Holden Crewman Cross 8, which is classed as a commercial vehicle. I don't have a close up of the wheels, but you can get the idea from this pic. It is possible it was a clear satin over silver, as they were alloys, whereas the standard RWD Crewman had steel wheels, which were just matte silver.
998b2e43767163c316f436cca70f72ee.jpg


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I've had wheels recently that span a number of different finishes. My youngest daughter's car and wife's are normal factory wheels with some sort of glossy clear coat over painted and diamond cut finishes. My recent vehicles are satin finished, one was an aftermarket wheel (O.Z.) and the other is factory. My race wheels are aftermarket and silver painted, but not really glossy like you'd think with a clear coat. Can't say I've worked on a true matte finish.

I don't find any of them any harder to clean than another. The satin wheels aren't as slick as those with paint/clear coat, but grime comes off of them just as easily. IMO the difference between a hard to clean wheel and an easy to clean wheel is the wheel design itself. My wheel and he wife's are really easy to clean because the pattern is pretty open and I can get my brushes around all the surfaces pretty fast and easy. My mother-in-laws Genesis G9...not so much. The design on those wheels is a night mare and I spend a lot of time just trying to make them presentable again. The only way I can get them to the same level of clean as I get on my car would be to pull it off the car.

I don't particularly like cleaning wheels because I find it slow and a bit tedious. However, it is pretty rewarding to see the difference when they are clean and shiny again.
 
I suppose what type of brake dust-compound comes into pay. Mine are dusty......and a tinge oily.....as evidenced when I rinse them and see the rinse water.

I haven't ran true full on matte in years. My powder coating guy doesn't recommend doing them and I suspect it's mainly for alot of reasons, but I think upkeep or maintenance or them is a bit tricky (aka, don't spray cleaner on it unless it's completely cool, etc_).

I have no #### on factory semi-matte finishes, but maybe paint of this type lays down more -flat- than powder ?
 
What are you using to clean them with?

When I ran German cars with performance brake pads, the dust was heavy and rather "sticky" for lack of a better term. The only way to properly clean was with a good wheel cleaner and brushes. I didn't notice the wheel surface making that much difference. A good brush and wheel cleaner would get the grime off a satin wheel surface just as easily as a smooth, glossy clear coat.
 
Desertnate said:
What are you using to clean them with?

When I ran German cars with performance brake pads, the dust was heavy and rather "sticky" for lack of a better term. The only way to properly clean was with a good wheel cleaner and brushes. I didn't notice the wheel surface making that much difference. A good brush and wheel cleaner would get the grime off a satin wheel surface just as easily as a smooth, glossy clear coat.
Click to expand...


I don't mind the dusting....have tried lower dust option, at the sacrifice of 20%ish performance lost .

85% cleaning it's just HP blast, wheel mitt agitation, brushes on some areas, then rinse with leftover. Then another pass with the mitt

Other times, I'll do an Iron Dwell and HP rinse and call it a day. Surface film is still somewhat there so mechanical agitation is required...

Dust comes back on the next drive, so I tend to use Adams Wheel Cleaner sparingly and just leftover shampoo.
I've done the Blind Test. Have applied iron remover on a wheel just cleaned with Shampoo. Only traces of -purple- is not on the wheels at all but just rotor hats and bits and pieces I won't reach with the mitt
 
Honestly, I've never seen iron removing color changing products do much color changing on my wheels wheels. Even when they were really nasty. However, I have noticed visible differences between using my wash soap and a dededicated wheel cleaner on those really dusty wheels. My weapon of choice is the Griots regular strength wheel cleaner. I buy the stuff by the gallon. The wheel cleaner always did a better job an the only way to get all that gunk off was to go in there an manually agitate it off. A HP blast would get some off, but never enough to my satisfaction.
 
Remember back in the days, when Sonax FE, etc was the new player on the block. This gruesome grimy purple dripping wheels. Great Marketing....

I do get the purple....if I don't rinse the wheel and spray it straight and let it dwell.....dwell is key.

Not in disagreement the Wheel Cleaner is the best cleaner.....but since it comes back right after the 1st wash, I'm opting for *just good enough* as I'm looking to stay less harsh to maintain the coating that is on it as well.
 
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