Inside rim cleaning? Worth it?

Read the following 2 posts carefully as :iagree: with them...just not worth the risk. Guess you can have the customer sign a release of liability if they really want this done.

kimandbrad21 said:
This is not a put down by my .02cents. and something all should think about. I wrench on cars at the shop I work at full time, and detail on the side. One thing I do know is there are 100's of different torque specs per year, make and model. Also we run into alot of cars having damage done to the lugnuts and/or the studs. and you will not know it tell the the lugnuts come off. And if one customer is not truly say a person really looking for a detail lets say "scammer" you could end up with a high end claim saying a wheel fell off. and by most tire places, Discount Tire, Walmart, Tire Barn, etc. a 50 mile re-torque is always recommended to ensure the lugnuts are tight, and the rim has seated to the hub. I hope no one takes this the wrong way. Because Im rocking steelies on my car right now, but when I get rims here soon, I will take them off when I do a deep detail on it. I just wanted to share a look into how much this means you need to do.
Click to expand...



Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 20


Re: Inside rim cleaning? Worth it?
In my opinion, there is too much risk for the detailer to consider this.

My Porsche currently has a small ding in the rear quarter panel right on the door shut line. The local Paintless Dent Removal guy told me that he can fix the ding, but the wheel has to come off. And, I would have to take it off and accept the liability for potential damages because his insurance won't cover it.

Just something to think about...
 
Not worth it.

Use the Daytona brush (and be prepared to get splatter on you).
 
"most tire places, Discount Tire, Walmart, Tire Barn, Dunn Tire, etc. a 50 mile re-torque is always recommended to ensure the lugnuts are tight, and the rim has seated to the hub."

Why do you suppose this so? When I bring my car into the Audi dealer they never require a return visit for re-torque.
 
I just know I've been told its to ensure the wheel has sat evenly on the hub. There might be other reasons, I know they do not require a return, but it is highly recommended. See what the Audi dealer says next time your in there. Most places will do a figuire(sp*) 8 to do the same thing. But other then those reasons that pop into mind. I really dont know.
 
"Why do you suppose this so? When I bring my car into the Audi dealer they never require a return visit for re-torque"

Sometimes I have to wonder if the dealer personnel really know the full service requirements about the cars they service. My Toyota Avalon has a full size spare on an alloy wheel. Yet, the one and only time I let the dealer rotate the tires, they did only four even though the owner's manual is specific about rotating all five. They also told me they recalibrate the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) by driving the car around the lot. The car's owner's manual is very specific about the TPMS recalibration does not work when the car is in motion. All owners' manuals I have ever read all recommend to re-torque at a specified mileage interval after removing and replacing a wheel. Reasoning is lug nuts can and do sometimes loosen after a re-install of the wheel.
 
jsgntulok said:
"Why do you suppose this so? When I bring my car into the Audi dealer they never require a return visit for re-torque"

Sometimes I have to wonder if the dealer personnel really know the full service requirements about the cars they service. My Toyota Avalon has a full size spare on an alloy wheel. Yet, the one and only time I let the dealer rotate the tires, they did only four even though the owner's manual is specific about rotating all five. They also told me they recalibrate the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) by driving the car around the lot. The car's owner's manual is very specific about the TPMS recalibration does not work when the car is in motion. All owners' manuals I have ever read all recommend to re-torque at a specified mileage interval after removing and replacing a wheel. Reasoning is lug nuts can and do sometimes loosen after a re-install of the wheel.
Click to expand...

You are certainly right to question the dealer's competence. I have witnessed their screwups many times. I went back and carefully checked my manual - no mention of re-torquing wheels bolts. BTW do you have directional tires? That could be the reason they only do a 4 tire rotation.
 
If the inside of the wheels haven't been maintained, the SpeedMaster Brush isn't going to touch it. I pulled the wheels off my '95 Range Rover to clean the inside rim. Probably has never been done before. Wheel Brightener and steel wool would hardly touch it. This was the first time I've longed for a more powerful cleaner than WB.

On neglected wheels, you'll need a whole lot more than a wheel cleaner and a SpeedMaster Brush.

Colin
 
cnfowler said:
If the inside of the wheels haven't been maintained, the SpeedMaster Brush isn't going to touch it. I pulled the wheels off my '95 Range Rover to clean the inside rim. Probably has never been done before. Wheel Brightener and steel wool would hardly touch it. This was the first time I've longed for a more powerful cleaner than WB.

On neglected wheels, you'll need a whole lot more than a wheel cleaner and a SpeedMaster Brush.

Colin
Click to expand...

Good point.
 
cnfowler said:
I pulled the wheels off my '95 Range Rover to Wheel Brightener and steel wool would hardly touch it. This was the first time I've longed for a more powerful cleaner than WB.

On neglected wheels, you'll need a whole lot more than a wheel cleaner and a SpeedMaster Brush.

Colin
Click to expand...

If steel wool and Wheel Brightener didn't touch it, what will?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top