Severely neglected wheels. Need help!

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tripperfx3

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So I'm putting my WRX up for sale soon and I'm getting around to taking care of some minor fixes. One will include a full detail prior to listing. That being said ever since I joined the military and started a family some of my hobbies have had to take a back seat and detailing was one of them.

Now I want to get my WRX as clean as possible for the future owner and to help resale value and my wheels are one of the worst areas. As you can see in the pics the brake dust or dirt seems to be "baked" on to the wheels. I've been out of the detailing game for a while and I was wondering if iron X or some of the newer products could fix this or do I need to just take Em to get reconditioned professionally?

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Tar x then Sonax. After that Iron X. Do you plan on taking the wheels off?
 
If your ditching the car, I would just use Wheel Bright or Meg's Chrome Wheel Cleaner - who cares? Paying to have them reconditioned will not likely be a positive financial return on sale or trade in of the vehicle. I'd just get them as clean as possible with one product.
 
a 20:1 phosphoric acid wash. As long as its not brushed or polished aluminum, it works great on anything on rims.




 
Wasn't planning on going as far as taking them off. I may try megs chrome since I can buy it locally. After that I'll go after some Sonax. I was afraid that megs chrome would be to caustic but I may need to go that route.

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Showtime said:
a 20:1 phosphoric acid wash. As long as its not brushed or polished aluminum, it works great on anything on rims.




Click to expand...

Where do you buy phosphoric acid? And I'm assuming it's 20 parts water to 1 part acid?

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tripperfx3 said:
Wasn't planning on going as far as taking them off. I may try megs chrome since I can buy it locally. After that I'll go after some Sonax. I was afraid that megs chrome would be to caustic but I may need to go that route.

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Click to expand...

It's usually OK on painted wheels if you don't let it dry and the wheels are cool. Your dumping the car anway, right? I'd just go for clean and shiny. Nobody is going to appreciate (or compensate you for on your trade in) a wheels off cleaning IMHO. The Meg's Chrome Wheel Cleaner is quite effective in cleaning nasty wheels IME. You may want to remove the little plastic center caps before using it.

As for phosphoric acid, check out the ingredients in Coca Cola:

"The primary ingredients of Coca-Cola syrup include either high fructose corn syrup or sucrose derived from cane sugar, caramel color, caffeine, phosphoric acid, coca extract, lime extract, vanilla, and glycerin."

Maybe get a 2 liter of Coke for 2 bills and screw a foaming sprayer on there and give it a try??? Whatever is left you can drink it.
 
Maybe I'm onto something, from Ask.com:


"What Is the PH of Coca Cola?
The Ph of Coca Cola is 2.8. Coca cola contains phosphoric acid which is an accepted food-grade acid that is added to Coca-cola to give it some of the taste. Phosphoric acid is the active ingredient in Coke"

Maybe someone should try Coke as the world's cheapest acid wheel cleaner.
 
PDP Acid Wheel Cleaner is great as well. I have great results with low effort. Price is right as well..
 
I get a gallon of my acid for $18 from a local small engine repair shop in South Florida. And yes its 20 parts water to 1 part acid lol. The other way would destroy your rims lol
 
I would use APC first, then iron-x than if that don't help you could use acid or have the wheel refinished also don't forget to clay the wheels too that will remove more surface and embedded contamination
 
Yeah those wheels are FAR FAR from severe. I would go with Megs Hot Rims (OTC) and see what happens. IF you want something from AG I would go with either Sonax or Megs Wheel Brightener.
 
I've tried so lighter duty stuff and it didn't work. Hell I'll go pick up a bottle of coke and try it on my lunch break lol

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Flitz Pre-Clean Aluminum is a very good cleaner. It has to be agitated with nylon brush (toothbrush) to get all the crevices. Bottle says not to use on paint but website says OK for paint?
 
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