Wheel Coatings?

Mirror Finish

Mirror Finish

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I'd like to coat my alloy wheels with something more than the Meguair's Hybrid Ceramic Wax I use on my daily driver, something that lasts a lot longer.

I know practically nothing about these coatings that come out of a syringe. Are they different for wheels as opposed to vehicle paints?

The wheels are a factory satin black, so I do not want them to turn into a gloss black after coating them.

What does Autogeek suggest? Thanks!


This is the finish on the wheel...

View attachment 74752
 
CarPro Dlux. It’s not the easiest coating to apply but also isn’t difficult. It lasts around a year, maybe more if you don’t drive a lot.
 
Bruno Soares said:
CarPro Dlux. It’s not the easiest coating to apply but also isn’t difficult. It lasts around a year, maybe more if you don’t drive a lot.
Click to expand...

Can you get into the details regarding application. I am a hands-on guy to the extreme, but I'd like to know what I am up against.

I should have mentioned, I have PCCBs so brake dust is practically zero.
 
Let me ask you this...

How exactly do you clean your wheels? Are you using strong wheel cleaners or APCs?

If the answer is YES, then perhaps try washing them with just regular car wash shampoo. Its gentle enough that it won't breakdown waxes/sealants on wheels as quickly as dedicated wheel cleaners do.

And assuming you've applied the base layer of Hybrid Ceramic Wax per the directions, you can literally just do a mist or two over the surface of the wheel and rinse it off providing that short term beading affect which will make drying wheels much easier. OR you can even take a wet MF towel, spritz it with HCW and wipe all over the face of the wheel and rinse it off. Doing this at every maintenance wash will keep them protected indefinitely until you stop.


Wheel ceramic coatings are great and their very durable but they still deteriorate. And when that protection is gone you'll have to go through all the labor and time intensive process of prep and application again, versus easy spray sealants (non-ceramic and ceramic) are just wipe and go.
 
Wheels off would be best, but can be applied on the car. Besides being sure the wheels are clean..use IPA to further clean before applying Car Pro Dlux. You can apply with the enclosed block and suede applicator.

Do not rub over and over as it will start to cure and will become sticky. Apply once or twice and level if need be.
 
No coating will add gloss. There are plenty of good options for a wheel coating.

DLUX is a good option. Sizzlechest sold me on 22ple VM1 and it is by far better than DLUX, Gtechniq C5, Gyeon Rim.
 
^^^Pretty sure Mike is referring to a ceramic coating not adding gloss to a matte finish.
 
I also agree that 22ple VM1 is the best wheel coating I have used also. Not as finicky as Dlux (I love CarPro products) and has the best self cleaning properties of any wheel LSP I’ve ever used. It’s pricy, but it works!
 
fly07sti said:
^^^Pretty sure Mike is referring to a ceramic coating not adding gloss to a matte finish.
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We can just pick & choose when a coating adds gloss and when it doesn’t? Sweet. Lol.

I’m only kidding.
 
evo77 said:
Let me ask you this...

How exactly do you clean your wheels?

APC
HCW
IPA
Click to expand...

I use car wash soap, a wash mit and the 3-pack of Wheel Woolies I bought from AG. The fit is tight due to disc and caliper size so I am using the medium and small Wheel Woolies, and even then.

It does a good job but now that I'll be taking the wheels off to do a complete brake flush next spring, I might as well give the wheels a thorough wash and coat them with some product. At the moment, I might as well just use the Meguair's Hybrid Ceramic Wax that I found to work well on my daily driver. If that is unsatisfactory, I'll go to a coating.

APC, HCW, IPA...whatever those acronyms stand for?

Thanks!

The satin black wheels just get a light coat of road dust, nothing more.
 
Figured i would add....i used a paint coating on my summer chrome wheels over last winter(thats all i had) and it has withstood the year so far with no signs of failing yet.

I will redo when needed as it is so nice to 99.9% of the time not have to wipe down wheels after a wash. I can just blow dry them and done. No spotting, no need to waste more time going around to each wheel wiping down.

Plus if only light dust on them, just hit with the pressure washer...no need to get out the bucket, brushes and soap.

But to each there own

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
Mirror Finish said:
I use car wash soap, a wash mit and the 3-pack of Wheel Woolies I bought from AG. The fit is tight due to disc and caliper size so I am using the medium and small Wheel Woolies, and even then.

It does a good job but now that I'll be taking the wheels off to do a complete brake flush next spring, I might as well give the wheels a thorough wash and coat them with some product. At the moment, I might as well just use the Meguair's Hybrid Ceramic Wax that I found to work well on my daily driver. If that is unsatisfactory, I'll go to a coating.

APC, HCW, IPA...whatever those acronyms stand for?

Thanks!

The satin black wheels just get a light coat of road dust, nothing more.
Click to expand...

Come on man, you've been a member since 2012 and your not familiar with detailing acronyms yet??

j/k... <-- that mean's just kidding :P

APC = All Purpose Cleaner
HCW = Hybrid Ceramic Wax
IPA = Isopropyl Alcohol


I strongly recommend following the procedure with the HCW that I outlined in my previous post. It doesn't take much effort or time to wipe on HCW while the wheel is wet and rinse it off. You'll be continuously reapplying (boosting) that protection every time you clean the wheel.

In fact, since your wheels have a lot of spokes, if you pick up a pair of microfiber gloves like these HERE, just dunk them in water, wring them out so that their damp only, then pump a few sprays of HCW over the face of the wheel and the use the damp gloves to wipe it in. The fingers allow you go grab around and inside the spokes with better dexterity than a huge wash mitt. Then rinse off and wah-lah.
 
evo77 said:
Come on man, you've been a member since 2012 and your not familiar with detailing acronyms yet??

I strongly recommend following the procedure with the HCW that I outlined in my previous post. It doesn't take much effort or time to wipe on HCW while the wheel is wet and rinse it off. You'll be continuously reapplying (boosting) that protection every time you clean the wheel.
Click to expand...

I've been too busy riding and driving, so I might be on here once a year. :laughing: Besides, I think Mike would sooner have me spend $$$ at AG which is 98% of my detailing products, instead of posting. But I do know my acronyms in aviation.

Exactly what I am going to do regarding Meguiar's HCW. Waiting for spring.
 
Mirror Finish said:
I've been too busy riding and driving, so I might be on here once a year. :laughing: Besides, I think Mike would sooner have me spend $$$ at AG which is 98% of my detailing products, instead of posting. But I do know my acronyms in aviation.

Exactly what I am going to do regarding Meguiar's HCW. Waiting for spring.
Click to expand...

FYI Mike P is no longer with AG.
 
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