Wheel Sealants vs. Wheel Protectant Spray

[ScottB]

I wondered your thoughts on using these products, and your preferred favorite application ???

Over on the Corvetteforum my forum friends are using alot of the new Armor All Wheel Protectant. I tried it initially when it came out and went back to the Wheel Sealants (DP, Poorboys) rather quickly for several reasons.

1. Spray meant overspray on car while using
2. Any overapplication dripped onto tire dressing leaving white stripe
3. Product didnt seem to go along way for size offered
4. It seemed it was done with first wash, even without a heavy wheel cleaner being used.

now it did seem to offer some benefits too:

1. No need to buff or wipe anything off, dries rather clear
2. Slippery stuff initially, brake dust did seem to have a harder time adhering to it.
3. Price initially, although consistent use might reduce this based upon durability.

I was wondering your thoughts. I know its silicone based and likely why alot seem to like it initially, brake dust doesnt seem to be able to adhere to it. It does seem to me that wheel sealants seem to protect the wheel and hold brake dust above them but does not really stop it from sitting on surface. What have you found ???

 

[bmw5541]

I have recently tried the AA Wheel Protectant, and I was not overly impressed. I have factory painted wheels and after the spray protectaqnt dries, it left a white haze on the wheels. Another think that I don't like about the product is that it washes away at the first sign of rain. Also, it didn't seem to repel break dust as advertised.

I think I will stick with Wheel Wax!

 

[superd]

I really like the PB's. In between applications, after washing, I've been using the WG sealant spray to detail and have had good success.

:buffing:

 

[KneeDragr]

The armour all protectant has reduced my wheel cleaning from every drive to every wash.

Until they make a sealant that has similar function I will continue to use it.

 

[pfix]

We just applied PB wheel sealant to my wife’s Volvo S60 for the first time. 3 coats applied to clean wheels and so far there seems to be noticeably less brake dust on the wheels compared to untreated. The gloss on the wheels was also enhanced. This brake/wheel combo has been very susceptible to brake dust so it will be interesting to see how long the benefits will last.

Paul

 

[ScottB]

The armour all protectant has reduced my wheel cleaning from every drive to every wash.

Until they make a sealant that has similar function I will continue to use it.

DP Wheel Glaze cleans and protects all types of wheels! Durable wheel polymer wax coating protects wheels from brake dust adhesion and corrosion.
Poorboy’s Wheel Sealant: Protective sealant that improves & maintains the appearance of wheels. wheel protection, poorboys wheel wax

The "function" is similar if not the same, its the "design" and "application" which appears different.

 

[KneeDragr]

I will keep my ears open, but pretty much the consensus on the Corvette Forum is nothing will keep Z06/GS wheels as clean as the armour all product.

I find the spray on thing pretty easy myself.

 

[Emile]

In my experience, the wheel sealants I have tried so far (Smartwax Rimwax and PB Wheel Sealant) do almost nothing to repel or reduce the amount of brake dust that adheres to the wheel. They do make it easier to clean the brake dust off, though. And PB Wheel Sealant gives the wheels the most beautiful shine, better than any paint sealant/wax on the wheels but I haven't tried using Fuzion on my wheels yet, haha!

ArmorAll Wheel Protectant really works...almost zero brake dust sticks to the wheels. But I think that it's too expensive as it's only good until the next car wash, and it washes away very easily during a hard rain. Fortunately, the application method is easy, but again, applying it after every car wash just makes it expensive for repeat applications.

It may be a nice product to use to spray the wheel barrels down as the application is literally "spray and walk away."

 

[sgtmillhouse648]

I've used the AA wheel protectant on my personal vehicle. My wheels are a gloss white paint/clearcoat and pads are a semi-metallic track pad which leaves a ton of very dark dust.

Personally I felt it was overrated as a product. There really isn't a lot of overspray with the aerosol can, and I never had any on the actual car itself which is a plus, and it did reduce the amount of dust on the wheel...kinda

The big thing that I noticed was that it kept the overall face of the wheels cleaner...not clean, but cleaner. Up to a month after I applied the crap, you could still rinse the wheels and the water did the miracle bead deal they show in the infomercial.

The unfortunate part was that the dust from the faces collected in the deeper parts of the wheel off to the sides of the spokes. The dust that did collect here was much more dense than it was before the application of the product and the sharp contrast between the spokes and the dished part made the wheels look dirtier.

Also from rainstorms/mud puddles, the water had a tendency to collect in the deeper part as well, and when it evaporated, left the dirt behind on the surface.

The Eagle One product was similar to the AA, but was even less effective.


Bottom line: Great for wheels with no crevasse/low spots for dirt to stick in.

I'm looking forward to trying the DP wheel glaze sometime as I think that will do a much better job.

 

[sportscarhiatus]

here's a question. Why even bother using a dedicated "wheel" sealant whether it be spray or liquid?

Since most rims/wheels are clear coated, why not just use ANY liquid sealant or ANY spray sealant/wax? i.e. OCW, DG AW, Optiseal, UPGP, WGDGPS, 4StarUPP, I could go on.

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

here's a question. Why even bother using a dedicated "wheel" sealant whether it be spray or liquid?

Since most rims/wheels are clear coated, why not just use ANY liquid sealant or ANY spray sealant/wax? i.e. OCW, DG AW, Optiseal, UPGP, WGDGPS, 4StarUPP, I could go on.

:iagree:

 

[sgtmillhouse648]

here's a question. Why even bother using a dedicated "wheel" sealant whether it be spray or liquid?

Since most rims/wheels are clear coated, why not just use ANY liquid sealant or ANY spray sealant/wax? i.e. OCW, DG AW, Optiseal, UPGP, WGDGPS, 4StarUPP, I could go on.

Many forms of brake dust are very corrosive and will stain wheels even with most OTS waxes/sealants. Many wheel sealants have special chemicals in them with the sole purpose of resisting brake dust. Here's an example of what happened to my current wheels when they were protected by a generic wax (I think it was mothers cleaner wax at the time):

The stains wouldn't come out with an OTS cleaner. I ended up using a little bit of carb cleaner on a rag and then rebuffing them out to restore the finish.

 

[FastZR1]

I was under the same impression that Millhouse explained. I use the DP wheel sealant and like it.

I read much of the discussion on the CF and I agree with killer; I don't like sprays when they are tough to control and you get that stuff all over. I'll stick to what works for me.

 

[sportscarhiatus]

Thanks for the explanation. In that case, then it does make sense to use glazes and sealant specifically designed for wheels...i.e. DP Wheel Glaze. It's just that it was tough to use. I liked the gloss of the glaze, but it took forever to apply and require some elbow grease to remove. Doing all this while squatting for 15 minutes or so... ouch.

 

[sgtmillhouse648]

The big killers are the semi-metallic/ferro carbon pads such as carbotec XP10's, Axxis ULT's, Stoptech Street Performance, Hawk HP+ etc. Normal organic OEM pads, or even ceramic pads are less likely to be as corrosive and stain wheels. For the average person, a normal sealant such as KHGSG or WGDGPS would be enough to protect their wheels, especially if the owner washes their vehicle on a regular basis.

 

[Emile]

I have found that dedicated wheel sealants typically bring out a far better shine than using a regular paste wax or paint sealant on the wheels.

I have read good things from people using any of the Collinite waxes on their wheels because Collinite has proven to offer outstanding durability. 90% of the time, I re-apply two coats of Wheel Sealant after cleaning my wheels, but if I just don't have the time, I will quickly apply a spray wax that works just fine for a week's worth of driving.

 

[akimel]

While I still occasionally use Collinite 476s as a wheel sealant, I have decided that it's simply not worth my time to apply anything as a wheel sealant. I do not discern a noticeable difference in appearance, nor do I see significant advantages in the actual cleaning of the wheels. I wash my wheels each time I wash my cars. I find that the the Griot's Wheel Cleaner works just fine on my vehicles to remove brake dust and grime.

 

[ScottB]

Thanks for the explanation. In that case, then it does make sense to use glazes and sealant specifically designed for wheels...i.e. DP Wheel Glaze. It's just that it was tough to use. I liked the gloss of the glaze, but it took forever to apply and require some elbow grease to remove. Doing all this while squatting for 15 minutes or so... ouch.

one of these smaller garden carts might help with lower areas when polishing and buffing. Rolling down each side of the car/truck is rather easy, unfortunately they dont turn well however. Mines a bit lower and has a solid top.

 

[BobbyG]

I've never used a dedicated wheel protectant but always waxed my wheels. At best this approach has been OK at best. I'm certain that waxing provides some protection but brake dust and road film are two tough items so contend with.

As part of my recent order I included a DP Wheel Glaze. From what I've read it's supposed to be pretty good. My 2004 Z06 puts out allot of dust, especially on the front wheels. My plan is to use DP Wheel Glaze on one and wax on the other, I'll let you know how it does and if there's any difference.

 

[Bunky]

one of these smaller garden carts might help with lower areas when polishing and buffing. Rolling down each side of the car/truck is rather easy, unfortunately they dont turn well however. Mines a bit lower and has a solid top.

I use either a wash bucket with the gamma seal lid (supports a lot of weight) or mechanic's cart when detailing wheels.