Hi - I have a set of wheels, Turbo hollow spokes for the 993, with mounted tires, that are very clean but off the car right now.

I don't think I've ever taken the opportunity to really clean and prep wheels while off the car. Usually I'm trying to get a brush in, or a mitt around, or a toothbrush against.

What sequence of steps, and types of products would you suggest to get wheels really shining and help them stay that way over the season?

(... other than painting the inside barrels black!)

 

Put a few coats of Rejex wax on the clean wheels prior to re-mounting. Then, only wash the wheels with hot soapy water. Blow dry with your leaf blower.

 

This really depends upon their current condition and cleanliness of teh wheels. Can you take a few pictures and post them?

I usually use a wheel cleaner for the initial cleaning and rinse thoroughly. Once clean I would follow up with clay to remove the deeper contaminants. If you want to improve the shine you can polish the paint using your favorite polish. Finish with your favorite wax.

 

maybe this can help

https://rennlist.com/forums/concours...ght=uber+wheel

 

I'll take some pictures tomorrow during the day but they'll just show what I would describe as really clean with no brake dust on the face or barrels. I am reasonably sure they have no chemical protection (wax/polish) on 'em.

Phil - on your STI project is the PO805RD simply the "Pro" packaging for "retail" Menzerna Final Finish? And how did you apply it: foam? Then microfiber wipe? or wash?

If the factory wheels are clear-coated then I would think treating them similarly to the topside paintwork, as is being suggested, makes sense: wash, clay, polish and protect.

So maybe the question comes down to "What's the most long-lasting protection?" that would allow brake dust and dirt to just wash away for 6 months or more?

Phil - was Swissvax Autobahn your last finish coat? How many coats? Inside and out?

 

yup PO85RD is labeled Final Finish as well.

Yup if its cleared you can wash/clay/polish/wax.

I hand applied the 85RD on the calipers and the wheels
As for the autobahn 1 coat is all I did.

 

IMHO the only thing that will keep your wheels looking nice for years is dilligence.

The wheels are subject to intense heat, harsh chemicals and generally they see more abuse than any other visible surface on the car. Constant cleaning and protection will keep them looking their best.

 

I would have to agree with that for sure

 

Thanks guys! I have my project for the weekend.

Elapsed time on Philip's page is two and a half hours; maybe I'll get it done in a day

 

nah 2 hours is about all you need an those wheels were pretty bad.

 

Well, 3 hours later ... Wash, Gel, Rinse, Clay, Polish, Wipe, Wax, Wipe ... I was done

Thanks to all for the suggestions and encouragement!

A few lessons I learned:

- In the wash process, stage zero, I needed a hard plastic brush handle to dislodge the baked on clumps of road trash from the inner barrels - harder than track worms but they would dissolve if attacked with solvent. These didn't wash off and conspired to catch and tear at the clay bar.

- Speaking of solvent, I needed to use Cleans All and Oil Flo Solvent to clean up some worm tracks and particularly sticky spots as well as old balancing weight tape.

- Clay gets really dirty on wheels, especially inside. Fold often and early.

- I used different micro-fiber towels for wax removal of the face than I did for the barrels and inner hubs. Having left some brake dust hiding in the interior of lug holes I didn't want to bring it over to the front of the wheel.

Qustions: Once up close and personal I realized that the spokes had coin-sized rough areas, like sand-blasting from road grit. Should I have gone at them with a more aggressive polish? Would polish smooth micro-craters in clear-coat and paint? Is a foam disk the best way to apply polish on a wheel or should one use a random orbital?

 

that looks great thanks for sharing!

 

Nice job.

I doubt that a polish will correct pitting caused by stones and debris, unfortunately this is part of normal wear and tear for wheels. When it gets really bad you will need to send them out to be refinished.

Those black bits which build up inside the wheel barrels are a PITA. If they break loose in onee piece when your scrubbing they can potentially scratch the clearcoat.