Winter Wheels and Tires

[rajon]

I run a dedicated set of winter wheels and tires on my car and I bought a new car so I had to buy new wheels. They are BBS SR painted in the Anthracite color. (Kind of a gun metal gray but I digress)

I am considering what I should do with them as I am a few months from installing them. I was thinking that I would clean them thoroughly and apply a coat of Wolfgang Ceramic to them before moving them to their climate controlled storage space. Would I be better off to leave them untreated until closer to installation or would it be prudent to coat them now so they just need a dusting before installation in November?

Any thoughts are welcome including those accusing me of overkill.

That all said I plan to test fit the new wheels and tires this weekend (bought from Tire Rack and shipped) and doing a tow sided clean and coat while my wheels are off the car. I put DP wheel glaze on them about a week ago and they still look fantastic.

For no reason other that because I am excited this weekend I will

1. wash and clay my Cadillac (it needs minor claying. I bought it with 3500 miles on it and it probably went through the mechanical carwash 50 times)
2. polish with probably Wolfgang total swirl remover on orange pads and finish with Meg's 105 on a LC white pad.
3. Wolfgang Perfekt paint cleaner
4. Wolfgang DGPP
5. 12 hours later I am going to try Fuizon for the first time.

I think this will make my black car nearly impossible to see for the reflections.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Wow, three is a lot to this thread... lets break it down.


I was thinking that I would clean them thoroughly and apply a coat of Wolfgang Ceramic to them before moving them to their climate controlled storage space. Would I be better off to leave them untreated until closer to installation or would it be prudent to coat them now so they just need a dusting before installation in November?


I don't think that it would matter. Once coated I'm assuming you'll wrap them in plastic tire/wheel bags for storage?
For winter wheels, I use black steel wheels. I try not to use anything nice in the event the car slides into a curb.



For no reason other that because I am excited this weekend I will

1. wash and clay my Cadillac (it needs minor claying. I bought it with 3500 miles on it and it probably went through the mechanical carwash 50 times)
2. polish with probably Wolfgang total swirl remover on orange pads and finish with Meg's 105 on a LC white pad.
3. Wolfgang Perfekt paint cleaner
4. Wolfgang DGPP
5. 12 hours later I am going to try Fuizon for the first time.

I think this will make my black car nearly impossible to see for the reflections.

I'm confused by step #2. Why would you use M105 after using WG Swirl Remover? M105 is a fast working heavy cut compound which uses SMAT (Super Micro Abrasive Technology.) Generally M105 is followed on by M205.

I would just do one or the other WGTSR or M105.

I'm confused by step number 3??? Not required.
If you follow these steps it will not be required:

For a complete soup to nuts detail

1.) Wheels & Tires First
2.) Pre-Wash
3.) Remove bugs & tar (Tarminator & McKee's Bug Scrubber
4.) Iron-X - chemical decontamination
5.) Wash
6.) Clay - above surface mechanical decontamination and over spray removeal
7.) Inspect paint - see it's condition
8.) Do a test spot with the least aggressive combination of product & pad
9.) Inspect results, if good do the rest of the car
10.) WG DGPP (LSP)

A cleanser will not be required since you plan on using an abrasive on the vehicle.

Then after the above, maintain using Mike Phillips Gentle Wash routine and upkeep of LSP.

Hope this helps.

[rajon]

Thanks for the reply!

M105 was a typo. I meant 205 and the Meguiar's folks were kind enough to put an idiot proof label to differentiate the two.

I already did two test spots on the roof and the Total Swirl Remover and 205 combination achieved the shine I want with the DGPP. The clear is much harder than my previous car.

I presently have a hastily applied coat of DGPP on the ATS that I put on gently by hand and have been doing the gentle wash with Wolfgang Autobathe.



As far as the wheels and tires. I keep them in a vented room in my basement in storage bags. I don't like to look at ugly wheels half the year so I went the opposite way and bought overbuilt pressure cast wheels and run slightly taller rubber.

[hmardown]

rajon
I'm in the same boat as you. just bought a set of wheels & snow tires for my 2015 ram. these are just going to be winter use(mid. nov. thru early march). I've been contemplating on what to do myself. I think I'll wait to treat them in oct. I also dealt with tire rack & highly recommend them. great service & very knowledgeable. I'm also tempted to through them on just to do a walk around & check them out. but quickly talked myself out of it. good luck. I'll check back & see what you decide to do with them. oh, and don't forget how are you going treat the wheels you take off ? you're welcome.
hmardown

[Klasse Act]

I would clean the tires and wheels real good first, let them dry really good and then get ready for the protection. I would coat the tires with your favorite tire coating....oh wait, I think there's only 1 now, LOL but its actually a pretty good product. I would then move my attention to the wheels. Assuming you used a color changing wheel cleaner the wheels are completely clean, maybe a clay barring is in order to ensure complete cleanliness. I would then apply a coating and let it cure for atleast a day, follow that with a 2nd coat and your good to go.

Derek0609 lives out by you, look for a very clean dark blue Mazda 6 with 19" matte bronze TSW Nuerburgring wheels, its also tastefully lowered 1" too!

[rajon]

I would clean the tires and wheels real good first, let them dry really good and then get ready for the protection. I would coat the tires with your favorite tire coating....oh wait, I think there's only 1 now, LOL but its actually a pretty good product. I would then move my attention to the wheels. Assuming you used a color changing wheel cleaner the wheels are completely clean, maybe a clay barring is in order to ensure complete cleanliness. I would then apply a coating and let it cure for atleast a day, follow that with a 2nd coat and your good to go.

Derek0609 lives out by you, look for a very clean dark blue Mazda 6 with 19" matte bronze TSW Nuerburgring wheels, its also tastefully lowered 1" too!

This is the kind of retentive attention to detail I will most definitely try. Presently my wife is out with my kids. I mowed the lawn and washed my car. I am inside chugging ice water to stop sweating and I am going to put a coat of Fuizon on my car as it sits. Paint is OK. It has a coat of still sheeting and beading WG DGPP on it along with DP Wheel Glaze on, obviously, the wheels. plastic bag tugged in a few spots but I plan on doing a full polish very soon so I don't think a coat of wax is going to make it any worse.

Running 19" wheels around here is brave.

There are a ton of ATS's where I work (along with CTSs and CT6s) and I like to keep mine looking ridiculously shiny so I can spot it in the lot. Well I guess I can admit it here I park an extra 5 minute walk to my desk on the second floor near the center of a parking deck. So I drive 35 miles to work park inside and then 35 miles home and park inside.

[BudgetPlan1]

Gyeon Rim is nice; have it on current wheels on car, will be doing it on winter wheels as soon as a get around to it.

What the heck...why not?