Help restoring NASTY rims

[anarchy]

Where do I begin with these suckers? Got this Dodge Van to detail and these are typical Dodge brakes since I had a few and they were the worst for brake dust. How would yu guys go about tackling them? Any over the counter remedies for speed?

Devinhttp://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/anarchymymind/PB100005.jpg

[Rsurfer]

Where do I begin with these suckers? Got this Dodge Van to detail and these are typical Dodge brakes since I had a few and they were the worst for brake dust. How would yu guys go about tackling them? Any over the counter remedies for speed?

Devinhttp://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/anarchymymind/PB100005.jpg
Can you get Meg's Wheel Brightner?

[rwright]

If wheel brightener is not an option though you can pick up a 32oz sample cheap with cheap shipping, Meguiar's Hot Rims Chrome Wheel Cleaner is pH 2.5 or Duragloss Chrome Wheel Cleaner pH 2. These are both somewhat strong acids available over the counter. Be prepared to use at least 1 full bottle if not 2. That's why Meg's Wheel Brightener is a better option as rsurfer suggested.

[tuscarora dave]

Can you get Meg's Wheel Brightner?
:iagree: Spray it on and agitate the crud with a soft brush. Just be careful not to spritz it back on your skin and don't let it dry on the wheel before rinsing it off.

Edit: I was actually thinking of Hot Rims.

[93Mustang]

I've tried megs Hot Rim cleaner and Mothers foaming all wheel cleaner. Go with the Mothers foaming wheel cleaner. It's $7, but it works great! My volvo wheels were awful with brake dust (as most european cars), and so I actually took my wheels off the car and sprayed them, clayed them and then waxed......

if you want something easier, just get the mothers foaming all wheel cleaner, spray it, let it sit for 30 secs, agitate with a brush in the bad areas, then rinse off with water.

[93Mustang]

before and after pics......a bit of elbow grease goes a long way

[ihaveacamaro]

before and after pics......a bit of elbow grease goes a long way

Holy moly man! What a turnaround!

[93Mustang]

thanks man! i was surprised too

[rwright]

I've tried megs Hot Rim cleaner

But did you use the chrome wheel cleaner? There is a difference between the all wheel cleaner and chrome wheel cleaner, one being acid and stronger. The pictures posted are crazy! Turned out really good. :props:

[anarchy]

Pretty sure I can get that stuff. I cant believe people dont see this dust and at least clean it off sometimes. How can ya leave it all year and then bring it to someone to clean it. Obviously a different mindset then us people here.Thanks guys.

[tuscarora dave]

I work on wheelchair accessible vans and buses for a dealer who buys/sells new and used units. I rent my shop from this dealer so naturally he's my biggest customer. He sells a new van and typically gets a trade in that has wheels much worse that what you have pictured in your first post to this thread.

Being in a production setting with these vans where there's very little budget for detailing, I have to get the work done quick. I mix my own acid wheel cleaner for dealing with these vans and buses. Acid will quickly dissolve that crud with some agitation, I use pure bristle parts cleaning brush to do the agitating.

Basically it's...spray the wheel with the acid cleaner, spray some acid cleaner on the bristle end of the brush and begin to agitate the wheel keeping my acid cleaner spray bottle handy. My home brew acid cleaner doesn't cling to the wheel like a lot of products formulated by car care companies so I keep the bottle handy to keep the wheel wet with the cleaner as I agitate the brake dust and other crud from the wheel.

I clean one wheel and immediately rinse it before moving on to the next wheel. In the end I spray each wheel with an alkaline cleaner, allow it to dwell for 1 minute and rinse. The alkaline cleaner neutralizes any acid residue left behind on the wheel, tire or the ground.

If you use an acid wheel cleaner regardless of whether it's a home brew or something like Poorboy's World Spray and Rinse (which still needs agitated) and later in the detail you can still smell the acid wheel cleaner as you're polishing paint etc. it's because there is still UN-neutralized acid residue on the wheel. This left over acid residue can etch the wheel leaving a stain that sometimes shows up by the end of the detail.

Having experienced this on more than one occasion, I incorporated the alkaline cleaner rinse into my process. Not only does it eliminate the possibility of residual acid etching, it gets rid of that annoying acid wheel cleaner smell that would otherwise be carried into my shop to smell for the duration of the job. Something like Formula 409 would be an over the counter alkaline cleaner that would work for this purpose. I get my alkaline cleaner in concentrated 5 gallon buckets.

I used to pay $32 for a gallon of Poorboy's world Spray and Rinse acid wheel cleaner, my home brew acid wheel cleaner costs me less than $1 per gallon and works just as effectively.

Use nitrile gloves and safety glasses when working with any acid wheel cleaner. Research acid burn images once and you'll see images of burns where the users didn't even realize they had acid on them and the next day they have bad acid burns.

[Kevin Cullen]

Acid is the way to go, BUT, be careful of any clear coat failure on your rims. The acid may get under the clear coat on any cracks or dings. Don't let the acid dwell on the surface more than 30 secs at a time. Get it on and get it off. Be mindful of brakes, calipers and such if you don't remove the wheels. My water out of the tap (farm water) is 9 ph so I do not use a neutralizer or alkaline cleaner after use and have no issues to date.

Another thought is to try Iron X to see if it will work.

[93Mustang]

But did you use the chrome wheel cleaner? There is a difference between the all wheel cleaner and chrome wheel cleaner, one being acid and stronger. The pictures posted are crazy! Turned out really good. :props:

I used the all wheel cleaner. I have alloy's on my DD and my mustang, so I didn't get the chrome cleaner.

Thanks, a bit of elbow grease and the mothers cleaner worked great, I'm rec'd it to everybody, much better @ $7 for than sonax which is $16!