Cleaning the inside of the wheel?

[KS_Detailing]

When I would detail everyday drivers cars, we would sometimes clean the inside hub of the wheel if possible. But most the times it was very difficult. Either the spokes didn't allow us to get out hands or brush in or the brake rotors/ calipers were big and would cut our hands up. Either way it was almost impossible to clean the entire inside of the wheel. If it were a garage queen like an Aston Martin or Porsche which had large 5 spokes, the brake dust cleaned off right away. Without taking off the wheel are you guys cleaning the inside of the wheels? I would think the only way to really clean the inside would be to take the wheels off which I'm not going to do. Or am I missing a different technique to cleaning?

[c8n]

I use wheel woolies which comes in 3 different sizes

Wheel Woolies 3-Piece Kit, wheel cleaning tools, wheel brushes (http://www.autogeek.net/wheel-woolies.html)

[Mike Phillips]

Without taking off the wheel are you guys cleaning the inside of the wheels?



I rarely get that AR about the wheels if the car is a daily driver and the reason why is because the next time it rains everything is going to get all dirty and wet again with road film.

A good practice is to use a brush like the Daytona Speedmaster and clean the wheel as best as you can each time you clean your wheels and then move on. With a brush like this you can clean all the "visible" areas of the wheel and that's by definition, the only parts you and other people are going to see anyway.


Daytona Speed Master Wheel Brush (http://www.autogeek.net/ezdebrfca.html)







I would think the only way to really clean the inside would be to take the wheels off which I'm not going to do.

Or am I missing a different technique to cleaning?



The way to really do a GREAT job of cleaning the backs of your car's wheels and tires is to remove them like I did here,

How to Clean & Coat the INSIDE of your car's wheels (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/69426-how-clean-coat-inside-your-car-s-wheels.html)



http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2025/Detailers_Wheel_Coating_006.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2025/Detailers_Wheel_Coating_044.jpg




That's also a lot of work and you have to know how to re-torque your wheels down without warping your brake rotors and maintaining a safe vehicle. You also need the right floor jack and safety jacks to be avoid risk to yourself or others.


Besides removing the wheels and tires you can try lift the car as though you were going to remove them using a floor jack and some safety stands and then you can rotate them and get around to the back side a lot easier. Kind of like you see here in my article on cleaning fenderwells.

How to clean fender wells the lazy way! (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/62725-how-clean-fender-wells-lazy-way.html)



A reliable hydraulic floor jack and at least two quality jack stands for safety reasons...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1816/How_To_Clean_Fenderwells_003.jpg


Lift the car
Choose either the front or rear of the car to start with and lift the car as high as the body will go without raising the tires off the ground and then place the jack stands at approved points where they are able to support the weight of the car and then carefully lower the jack so that the weight of the car is predominantly on the jackstands.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1816/Jacked-Up.jpg


Theoretically, once you have the car lifted and supported on safety jacks you can crawl under the car and now you can better reach the back of the wheels and tires.




:)

[KBsToy]

+1

Daytona Speed Master Wheel Brush (http://www.autogeek.net/ezdebrfca.html)

[wdmaccord]

+1

Daytona Speed Master Wheel Brush (http://www.autogeek.net/ezdebrfca.html)

+2

[swanicyouth]

Don't know why, but I'm anal about wheel wells and rotor hats. I use several tools to get every square inch: Wheel Woolies, both Daytona Brushes, Boars Hair Wheel Brush, and WW "Paint" Brush. It makes a difference on sport cars with open wheels.

You can do it, you just need to spend the time and get the right tools.

[Rick72]

Anyone have issues with the Daytona scratching clear coated wheels?
I'm kind of torn between woolies and the Daytona.
Thoughts?

[The Guz]

I use wheel woolies which comes in 3 different sizes

Wheel Woolies 3-Piece Kit, wheel cleaning tools, wheel brushes (http://www.autogeek.net/wheel-woolies.html)

Same here. They get the job done on the wheels for my daily.

[flhden]

Once a year I take off all 4's and clean with mothers wheel cleaner and Magic eraser, clean rotors and everything I can get at .Quick and easy job. :xyxthumbs:
21489

21491

[zmcgovern45]

Anyone have issues with the Daytona scratching clear coated wheels?
I'm kind of torn between woolies and the Daytona.
Thoughts?

No issues... I use both EZ Detail Brush (same as Daytona) and wheel woolies. Both are great products that I could not live without.

[Evan.J]

No issues... I use both EZ Detail Brush (same as Daytona) and wheel woolies. Both are great products that I could not live without.

I have both as well and let me say that if they are bad start with the brushes. I have learned that a well maintained wheel and the wheel woolies go great together and even some that are some what bad but if the wheel wells are caked with road grime, brake dust, tar, and whatever else may find its way in there then your much better off starting with the brushes.

You will need a good wheel cleaner and iron x as well to really help get the nasty stuff off.

[parttimer]

Another Daytona fan here too. I do pull my wheels every so often and clean them.

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[Rick72]

Used the wheel woollies today for the 1st time. A major game changer ! Love them !

[scottdevine]

after a long day of detailing my DD (2008 grand caravan), i couldn't believe this tread...for the first time, i took off each individual wheel today and cleaned the inside of them, and completely got the inside wheel wells. I thought it was crazy...then i see this thread...makes me feel 'normal'...hahahahaha

[SANTA3013]

Not sure how practical it is for a business to pull wheels and thoroughly clean the backs and the wheel wells. This could possibly be an add-on service. When I rotate the tires on my personal vehicles I clean and seal the wheels and also detail the wheel wells.