How can you tell if your Al wheels are coated

[solman]

I was looking at the Meguiars D140 wheel cleaner but it states not to use on uncoated wheels. Im not sure on my 2014 VW Jetta.

[David Hayward]

If it looks like it's just bare aluminum you can use a metal polish with a microfiber towel and rub it on the wheel. When it pulls any oxidation off it should be black on the towel if it's uncoated aluminum.


Are these wheels the oem wheels from the car? If they are all the vw wheels I have seen on newer models are clear coated. Do yours look like bare metal?

[Setec Astronomy]

No normal factory wheel isn't painted. 99.9999999% your Jetta wheels are painted, unless you have the Nurburgring Niki Lauda Edition (is he still alive?)

[RMM]

...(is he still alive?)

Yes, and kicking.

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS - Niki Lauda (http://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/team/management/niki-lauda/)

[solman]

Yes these are the factory wheels on a TDI jetta. They don't look like bare metal to me. Just wanted to be sure.
I guess they are painted or coated then. Do they need any protective sealant of some sort?
Thanks

[FUNX650]

Yes these are the factory wheels on a TDI jetta. They don't look like bare metal to me. Just wanted to be sure.
I guess they are painted or coated then. Do they need any protective sealant of some sort?
Thanks
DON'T GUESS!!
Perform the below process in an inconspicuous location:

If it looks like it's just bare aluminum you can use a metal polish with a microfiber towel and rub it on the wheel. When it pulls any oxidation off it should be black on the towel if it's uncoated aluminum.



I was looking at the Meguiars D140 wheel cleaner.
I sure hope that's all you plan on doing with D140!!

Bob

[alexxxx89]

What can happen if he does test the metal polish and the wheel is painted or cleared?

[solman]

That's what I was wondering



Forgive the ignorance of a novice....W.C. Fields

[FUNX650]

What can happen if he does test the metal polish and the wheel is painted or cleared?

That's what I was wondering

Here you go...Hope this helps!

Bob


How to determine what type of wheels you have?

Re: how to determine what a wheel is made of
How to determine what type of wheels you have?

Wheels are either made from a material and you're working directly on the material, examples include aluminum and magnesium. Or wheels are coated, so the wheels are either steel or aluminum and have been coated with another type of material and anytime you're working on this type of wheel you're working on the coating.


Magnet will tell you whether it's steel or aluminum, that's a pretty simple test that will tell you real fast the material the wheel is made out of. Below are some tips for testing to determine if there's a coating on a wheel.



•Uncoated or Bare Aluminum Wheels:
-You'll quickly see black residue build up on your polishing cloth

•Clearcoated Aluminum Wheels:
-You might see some dirt residue on your polishing cloth but it won't turn black like you'll see if it's bare aluminum.

•Anodized Aluminum Wheels:
-Same as clearcoated aluminum, you will see a little colored residue come off, usually the color of the anodizing but it certainly won't be anything like what you'll see if you're working on bare aluminum.

•Chrome Wheels:
-You shouldn't see any color coming off chrome except for any built-up roadgrime that didn't come off when you washed the wheel and this will tend to be kind of a dirt color, light brown. After you remove any roadgrime then you won't see any color come off the chrome at all.


•Clearcoated Wheels:
-Since clear paint is clear, you should see no color or pigment coming off on your polishing cloth. If there's dirt or roadgrime built-up on the clearcoated wheel you'll see a little brown color coming off but that will stop once you have the roadgrime removed.


•Painted Wheels:
-If you're wheels are painted a color and not clearcoated then if you rub a little polish onto the rim you'll see the color of the paint coming off onto your polishing cloth.


•Testing an aluminum wheel:
-You can do this same type of test to any wheel using either a light polish, paint cleaner or metal polish. Always test in an inconspicuous area if you think the wheel might be painted, either clearcoated or pigmented paint.
-Oxidized Aluminum Comes Off Black


__________________
Mike Phillips - Director of Training

[David Hayward]

If your wheel is painted and you use a small amount of metal polish nothing bad should happen to the wheel but as advised always better safe than sorry so do it somewhere not easily visible. Don't go rubbing all 4 wheels down fully with it as your test.

[9nueve9]

How about this one? I think i bought a wrong one :(
The mags of our car is factory coated.31565


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[Rmd]

Unfortunately, you did get the wrong one. That mother's product is for "mag" type wheels that are bare aluminum. For regular clear coated factory alloys, which would be the stock ones on a VW or most all OEM wheels, there are many choices for wheel cleaners. The color changing wheel cleaners such as Sonax FE, 1Z colortec, Meg's Dub, etc, work well for wheels that are covered in brake dust. Good choices for maintenance cleaning are CG's sticky gel or Diablo and are cost effective.
For German cars that tend to generate a lot of brake dust, it's a good idea to put a sealant on the wheels periodically; optimum opti-seal is a good one since you don't have to buff it off, but any good sealant will work.
For maximum protection, use a coating such as Optimum gloss coat or any of the wheel coatings like DP, PBL. I coated my BMW wheels with 22ple and it has made wheel cleaning soooo much easier than before they were coated. I use CG sticky gel and soapy water and they always come out perfect, even the barrels. I typically do routine wipe down with Sonax BSD to make drying easier too.

[Rmd]

I forgot to add that Meg's D140 will work very well, but it's kind of a nuclear option. I wouldn't use it on a regular basis. Definitely use gloves at a minimum and try not to inhale any fumes from it. The more protective gear you can use, the better. It's a pretty gnarly chemical.

[9nueve9]

Unfortunately, you did get the wrong one. That mother's product is for "mag" type wheels that are bare aluminum. For regular clear coated factory alloys, which would be the stock ones on a VW or most all OEM wheels, there are many choices for wheel cleaners. The color changing wheel cleaners such as Sonax FE, 1Z colortec, Meg's Dub, etc, work well for wheels that are covered in brake dust. Good choices for maintenance cleaning are CG's sticky gel or Diablo and are cost effective.
For German cars that tend to generate a lot of brake dust, it's a good idea to put a sealant on the wheels periodically; optimum opti-seal is a good one since you don't have to buff it off, but any good sealant will work.
For maximum protection, use a coating such as Optimum gloss coat or any of the wheel coatings like DP, PBL. I coated my BMW wheels with 22ple and it has made wheel cleaning soooo much easier than before they were coated. I use CG sticky gel and soapy water and they always come out perfect, even the barrels. I typically do routine wipe down with Sonax BSD to make drying easier too.


Thank you very much for that wonderful reply and suggestion.ill try to find any of the coat you said. ;) ill just keep this mothers for the mufflers tip.


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[shagnat]

So, what's the best method to clean, shine, and protect clear coated wheels?