Wheel cleaning question

D

Danderton

Active member
 Bedfordshire
Hi all

I was pressure washing my newly acquired 224 alloys today with my pressure washer.

Starting on the inside of one of the front alloys which were quite dirty, the pressure washer appears to have blasted off too much. So I've stopped until I can get some advice. Have I power washed the finishing/paint off? Or have I just power washed a layer of heavy muck off?

I've always pressure washed previous alloys and never had any issues like this!? Maybe these have been refurbed and I'm blasting paint off?

11154949546_6639f1993b_c.jpg
Alloy clean by danrobinson7, on Flickr

Any advice welcome. Thanks

Dan


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To clarify the smaller shinier bit is what I'm worried about. The Matt looking grey is what the rest of the wheel looks like


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Very difficult to tell from the picture, but it might be that some pre-existing corrosion on the lacquer has been blasted off. It's often the inner part of the rim that gets neglected, and therefore years of combined brake dust/crap and salt etc eat into the lacquer
 
You could re lacquer the insides easily. Soaking them in a mild cleaner like THIS should take off the grime without needing to use the power washer.

Then coat with some Poorboy's Wheel Sealant, which will make future cleaning a doddle :thumbsup:
 
Hmm
..To me and looking at the pics, it looks like you have potentially jet washed the lacquer off, down to the lower base coat Silver coloured, paint levels..

I would be very careful, of jet washing the outer face of the rims.. :? :!:

Unfortunately, it is the joy of inheriting whatever the prior owner has had done to the rims..

Best of luck with the outcome however.. And keep us info'd with the outcome? :thumbsup:

Cheers..
 
Power washing alloys is a bit fraught with danger - the refurbs I went to advised no treatment or pressure washers as they can lift if lacquer is exposed through chips & scratches. They recommend only mild shampoo and warm water, plus protective sealants & waxes when clean. I have also seen a pressure washer lift lacquer off a car bumper before when the paint work was badly prepped - I wouldn't use it on full blast against your wheels, especially if you already have signs of lifting!


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Thanks guys. I think Dino who I brought them from said they had been refurbed, so I will basically ensure I don't pressure wash them going forward.

Will just use the gun on the end of a Normal hose.

Just need to get them mounted now, which I have another question on....

Obviously I know which wheels to mount on the back and front as rears are wider. But does it matter which way round I mount them on each side? They're wearing Standard continental tyres on, so how do I know which way round to mount them? Or are they not directional tyres?


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If a tyre is directional ... It will have a rotational arrow on the side wall.

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Maybe they were just blown-over with a spray gun instead of being fully refurbed? Looks like what happened to mine after a couple of washes when I first got the car. No pressure washer involved - it was worse on the inner parts of the wheels, probably because they only bothered prepping the surfaces you see.
 
I thought it may be overspray too... But the paint underneath that is exposed isnt shiny, so looks like the lacquer has gone.

I jetwash my wheels too... Even my winter ones i sprayed from rattle cans and never had problems.


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