cleaning the polished rims - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

camarorad · 01-26-2010, 09:24 PM

So I finally picked up my transformer edition 2SS/RS a few weeks ago and could not be any

Car is simply amazing. Thanks to everyone here. I have gleaned a lot of info just cruising through this forum.

Anyway, was curious if anyone had any favorite polishes they use on their rims. I have the polished aluminum rims.

SlingShot · 01-26-2010, 09:27 PM

There is a clear coat on them...... Myself I just wash them good, dry and use some detail spray on them same as you would the paint ..... After that I just dress the tires themselves ....

OUR72GTO · 01-26-2010, 09:59 PM

Ditto.

camarorad · 01-26-2010, 10:23 PM

right, its just polished aluminum not chrome, that makes sense. Can't believe how dirty it is already and there's only 200 miles on it...

Zalirid · 01-26-2010, 10:25 PM

the brakes put off a lot of dust, I am looking to get some ceramic ones to help with that

caverman · 01-26-2010, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camarorad

right, its just polished aluminum not chrome, that makes sense. Can't believe how dirty it is already and there's only 200 miles on it...

My understanding is that they are polished and then sprayed with a clear coat. This makes it effectively like a painted wheel. You would not poslish it or anything. Just clean it as you would if it was a painted wheel.

camarorad · 01-26-2010, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zalirid

the brakes put off a lot of dust, I am looking to get some ceramic ones to help with that

so you're changing the whole brake assembly? You can't just change to ceramic pads and leave everything else, right? I would imagine that's a huge undertaking.

HDDAN · 01-27-2010, 06:07 AM

This is what I use and it works on my SS with polished rims. Go to any motorcycle shop and buy an S100 total bike wash kit. You get a bottle of wash, a sprayer and a sponge. Spray the S100 on generously to cold wheels out of the sun and let it sit for about two minutes, when you hose the wheels off, all of the grime and brake dust comes right off.

2010 SSRS · 01-27-2010, 06:44 AM

I just use soap and water on mine.

Mark25 · 01-27-2010, 06:55 AM

A daily detailer (like Eagle One Wipe and Shine, Turtle ICE detailing spray, or Meguiar's Quik Detailer) can be safely used on your wheels...I wouldn't use anything strong that would ruin the clear coat finish (same finish as your body paint)...

Scott@Bjorn3D · 01-27-2010, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camarorad

so you're changing the whole brake assembly? You can't just change to ceramic pads and leave everything else, right? I would imagine that's a huge undertaking.

You can just change the pads.

Moose · 01-27-2010, 07:31 AM

My brothers C6 has the same type of rim. I've given them a good cleaning, followed by multiple coats of polish.

This will do ALOT to ease maintenance and protect them from brake dust, road dirt, etc...

Junkman2008 · 01-27-2010, 08:56 AM

One thing that is somewhat being broght up in this thread but has not been truly understood is that these wheels are clear coated with the same clear coat that is on your paint. Thus, you have to ask yourself, "How do I maintain my paint?"

The answer is, you wash and put a protective coating on your paint called wax. If you have not managed to swirl the coating on your wheels from grinding the brake dust into them by washing them wrong, then that is pretty much all you need to do. Properly wash the rims by soaking them down first with a solvent that will loosen up all the brake dust (I use Green Wheel Cleaner because it won't eat the finish off like Eagle 1 products do), then you can safely remove the dirt with a microfiber wash mitt. After the wheel is clean, wax it! This protects the clear coat on the wheels from the metal shavings of brake dust which can eat their way through the clear coat on the wheels. I like using a carnuba wax like Americana because you wipe it on and wipe it off. You don't wait until it hazes up because then it becomes hard as a rock and difficult to remove. It is a relatively quick treatment and a jar of this stuff will last you for years. It's a pretty big jar.

One last thing. If you want to avoid brake dust all together, you need to use a quality brake pad. The pad I use on my Corvette is made by Wagner. It is sold at various parts stores however, O'Reilly's has a lifetime warranty on the ones for my car. When you buy a set, it is the last set you have to pay for because the rest are replaced for free. They are not cheap, but they pay for themselves with the fact that they don't leave dust, the are quiet as hell and they will be the last set of brakes that you pay for.

Michael_Js · 01-27-2010, 09:58 AM

Are you referring to the Z-Rated pads Junkman? http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...3351&ppt=C0068

Do they have the wear sensors on them? One 1 pad on all 4 corners of the Hawk Ceramic pads have them ;(

01-26-2010, 09:24 PM	#1
camarorad Out of my way Drives: RY 2SS/RS Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: a long empty road Posts: 98	cleaning the polished rims So I finally picked up my transformer edition 2SS/RS a few weeks ago and could not be any Car is simply amazing. Thanks to everyone here. I have gleaned a lot of info just cruising through this forum. Anyway, was curious if anyone had any favorite polishes they use on their rims. I have the polished aluminum rims.

01-26-2010, 09:27 PM	#2
SlingShot Drives: 2012 ZL1 - #670 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Seminole, Fl. Posts: 8,009	There is a clear coat on them...... Myself I just wash them good, dry and use some detail spray on them same as you would the paint ..... After that I just dress the tires themselves .... __________________

01-26-2010, 09:59 PM	#3
OUR72GTO 2010 SIM Beige RS 6M Drives: SIM RS 6M 66 Corvair Silverado LTZ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Kamloops,British Columbia Posts: 4,677	Ditto. __________________ CAMARO.. 2010 The Heart Beat is back in CHEVROLET Now let's put it back in America

01-27-2010, 08:56 AM	#13
Junkman2008 "Detailing Devil Dog" Drives: 2001 Corvette Coupe Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 2,730	One thing that is somewhat being broght up in this thread but has not been truly understood is that these wheels are clear coated with the same clear coat that is on your paint. Thus, you have to ask yourself, "How do I maintain my paint?" The answer is, you wash and put a protective coating on your paint called wax. If you have not managed to swirl the coating on your wheels from grinding the brake dust into them by washing them wrong, then that is pretty much all you need to do. Properly wash the rims by soaking them down first with a solvent that will loosen up all the brake dust (I use Green Wheel Cleaner because it won't eat the finish off like Eagle 1 products do), then you can safely remove the dirt with a microfiber wash mitt. After the wheel is clean, wax it! This protects the clear coat on the wheels from the metal shavings of brake dust which can eat their way through the clear coat on the wheels. I like using a carnuba wax like Americana because you wipe it on and wipe it off. You don't wait until it hazes up because then it becomes hard as a rock and difficult to remove. It is a relatively quick treatment and a jar of this stuff will last you for years. It's a pretty big jar. One last thing. If you want to avoid brake dust all together, you need to use a quality brake pad. The pad I use on my Corvette is made by Wagner. It is sold at various parts stores however, O'Reilly's has a lifetime warranty on the ones for my car. When you buy a set, it is the last set you have to pay for because the rest are replaced for free. They are not cheap, but they pay for themselves with the fact that they don't leave dust, the are quiet as hell and they will be the last set of brakes that you pay for. __________________ "Marines - Making the other guy die for his country for over 200 years."

01-27-2010, 09:58 AM	#14
Michael_Js SoCal C5 Family Member Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS - Black w/IOM; 6M Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Diego, CA, USA Posts: 5,299 View My Garage	Are you referring to the Z-Rated pads Junkman? http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...3351&ppt=C0068 Do they have the wear sensors on them? One 1 pad on all 4 corners of the Hawk Ceramic pads have them ;( __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2010 Black 2SS/RS; 6M; IOM, GFX, sunroof; ADM Race CAI; Zoomers CB; Viper Alarm; Pdaft F&R sways, Adj Endlinks, Rtrailing arms, Camber kit, strut brace, Front Trailing Arm Bushing; SLP Skip-Shift Elim; Tinted lights/windows; Hurst Short-throw; LoJack; Door & Dash ABL Mods; ********; JBA Shorty headers; AACStyle LEDs; Stillen DS rotors, Hawk Ceramic pads; Havoc Blk Chrome wheels: 20x9s; Lingenfelter Blk Al Pedals; RevXtreme Catch Can; Goodridge SS lines; Ported TB; RK Sport hood; Hotchkis chassis brace; KW V3 coilovers;

01-26-2010, 10:23 PM	#4
camarorad Out of my way Drives: RY 2SS/RS Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: a long empty road Posts: 98	right, its just polished aluminum not chrome, that makes sense. Can't believe how dirty it is already and there's only 200 miles on it...

01-26-2010, 10:25 PM	#5
Zalirid Drives: CGM 1LT RS Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Fayetteville, AR Posts: 69	the brakes put off a lot of dust, I am looking to get some ceramic ones to help with that

01-27-2010, 06:07 AM	#8
HDDAN Drives: 2010 Camaro 1SS 2007 HD FLSTC Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Boston MA Posts: 1,510	This is what I use and it works on my SS with polished rims. Go to any motorcycle shop and buy an S100 total bike wash kit. You get a bottle of wash, a sprayer and a sponge. Spray the S100 on generously to cold wheels out of the sun and let it sit for about two minutes, when you hose the wheels off, all of the grime and brake dust comes right off.

01-27-2010, 06:44 AM	#9
2010 SSRS Drives: 3 V8 Camaros Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Ocean State Posts: 111,187 View My Garage	I just use soap and water on mine.

01-27-2010, 06:55 AM	#10
Mark25 Drives: 2001 Corvette, 2006 Mustang GT Join Date: May 2009 Location: Virginia Beach VA Posts: 135	A daily detailer (like Eagle One Wipe and Shine, Turtle ICE detailing spray, or Meguiar's Quik Detailer) can be safely used on your wheels...I wouldn't use anything strong that would ruin the clear coat finish (same finish as your body paint)...

01-27-2010, 07:31 AM	#12
Moose Moderator Drives: '99 Camaro SS #1392 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Newtown, Pa. Posts: 3,982	My brothers C6 has the same type of rim. I've given them a good cleaning, followed by multiple coats of polish. This will do ALOT to ease maintenance and protect them from brake dust, road dirt, etc...

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