Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Those pesky German car wheels.


Most modern wheels, in particular high-performance aluminum wheels on German vehicles, are painted with the same type of paint and clearcoat used on the body of the vehicle. While durable, the wheel's clearcoat finish is subject to damage from acid compounds, including acid rain, hydrocarbons and acidic cleaners. Likewise, polished and anodized aluminum wheels, not typically protected by a clearcoat, will react (dull or corrode) to both alkaline and acidic conditions.

To properly clean wheels, the car care industry has developed two groups of wheel cleaners: acid and acid-free.

Acid-based wheel cleaners are widely used by detailers and car washes, who need to clean wheels in a hurry. Acid-based cleaners are typically 2% solutions of oxalic, phosphoric and hydrochloric acid. An acid cleaner has no place on any aluminum or fine after-market wheel.

Acid-free wheel cleaners are mild solutions of alkaline solvent, usually ethylene glycol, with a wetting agent. These solutions creep under dirt and brake dust to loosen and lift. Non-acidic cleaners usually require some surface agitation, but are safer to use and will not etch the wheel's finish. Visit our site here to put in a request for wheel repair or call us today to take care of that built up damage and get you on a regular schedule for normal cleaning.