Virtually all alloy wheels are painted with silver paint and/or clearcoated. Wheel-balancing weights that clip on scratch that paint, letting corrosive moisture and road salt get to the underlying aluminum. Ditto for any scratch marks — either made by a careless technician who pops off a tape-on weight with a casual flick of a screwdriver or from the occasional brush with road debris or curbs when parking.
Once pitting has gotten a good hold, you'll need to protect them this winter and eventually have those wheels refinished. Never sandblast alloy wheels, or any other aluminum alloy component — the coarse surface left behind is great for holding paint, but represents millions of tiny stress risers. Those stress marks will degrade the strength of the wheel. Acceptable methods include glass-beading or blasting with crushed walnut shells, polymer media or baking soda, as well as chemical paint remover. Any corrosion pits need to be sanded down, not just filled in with Bondo. Your best bet is always a professional like us.
The biggest tip to not take on further damage this winter is this: Severely corroded wheels can fail, so don't neglect them. A generous layer of wax will help repel water and salt.
Beware of Wheel Damage from Automatic Car Washes
Some washes use acid cleaners either before or during the wash to remove dirt and grime. Others use stiff brushes for cleaning wheels and tires. Both of these processes could harm your wheel's finish. Ask the employees or manager of the car wash about their equipment and procedures before entering the wash.
Beware of Acid-Based Rim Cleaners
Acid-based wheel & rim cleaners are widely used by detailers, car dealers and car washes desiring to clean wheels in the shortest possible time or with the least amount of effort. They are typically a solution of oxylic, phosphoric and/or hydrochloric acid, and are the most widely available solution found in auto parts stores. While these cleaners pack the greatest cleaning punch (and save you some serious auto detailing time) they can etch the surface if allowed to dry on the wheel or stay there for an extended period of time. Extra care should also be taken not to use acid cleaners on wheels with pitted or chipped surfaces! The acid will migrate into any pits or cracks and greatly accelerate the flaking and peeling of a wheel's finish.
Wax Your Wheels
When you give your car, truck or motorcycle its quarterly detail, don't forget to wax the wheels! Just like wax protects your paint, it also protects the finish on your rims.
Protecting the Finish on Your Wheels Starts before You Even Get Out of the Car
One of the worst things for your wheels' finish is the burning hot brake dust that is constantly sprayed on your wheels under hard braking. Keeping your brakes cool will go a long way in keeping the hot brake dust from sinking into the clearcoat and imbedding there permanantly (causing damage which can only be fixed by refinishing).
To keep your brakes cool, try softening the inputs on the brake pedal. In other words, between stops, make a conscious effort not to stay on the gas too long and hit the brake late and hard. Try braking earlier than you normally do. This will allow your brakes to experience less friction and subsequently keep the temperatures lower. The lower the temperatures, the less likely you will experience the dreaded industrial fallout that ruins wheels.
This should keep the finish on your wheels in better shape for a longer period
of time!
Tire Cleaner Tips
Many tire cleaners contain harmful, corrosive chemicals that over time can eat away at a wheel's finish. In order to use these cleaners on tires without overspray onto the wheels, cut a piece of cardboard with the proper radius for your size wheel, and cut two finger holes near the center. Use these finger holes to place the cardboard up against the wheel, protecting the metal surface from overspray as you spray. There are also other products commercially available that will function much the same, such as: www.rimproco.com.
