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cleaning the wheels

slatefish

New member
well after a summer riding and not cleaning wheels on bonnie (aka 2000k1200lt) the gathering of clams ,dirt road in , stripe bass gunk from transporting fish to kitchen in a too small cooler and other organic and non organic wheel fouling elements ,heres the list of tried cleaners in no particular order windex, brake cleaner , wd 40, paint thinner and last but not least gasoline, they are cleaner than they were but what im looking for is nuclear cleaning solution . Did I mention i'm somewhat arthritic and though i don't mind cleaning the rest of her and keeping all the leather happy I somehow cringe at the wheels as they have all sorts of nooks and crannies that defy my efforts to clean. Now you may think I'm a whiney, lazy good for nothing, not worthy of such a fine instrument of happiness kind of guy , but all I really want to know is what you use, oh gods of beemer riders pleas take pity on my worthless soul and enlighten me . thanks a lot scott!:wave
 
I use Simple Green, but I don't let my wheels get as bad as it sounds like you do.

There are many specific wheel cleaning chemicals available at any car parts stores, any of which should work better than the chemicals you used. Just make sure you use stuff made for painted wheel so as not to mess up the powder coat.





:dance:dance:dance
 
Simple green and a IKEA toilet bowl brush. If really bad, some degreasing chemical. The right brush makes the job easier.
 
Once a year or so, while I have a bike up on the lift, I use WD40 on a rag to clean the wheels. After that I use a mild degreaser. This works particularly well on bikes with chains.
 
I detail my wheels at least twice a year. I remove the rotors when I clean them. I wash them with S100 then with WD-40 or Mineral spirits. I then use a fine cut buffing compound on the entire wheel with a microfiber cloth. Then they get several coats of wax. This wheel is over 17 years old with over 130,000 miles on it.Clean Wheel 004.jpg
 
Simple green and a IKEA toilet bowl brush. If really bad, some degreasing chemical. The right brush makes the job easier.

simple green or purple power, a good brush and lots of elbow grease. even with that, if you let it go too long, there is a chance you will never get them really clean again.

regular light cleaning saves work and damage in the long run....
 
Are you guys using Simple Green All Wheel and Tire, or just Simple Green? They make a boat load of products. And some not so friendly to aluminum.
 
I just use regular full strength Simple Green on a paper towel to wipe down the wheels on my K75Ss.

When the wheels are off, like when changing tires, I'll do a more thurough cleaning with a brush to get into all the crannies.


:dance:dance:dance
 
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I use Awsome, a come in 26oz or 1/2 gallon. Diluted to 50/50 with H2O and placed in a spray bottle -elbow power with a stiff bristle brush


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Cleaning OOPS

I touched mine with paint thinner and didn' t wipe off soon enough so I have some clean wheels but the paint has some thinner and thicker streaks. I was going after rear end oil stain of thousands of miles. Often I spray paint my rims and spokes between taking off my old tire and putting on a new one, just Krylon, while spinning the wheel on a broomhandle across the top of a garbage can.

Old 177 lb. wrestler from the 70s. Phila PA
 
Simple Green, what looks like a large bottle brush (from your FLAPS), and elbow grease. And not deferring the job to once a year, needed or not.

If holding a brush is a challenge, time to strike a deal with someone possessed of strong hands and a weak mind...
 
You should know that most commercial wheel cleaners use a deluded form of acid to lift off the baked-on brake dust that turns car wheels black. Problem is it also eats into the painted surface of the alloy wheels, leaving them etched and more inclined to hold on to the next round of dirt/brake crud. I never use wheels cleaners for that reason alone.
Clean them anyway that works for you. I like the WD-40 approach, but you may have gone too long for that to work for you. If you really can't get the crud off, next time you have the wheels off for new tires, give them to a detailer and pay him to clean them for you. Then the important step: wax them. With a good coat of car paste wax, the next round of crud won't stick as well, though you should wash them more often than once a year.
Mine wipe clean with a rag when I'm washing the bike. I re-wax them every time new tires go on.
 
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