How to make your rims look like new!

[dunndarryn]

Okay so I had to post a thread about this. Today is an amazing Florida day, so I took my car to get washed but when I do, my rims never come out clean! So today I tried something different. I got some products and did the rims myself. I got "Meguiar's Hot Rims" for Alloy wheels. I used a regular car sponge and this spray and my rims came out looking like new! I know this isn't necessarily pertaining to the LS alone, but I figured I would post for anyone looking for new good products to clean their wheels with. Even better, it's on sale for $4.99 at Advanced Auto Parts! Below are some pictures of "before and after"


-BEFORE-

-AFTER-

 

[M4rk]

Do you feel safe riding on 4 lug nuts only?

 

[dunndarryn]

Do you feel safe riding on 4 lug nuts only?

Lol I knew the first comment would be about that. Yes, I feel fine. They're brand new lugs and studs. The auto part store only had 4 at the time and I had to go to work the next day, so my options were slim lol

 

[T-Money]

Damn how'd you get your rims that dirty? Years of neglect? I Hand wash my wheels every time she gets a bath.

 

[dunndarryn]

Damn how'd you get your rims that dirty? Years of neglect? I Hand wash my wheels every time she gets a bath.

Lol, basically. I don't have much free times on my hands. Just run it through the wash weekly and hand clean the interior usually.

 

[RigsLS]

Do you feel safe riding on 4 lug nuts only?

and 4 on the other side as well, cleaned rim is the opposite of the dirty one shown.
Wheel weight is larger on dirty one, compared to clean one, big scratch on clean rim that is not on the dirty one.

8 lug nuts on both fronts. man likes living on the edge.

 

[BlackLS06]

The LS should have never came with those wheels.

 

[msgtusmc]

KRUD KUTTER will do the same cleaning, maybe better. My wife's car has these wheels and they horrible even cleaned! Poor finish from factory! She purchased hers when the LS came out in 2000, the wheels never got that dirty in 12 yrs! McQuires Power ball and a drill keeps all my rims polished. Bad stains on these can be removed with finger nail polish remover. Dilluted acetone. Better than tar remover, won't hurt finish.

 

[dunndarryn]

The LS should have never came with those wheels.

I agree. They're my least favorite stocks but I haven't been motivated enough to buy new rims yet lol

 

[jinx8402]

The only thing they are good for is using them as winter wheels. And they are cheap to get used for just that purpose.

Other than that, yeah, they are pretty bad.

 

[JoshMcMadMac]

The LS should have never came with those wheels.

They are very light, though.

 

[marcredd]

+1....I would take a set in a heartbeat just to run at the track.

 

[LS4me]

and 4 on the other side as well, cleaned rim is the opposite of the dirty one shown.
Wheel weight is larger on dirty one, compared to clean one, big scratch on clean rim that is not on the dirty one.

8 lug nuts on both fronts. man like living on the edge.

The bottom two pictures are the same wheel....

They are very light, though.

Very, very light. IIRC, something like 16 pounds without tires. They're forged and not cast.

 

[dunndarryn]

The bottom two pictures are the samr wheel....
\

Bottom 2 are the same wheel, top one (dirty) is a different wheel. Didn't think to take a before and after until I cleaned one, got to the other side and realized how dirty they really were.

 

[pektel]

I use sonax wheel gel. If the wheels are really bad, they get meguiar's wheel brightener. Gotta be careful with the Meg's stuff though.

 

[mlara1129]

Pek,
since you're the expert, any ideas on the upkeep of powdercoated wheels?

 

[RigsLS]

The bottom two pictures are the same wheel....

Pay attention please !

dirty rim picture (#1) shows only 4 lugs
clean rim picture (#2) is the other side and also shows only 4 lugs

The #3 picture is the same as the #2 picture, still 4 lugs.

Both fronts have, "each" only 4 lug nuts on them.

Total of two missing on the fronts, that's 1 lug nut per side,
10 required, only 8 present.

get it now ?


~ God knows how many lugs missing on the rear wheels.

OP: get them missing lug nuts on there. (very important!)

 

[RigsLS]

@LS4me

try looking at it this way ...

Look at the direction of the Brake Caliper.
Look at where the wheel weight is on both pic #1 & #2

Ignore pic #3 it's the same as pic #2

both his front wheels are missing 1 lug nut each,
trust me on this, I'm really good at "spot the difference"

Never mind spotting the difference, where's Waldo ?

 

[Talbotway]

pic 2 is missing the entire stud! Did it break off due to wheel vibration from not haveing a nut on it?

 

[dunndarryn]

Pay attention please !

dirty rim picture (#1) shows only 4 lugs
clean rim picture (#2) is the other side and also shows only 4 lugs

The #3 picture is the same as the #2 picture, still 4 lugs.

Both fronts have, "each" only 4 lug nuts on them.

Total of two missing on the fronts, that's 1 lug nut per side,
10 required, only 8 present.

get it now ?


~ God knows how many lugs missing on the rear wheels.

OP: get them missing lug nuts on there. (very important!)

How did this turn into a conversation about which picture is which tire? Lol!

Picture 1, Picture 2, and Picture 3 are all 3 different pictures. Picture #1 is a different rim than Picture #2 & #3.

Also there are no lugs missing on the back only the 2 on the front. They're missing on the one side because when I replaced the studs and lugs, they only had 4 and I haven't had the time to pay someone to put in the other stud. I plan to get it put in very soon when my new sway bar links come so the mechanic can do it while he's already working on the LS.

 

[dunndarryn]

pic 2 is missing the entire stud! Did it break off due to wheel vibration from not haveing a nut on it?

I plan to get the stud put in very soon (stated why it's not in, in my above comment).

My wheel did fall off at one point and I had to get all new studs and lugs put in but at the time vibrated off (pretty much) it had all 5 lugs and studs

 

[05 LS8]

I agree. They're my least favorite stocks but I haven't been motivated enough to buy new rims yet lol

I can see why, cause you planning on getting a new car. But in the meantime, make sure you get some lugs on them things to keep things balanced.

 

[RigsLS]

My wheel did fall off at one point and I had to get all new studs and lugs put in but at the time vibrated off (pretty much) it had all 5 lugs and studs

Ok, thanks for the scare, out comes the iron, I'm cranking 20 lugs tomorrow evening.

~ ounce of prevention.

 

[dunndarryn]

I can see why, cause you planning on getting a new car. But in the meantime, make sure you get some lugs on them things to keep things balanced.

Exactly! I'm trying to balance what I invest into my LS because I'm getting a new car. There's certain investments just not worth making for a car you don't plan on keeping much longer. But I do plan to get lugs put in very soon.

Ok, thanks for the scare, out comes the iron, I'm cranking 20 lugs tomorrow evening.

~ ounce of prevention.

haha, no problem! It happened out of no where so just be aware. If your studs are old, replace them. I learned the hard way. Ended up ruining my rim, all my studs, and my lugs, when it vibrated off.

 

[pektel]

Pek,
since you're the expert, any ideas on the upkeep of powdercoated wheels?

I personally would treat it like paint. But do not use wax. Use a polymer sealant. Wheels get too hot for wax to last any significant amount of time.

Is your powder coating gloss?