| | Home > Auto Detailing Guide > Tire & Wheel Detailing
| | Tire & Wheel Detailing |  |  Clean Wheels & Tires
Tires are the most important part of your vehicle. While some elements within a car regularly generate stress and take punishment from time to time, your tires receive no respite. Besides having to support the automobiles tonnage, your tires struggle to provide pivotal braking friction to bring you to safe stops. Because of the massive amount of force constantly being placed on your tires, the heat created by braking is tremendous, generating a substance called brake dust. Brake dust is a combination between adhesive carbon fibers and tiny metal shavings, which can splash onto your lower molding, tires or undercarriage. Brake dust is a highly corrosive, unsightly contaminant that can cause unwanted problems. The best way to prevent this damaging agent from ruining your wheels is by cleaning frequently using the best products and techniques. In this article we will discuss not only proper wheel cleaning, we will also show you how to transform your tires into glossy, black, rubber jewels
Suggestions for Success
Try to think of tires as shoes for your vehicle. Both are typically coated with rubber, and both tend to finalize any outfit you are wearing. While you might don a shirt and slacks, your vehicle wears wax and sealant to keep itself protected and looking sharp. All differences in your wardrobe aside, you and your car share something important in common – you depend on supple, reliable rubber to keep your feet on the ground. Walking in dirty, worn, untied shoes isn’t just a bad fashion statement - it’s a danger to you and those around you. Your car can’t afford to take such chances, as properly cared for tires can mean the difference between life and death. The techniques you are about to learn will make your wheels spin in circles, so read on and enlighten yourself.
1. The Penny Test. Always pay attention to the condition of your wheels. If you notice a dramatic thinning of the tread, it may be time to replace the tires. To test a tire’s reliability, take a penny and place it in between the barest part of your tires treading. If you can see most of Lincoln’s head, you should invest in a safer, fuller tire.
2. Match Your Shoes. Driving on a set of four, symmetrical tires isn’t just stylish - it’s the safest way to ensure that all of your wheels are working against equal pressure. Even if you are aware of this problem, and have a set of the same tires, be sure to check the amount of wear on them. Balding tires should be rotated with the less worn ones to keep an optimal level of safety. To take your safety a step further, outfit your tires with Tire Check Valve Caps. These handy devices alert you when your tires have lost a dangerous amount of pressure with an easily readable green or red marker.
3. Make a Statement. Face it: You want your tires to say to onlookers, ‘these wheels will keep on rolling.’ Wheels come in a variety of sizes and designs and can be customized to awe spectators into a trance like state. The first step to making your rims hypnotize is to use a quality gel cleaner like DP Gel Wheel Cleaner to clean and restore the wheel surface. This product works hard to make your job easy, and is a good choice to lay down before following up with wheel wax.
4. Brush, Brush, Brush! Tires and rims cannot be cleaned with the same brushes, because rubber and chrome or aluminum have very different needs. A stiff brush that may be good on dirtier wheels could cause problems scratching delicate rims. Be wary in your brush selection. Green Short Handled Wheel Brush is a good, gentle brush that will be great for rims that are regularly cleaned. For areas that could use stiffer bristles, a New England Wheel Brush is the answer. Its design is perfect for removing grime from between spokes and grooves. The resilience of rubber makes it impervious to all but wire brushes, so don’t be afraid to scrub hard with a thick OXO Ergonomic Tire Brush to remove contaminants from this area.
5. Listen to your Mother. Roughcast aluminum and chrome wheels are durable, and a sight to behold when properly treated. Light reflecting off of an intricately constructed set of chrome rims can be as dazzling as a 4th of July spectacle. However, coated, painted or anodized wheels cannot be combined with the strong cleaners suitable for chrome. Mother’s Wheel Mist All Wheel Cleaner can be used safely on all types of wheels to bring out a genuine glow, but if you want to enliven your chrome, go with Mother’s Chrome/Wire Wheel Cleaner.
6. A Routine Clean. Cleaning your tires should be systematic and efficient. Devise a routine that will allow you to clean one set of tires at a time. Doing this will help you concentrate your cleaning efforts while allowing you to finish the job before your product dries prematurely. Work on one side at a time and you should never have this problem. Also, be sure to wash off your tires completely with a thick stream of water. For optimum cleansing, dry off immediately with a Cobra MicroFiber Detailing Cloth. This helps remove any additional contaminants that you might have missed while scrubbing and spraying. The cleaner your tires are, the better prepared they are for a final dressing with Pinnacle Black Onyx Tire Gel.
7. Doing Wheelies. Wheel wax will bring back the original radiance of your wheels, and protect them from troublesome brake dust adhesion. Wheel waxes work and apply just like car wax – set them with an applicator pad and buff the wheel to reveal an odyssey of shine and depth. DP Wheel Glaze or Wheel Wax are excellent protectants to place on your tires, and should keep them safe and cleaner far longer than without. This is because most of what contributes to soiling your wheels is the brake dust adhesion that waxing prevents. Therefore, weekly waxes are all you need to maintain your wheels, so start now and see where the road takes you.
8. Dressing for Success. Nothing more suitably complements shiny metal wheels than the ebony sheen of glossed tires. DP Gloss Tire Dressing will keep your tires looking dark and appealing to spectators. Apply with a Tire & Trim Dressing Applicator for best results. Be sure to use water-based tire dressings, because older formulas can deplete the rubbers natural protectants quickly, even turning them an unsightly brown. Optimum Tire Shine is a safe water-based choice that will make your tires look like new without the risk of browning or weakening of the rubber.
| | | | | Need Assistance?
Call Toll-Free 1-800-215-4460 to speak to a Customer Service Representative or
email us
|
| |
