Cleaning my BBS's

General E30 related discussions -
Please put technical questions in E30 Tech Help forum below

Moderator: martauto

Post Reply
stevo_sideways
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 236
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Dublin

Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:30 pm

HI Lads,

Ive finally got around to doing a proper cleaning up job on my 325 but the problem im having is that normal wheel cleaners just arent taking off the heavily built up grime and brake dust on my wheels.

Does anyone have any tips for what is good to get my wheels sparkling again??

Thanks,

Stevo
eko
Old timer
Posts: 11531
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: South Devon

Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:32 pm

steam cleaner maybe?
Image
stevo_sideways
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 236
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Dublin

Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:34 pm

eko wrote:steam cleaner maybe?
Tried it mate but it just isnt working. I think i need some sort of industrial detergent but im worried about damaging the alloys if it is too harsh.
ian332isport
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 5380
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:00 pm
Location: West Sussex
Contact:

Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:36 pm

That Wonder Wheels stuff is supposed to be pretty good for shifting heavy deposits, but I would only use it occasionally to shift stubborn stains.

Ian.
If it aint broke - Modify it...
Widge
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 3661
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Leeds

Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:43 pm

Wonder wheels, with a bottle brush for between the spokes and a scrubbing brush for the front of the wheel.
User avatar
rare
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Sussex

Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:01 am

The serious way to do it is to take them off and clean them off the car. I wash mine at least once a week, spend about 10 minutes on each wheel, with a paint brush/sponge :cry: Worth it though. A few weeks ago I took them all off and polished them by hand, came up a treat.

Took this rather dodgy photo on my phone, but gives you an idea.

Image

Its a lot of work I know, but it is worth it. :wink:
ian332isport
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 5380
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:00 pm
Location: West Sussex
Contact:

Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:05 am

Good work :thumb:

That's one very clean cross spoke. Give yourself a good pat on the back :rock:
If it aint broke - Modify it...
Kedge
Old Skooler
Old Skooler
Posts: 7702
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Leicestershire

Tue Aug 09, 2005 10:23 am

Just had mine refurbed so just cleaning them with what i use on the car, dead easy is you keep on top of them. Don't really like using these wheel cleaners, just give your wheels a proper good clean then clean them regularly.
Image
'86 Polaris 316 M20B28 Rebuild
Instagram - Kedge85
Bob_S
Engaged to the E30 Zone
Engaged to the E30 Zone
Posts: 5412
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: chester, cheshire

Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:35 am

bit of cream cleaner and a toothbrush works well, I'm refurbing mine as we speak so mine are going to be lookin good! :D
User avatar
moonraker
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:00 pm

Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:01 pm

I used Wonder Wheels (WW), and their brush is very good too. My wheels were quite dirty but nothign serious. Actually, I found WW even a bit strong ... and a friend advised me to dilute it ... but I was already using it in diluted form!). Great value, remember to soak before brushing.

Nice pix Rare but I am surprised how many people have great alloys but keep the ugly, black balancing weights on the outside of the wheels!!? Surely when you balance the wheels you could ask to stick them inside? Just a tip.
User avatar
Treeman612
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 238
Joined: Thu Jan 20, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Newbury, Berks

Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:09 pm

Good point about wheel balancing weights - my wheel people tell me that unless an alloy is badly dented or has been seriously curbed, a good balancer can get them spot on using stick-on weights on the inside only. Apparently it takes a bit longer to get right, so some lazy wheel balancers don't bother!!
Bob_S
Engaged to the E30 Zone
Engaged to the E30 Zone
Posts: 5412
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: chester, cheshire

Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:59 pm

going to get my fronts done in a bit lazy arse balencers
topspark
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 511
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Stockport

Tue Aug 09, 2005 1:04 pm

Ive used flash spray with bleach with good results. Just wash wheel first then spray all over. Put some safety specks on and work the flash with bleach in with abrush. Leave for 5-10 mins and wash off . And they shpould be gleaming. Ogh forgot to mention , i took each alloy off the car to do it properly!!

lee
Image
1989 SCHWARZ 320i SE , 4 DOOR!!!!
You say the magic's gone,Well i'm not a magician
You say the spark's gone
Well get an electrician..........
User avatar
rare
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Sussex

Tue Aug 09, 2005 1:32 pm

Nice pix Rare but I am surprised how many people have great alloys but keep the ugly, black balancing weights on the outside of the wheels!!? Surely when you balance the wheels you could ask to stick them inside? Just a tip.
Yeah I know mate, I will get round to taking it somewhere to get it done, its just one of them things!
astondg
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 853
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Tue Aug 09, 2005 1:37 pm

moonraker wrote:Nice pix Rare but I am surprised how many people have great alloys but keep the ugly, black balancing weights on the outside of the wheels!!? Surely when you balance the wheels you could ask to stick them inside? Just a tip.
Not just ugly but they can damage the wheel when they are taken off.

Aston
BMW E30 323i with some stuff

1:05.17 @ Queensland Raceway Sprint track
1:10.09 @ Queensland Raceway Clubman track
1:21.67 @ Morgan Park Raceway
A1BMW325iSport
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 4239
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Mid Wales
Contact:

Tue Aug 09, 2005 1:52 pm

caustic soda ?
stevo_sideways
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 236
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Dublin

Tue Aug 09, 2005 3:38 pm

Thanks for the tips lads and keep any other suggestions coming.

For the moment i reckon i;ll try the Wonder Wheels, i wanted to buy that originally but forgot the name and ended up uying 4 or 5 other types of stuff all of which have been crap.

I was worried about trying the caustic soda cause i thought it might ruin the alloy.

Thanks again!!
A1BMW325iSport
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 4239
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Mid Wales
Contact:

Tue Aug 09, 2005 5:03 pm

use a mild mix of caustic it does the job, but wear gloves and goggles

i used it a while back to clean my old ford cosworth alloys
Last edited by A1BMW325iSport on Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Adammcf
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1578
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:00 pm

Tue Aug 09, 2005 5:50 pm

I hate cleaning mine. It usually takes as long to clean the wheels as it does to do the entire car!
MISSY30
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 426
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Cornwall

Tue Aug 09, 2005 6:21 pm

My kit consist's of Autoglym alloy wheel cleaner (Don't breath it in and don't get it on anything plastic like centre cap's) a saucepan scourer pad and a heavy duty toothbrush I bought from a car show.
Simon13
The longest resto in the world !
Posts: 22697
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Camberley, Surrey don't u know

Tue Aug 09, 2005 7:57 pm

get them refurbed and keep on top thats what i did, still brake dust free a year on!

Nothing pisses u off more when u spend all that time cleaning and theres still sh!te on them and kerb marks from some other helmet who had them before u!
ian332isport
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 5380
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:00 pm
Location: West Sussex
Contact:

Tue Aug 09, 2005 8:01 pm

Kedge wrote:Just had mine refurbed so just cleaning them with what i use on the car, dead easy is you keep on top of them. Don't really like using these wheel cleaners, just give your wheels a proper good clean then clean them regularly.
I'm with you on this one.

I have never had to use anything other than my regular car wash solution to clean my wheels. I pull them off the car a couple of times a year, and give them a good going over with tar remover and give them a good waxing.

As long as you keep on top of this, the dust just washes away without wheel cleaners or harsh chemicals. I bought my wheels about 5 years ago, and they are almost as good as the day I bought them.

Ian.
If it aint broke - Modify it...
Simon13
The longest resto in the world !
Posts: 22697
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Camberley, Surrey don't u know

Tue Aug 09, 2005 8:03 pm

ditto Ian i just use what i wash the car with comes away with the sponge great!
User avatar
AndyTouring
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 347
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: North Tyneside

Tue Aug 09, 2005 10:25 pm

Wonder Wheels to get them clean then Mer's Wicked Wheel Wax to protect them.

Works for me.

Image
User avatar
Stevin
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 447
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: JHB South Africa

Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:05 pm

Oven Cleaner 8O .... not joking the stuff in the can, I used it too clean my old wheels, works like a charm, u just spray it on, and le it foam for a bit, then wash off, and scrub with a tooth brush or something, whack some more on... spray off after a little while, and wipe off the grunge

:D
Post Reply