How do I clean my black 6ULs?
 

I know, a lot of you just drive on them and couldn't care how they look as long as they're light and functional...

Mine have developed this streaking on them and I have been unsuccessful in cleaning it off. It may have come from the local DIY car wash's "tire soak" (which I will never use again..) and it's stubborn as hell. I tried Greased Lightning, the orange kind, and that only worked a little. Might have just been the oils in the solution making the wheel temporarily glossy and one solid color.

HALP!

I'm no help.. but those are on your car now?! Pics asap!

Thanks, I've had them for a while now. Here're a couple pics from when they were brand-spanking:

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._1896593_n.jpg

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._5397503_n.jpg

Claybar?

Right on man! I didn't know you had a set. They look great! :bigtu: I love my black 6UL's!

I just use the same Meguiar's car wash soap that I use on the car. I figured since they were a flat black finish that using any kind of "wheel" cleaner would fuck them up.

I haven't cleaned mine since day one.

Do dig the matt black on red!

Looks great koto. They might buff out?

Simple green helped a lot on my bronze wheels, but they have the same problem.

It's paint, so try a light polish (ie Megs SR2.0) or a cleaner wax.

I agree on using a light polish. Like 3M finish-it 2 or w/e napa sells or an equally rated polish. Mother's cleaner wax might work as well. Only two products I've really dealt with a lot.
I would wax them after you get it cleaned up. The wax will make them much easier to wash later on. I only recommend using car wash soap and a soft sponge/mit on them though.

Thanks for the kudos fellers.

The polish idea sounds like a winner. I'll have to try that - if not today, then soon. I searched for Meguiars' SR2.0 Sav, did you mean Scratch-X 2.0? Meguiar's Direct ScratchX® 2.0

let us know how you make out....I was wondering how to clean the black 6ul's as well.

Thanks, will do. Sucks being TDY (between duty stations - no access to my normal tool selection) and having to buy duplicates of shit I already have, like polish applicators and such. I think I might pick up a cheap HF drill and a powerball or similar for ease of application.

Just to clarify again, I don't think they'd have discolored like this if I hadn't used that godawful tire soak. I had no issue with the finish until that, and didn't see the warning at the car wash not to use it on painted surfaces until it was too late.

ScratchX might be a bit aggressive, I meant Swirl Remover 2.0. It's their ultra-light polish, meant for final polish after using something like a Fine Cut.

edit: Megiuar's #9

Ok, out and just got powerball and some cleaner wax. I may try one wheel to gauge effectiveness when I get home.

Meguiars Hot Rims cleaned carbotech dust off the bronze wheels I had on my old civic. I have yet to wash my miata since I put my 6ULs on last summer, lol. Paint is so far gone, it's a losing cause.

Here are some crappy iPhone pics, before-and-after of the spot I tried this on.

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i....1&disp=emb&zw

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i....1&disp=emb&zw

Working good so far! Going to do the rest with the powerball Tuesday since It's going to rain tomorrow.

Damnit

http://gallery.racoonfink.com/d/1132...-cant-see-shit

^LMAO yea, your pics didnt show.

Hmm, they work for me, let's try this again.

Lookin good! Better then before, now be prepared to do this once a week :D

hmmmm, the rim looks a little better.....maybe some more elbow grease is needed

It's only the one little patch that I did, just rubbed a bit of wax on with a paper towel and wiped it off. Just the space between the spokes, that's the only spot I did so far.

Ahh, I see it now, your golden. The only thing I foresee is this becoming a habit as the wax wears off, but its worth it

Maybe, we'll see. Even if I do need to reapply every so often, no big deal.

Once you are done, apply one big thick coat, let it haze up, and then buff it off. It'll last longer. Thick coats don't produce as much shine as multiple thin coats, but they are flat black wheels. ;)

Word. I was a little concerned it might add too much shine, but it's perfect so far. Just the right amount of sheen. Thanks man.

Looks good, nice to have it figured out.

Wow this is why I hate wheels. I wanted to buy the black 6uls so I wouldn't have to worry about dust and crap.

I actually tried to oxidize my silver 6uls to try to achieve some type of uniform "eaten by brake dust" look. I left wheel cleaner on them forever but they still look good. How can I fuck em up? I would go to a vdub forum but this is my personal idea damnit.

http://949racing.com/images/products...el_cleaner.jpg

The Eagle 1 "Keep Clean Wheel" is working wonderfully on my daily. I sprayed both sets of 6Uls and hopefully Iget the same results. Very little brake dust sticks on the daily...like I have oldschool Mintex Red Box dustless pads, maybe better...and I'm running HP plus which make tons of corrosive dust on the daily.

I've tried a few wheel cleaning products and they don't work on the residue I had. They work well on the JSW, so I know they work.. just not for this.

What did work, though, was using tire foam (Armor All, Turtle Wax brands, etc.) and hitting the wheels with that. It allowed me to scrub off that residue (or at least hide it very well) and brought the wheels back to an even complexion and a deeper black. The downside is that even after wiping/buffing the stuff off, pollen and whatnot sticks to it. It washes right off though.

That eagle1 "keep clean wheel" works really well on my nickel wheels, stock silver 99 wheels, and leaves a haze on my bronze wheels but my car is never as clean as your car when dirty.

Wax after cleaning.