An Easy way to clean wheels, a job we hate

[Mattyc]

I was washing the bike the other day and as im a fairly lazy bastard and hate cleaning the wheels i had a thought, i jammed a sponge in the front brake caliper and then wheeled the bike back and forth, and to my absolute amazment it worked, i repeated this on the other side, then the back, for one side of the back i just jamed it in the chaine guard, wheeled bike back - clean wheels

This may be an old trick, i bet im not the first one to think of it, but it makes a job that is shit, into one that is less shit:banana:

[Fordy]

Glad it worked for ya.

Personally I find it easier to move a 10g sponge than a 200kg bike :blip:

[Mattyc]

Glad it worked for ya.

Personally I find it easier to move a 10g sponge than a 200kg bike :blip:

Gah its my least fav bit of cleaning a bike, the sponge is mint cause it cleans down to the hub and in behind disc, gives the wheel a good scrub. I normally have to move my bike to get to the bits on the wheels that i cant get to anyway

[Beemer]

Damn, and all these years I have been getting my husband to clean them! I have seen the error of my ways... NOT!!!

[Zapf]

Gah its my least fav bit of cleaning a bike, the sponge is mint cause it cleans down to the hub and in behind disc, gives the wheel a good scrub. I normally have to move my bike to get to the bits on the wheels that i cant get to anyway

ur lucky that bike wheels are 3 spokes.... have u seen the like 20 spokes car wheels... :thud: what a mission

[SARGE]

i just crank up the steam cleaner at work and pre-soak everything in that new BAM cleaner..

[Mattyc]

i just crank up the steam cleaner at work and pre-soak everything in that new BAM cleaner..

:doh: i havent the same resources as you Sarge :P

[SARGE]

:doh: i havent the same resources as you Sarge :P


BAM i get from Countdown.. then take it to the coin car wash.. soak the rims/ engine/ etc and hit it on high blast after 5 minutes...

the shit just peels off.. ask anyone abourt the condition of my bike..im a bit pedantic about cleanliness on it so i do take steps to make it easy

[Kickaha]

I was washing the bike the other day and as im a fairly lazy bastard and hate cleaning the wheels


Me to, but I found it far easier to buy a bike that didn't need cleaning :yes:

And when I did own one that was worth cleaning I found the easiest way to do it was to pay some other bastard to do it

[Sniper]

And when I did own one that was worth cleaning I found the easiest way to do it was to pay some other bastard to do it

I heard that if you leave your bike at Dangerous's place, it comes back clean...........

Wonder who told me that............:blip:

[gav]

I heard that if you leave your bike at Dangerous's place, it comes back clean...........

Wonder who told me that............:blip:
It will also have considerably more wear on the rear tyre than the front!

[pritch]

BAM i get from Countdown..


I might try it. Any problems that I should know about?

A guy I know read about a laboratory cleaner, seemed like the real deal.
He soaked his replica Remington New Army black powder pistol in it. Sure was clean, down to bare metal! No residue, no blueing, no nothing.

I'd prefer to avoid any adventures like that... :-)

[miSTa]

I got given a can of Simple Green wheel cleaner a few weeks ago, now that stuff is good. Don't know if I would buy it though there has to be something out there that is cheaper or better yet free.

[nadroj]

I use S100 engine brightener on the rims when they are clean. Any dirt then wipes off easily - no scrubing required. have heard of people using Enox the same way.

[N4CR]

Few different ways to do it, depending on how bad it is.

I'm infamous for having a wheel that is sort of black coloured with no blue paint coming through....

Method One: Leave the rear wheel for 3000kms and wait for the big thick crusty mess of gravel dust, dust and other bits of crap to make a hardened layer. THen get an old toothbrush and it will all brush (read: scrape) off dry without using chemicals.

Method Two: Armourall seat cleaner - spray on and rub off with toothbrush and then finish with paper towel. Works well getting rid of non dried oil stains.

There are other methods but I can't quite remember what.


Brooms don't work...

P.S. one good way to remove flicked up oil from the fairings etc is to use liquid wax - it's as good as WD40!

[Zed]

...but it makes a job that is shit, into one that is less shit:banana:Lol, you have a way with words Matt! I havn't heard of that 'jam the sponge' method b4 but if the said sponge doesn't get destroyed too quickly that sounds like a great idea for a quick clean!

I prefer the lazy method of only cleaning my wheels every 3rd or 4th wash...hehe

[DogBreath]

WD40 and a toothbrush, chain oil and tar soak off real easy. Not sure about the tyres and disc pads tho, prolly best to avoid too much contact I guess

[N4CR]

WD40 and a toothbrush, chain oil and tar soak off real easy. Not sure about the tyres and disc pads tho, prolly best to avoid too much contact I guess

Only problem I have with WD40 for cleaning anything is that it never completely dries, and dust sticks to it. If you wipe it off it works great!

[Mattyc]

Lol, you have a way with words Matt! I havn't heard of that 'jam the sponge' method b4 but if the said sponge doesn't get destroyed too quickly that sounds like a great idea for a quick clean!

I prefer the lazy method of only cleaning my wheels every 3rd or 4th wash...hehe

Haha, The sponge holds up really well so far, I have toothbrushed my wheels before, using degreaser etc, its too much labour for my lazy ass, its a hands and knees task, something the Mrs should be doing... (hope she dun read this)

I left my wheels for a while but i had chain lube and tar and stuff flicking up onto them, it was a total whore to remove so im back to cleaning them every wash

[froggyfrenchman]

call me mad, but cleaning the wheels, with turtle wax and autosol is a job i enjoy. i can happily loose days in the shed cleaning away...

[sunhuntin]

call me mad, but cleaning the wheels, with turtle wax and autosol is a job i enjoy. i can happily loose days in the shed cleaning away...

hi mad, im insane.

i spent 3 days last year in my old mans basement cleaning his old panhead that hadnt seen a rag in well over a year! those led lights they have under their cars now? i found a set buried under the crap on the bottom of his hardbags, LOL. never mind a hands and knees job, that was a lie on ya back and scrub job! LOL. every womans dream!

[skidMark]

Few different ways to do it, depending on how bad it is.

I'm infamous for having a wheel that is sort of black coloured with no blue paint coming through....

Method One: Leave the rear wheel for 3000kms and wait for the big thick crusty mess of gravel dust, dust and other bits of crap to make a hardened layer. THen get an old toothbrush and it will all brush (read: scrape) off dry without using chemicals.

Method Two: Armourall seat cleaner - spray on and rub off with toothbrush and then finish with paper towel. Works well getting rid of non dried oil stains.

There are other methods but I can't quite remember what.


Brooms don't work...

P.S. one good way to remove flicked up oil from the fairings etc is to use liquid wax - it's as good as WD40!

or the other way you did it... waited till it needed a service and they cleaned it spotless for you ..... lol

[Huntaway]

Yamaha recommend wiping soiled areas with spraying oil and then hosing off. I find it really effective for chain gunge and tar, and not much work either!