Cleaning rims...

[Karma]

I'm using Easy off bam, leave them coated for about a minute or two, then scrub off with a brush... seems to do a good job, rinse, and repeat.

[ceebie13]

Mrs Ceebie likes to smear KY Jelly on her rims...it works well on my helmet too! (...sorry, un-called for!) :-)

[Flyingpony]

I've got loads of crap over the rims on my bike that I really wanna get cleaned off to bring it back up to shine.

Have to be careful with cleaning products. Some are can be mean, especially if your rims are made from aluminium alloy like mine are. I simply use a kerosene soaked cloth or paint brush and it works very well. Does kind of mean, each time I clean the chain, I clean the rear wheel too Doesn't make the rim shiny a.k.a polishing, just removes all the dust and oil like a hot knife in butter.

[scracha]

i use clothes washing powder to clean my white rims

Cripes..I thought I was the only tightarse who did that

[ceebie13]

There is this theory that by actually not cleaning your rims too often, the dirt, grease etc can protect them from corrosion etc. Me? I'm of the WD40 brigade.
Spose that thin film of water repellant does the same thing.
One small point to add... you have to be careful that over use of solvents doesn't soften the glue holding your balance weights on.

[vifferman]

The FZRs wheels have lots of black spots on them, and I've got to get them clean so I can sell the old beast. I have tried, kero, petrol, and an engine degreaser. I even tried a metal polisher. I'll try some Turtle wax soon. Then maybe paint thinners. Years ago someone told me that oven cleaner works well... but I'm not game to try it.

If it didn't come off easily with kero, the it's more'n likely dried-on tar. Warm it with a hair dryer or hot-air gun on low, then try the kero or petrol again.

I've sorta got my rim cleaning sorted now. I use Easy-Off BLAM!! BLAM!!! sprayed on, wash the rest of the bike, then clean the rims using my $3.50 brush from the WHarehouse. I've now started using this Prestone wheel cleaner (from Repco) that leaves a film on the wheels to stop brake dust adhering. So far (only used it once on the cars and once on the bike), it seems to work. You clean the wheels twice the first time (once to clean alll the spooge off and once to leave a film), then after that just clean with it once. The only misgiving I had was that the film might be an issue on a bike tyre, so I cleaned the tyre with brake cleaner just to be safe. I noticed that the back brake needed a few applications too to get its bite back. No biggie.

[Motig]

I just use Polyglaze Wheelcleaner from Mitre 10.Works for me.Better just add that my rims are the shiny bare alloy/aluminium type.

[vifferman]

There is this theory that by actually not cleaning your rims too often, the dirt, grease etc can protect them from corrosion etc.

Certainly having a layer of chain spooge and assorted grime would keep tar and road spooge from finding a surface to cling to.

[ninjac]

For painted alloys Kero can take off colour.
I use Simple Green, but when there is tough tar bits I use an engine degreaser arosol can from The Warehouse. I cant recall the name but the can is all black with a pic of an engine on it. The point of difference with this degreaser is that it states on the can SAFE for painted surfaces. I haven't found any other degreasers that say this. It can even sprays with the can inverted. It has a relatively high pressure spray and dissolves the tar and crap really fast.

[vifferman]

I use Simple Green

I never really rated that Simple Green. Of all the cleaners I've tried, it was the worst.
But that stuff about the Warehouse degreaser sounds good.
As I said in an earlier post on this thread, the only thing to watch with those degreasers is you tend to end up with an emulsion of grease, degreaser and water, which in some cases seems to like adhering to the tyres, making them VERY slippery indeed. It's not so bad if you're aware of it and clean the tread before you set off, but otherwise you can have a more exciting ride than you intended...

[HenryDorsetCase]

I think lots of holly wood celebs get their, uh, rims bleached. Im sure I read that on some website or other.

[Wenier]

I've been using "Brake Clean" for ages now, reckon its the best thing ya can get. Jus spray on then wipe off with rag. It is kinda exspensive thou, comes in can like WD40 is made by CRC. There are other brands to but i stick with CRC brake clean.

And be careful if ya have alloy wheels and they are anodized like mine, cause some waxes and those protective things are bad for anodizing. So read label before buying.

Hope this helps.

[Shadows]

CRC wheel cleaner, comes in a clear trigger bottle, blue like meths. Spray on, hose off. A little bit of toothbrush work can improve things. It doesn't hurt paint / rubber / lacquer / chrome etc either.
I did my entire bike with it on Monday, dried and recoated everything with CRC Marine, amazing results.

[TonyB]

Crikey- lots of different ideas there. Will try the heat gun + kero first as I have both.

[Hawk]

The FZRs wheels have lots of black spots on them, and I've got to get them clean so I can sell the old beast. I have tried, kero, petrol, and an engine degreaser. I even tried a metal polisher. I'll try some Turtle wax soon. Then maybe paint thinners. Years ago someone told me that oven cleaner works well... but I'm not game to try it.

Anyone got any other ideas?

ever seen what oven cleaner does to aluminiun (and alloy) it eats away rims