How to: cleaning wheel wells

[Greg Elmassian]

I'll stick to wheel cleaner in the wheel wells... we know it's safe on aluminum! Greg

To remove this ad, register today or login if you already are registered!

[s0vietbenz]

why can't I see the picture...... there is just an X

[Clean Dean]

A lot of old pics on this forum no longer exist. BTW... Very nice collection of cars !!!

[TX Charlie]

Wow, Dean! I just checked out your website. Very impressive before and after pictures!

[tbone55]

WOW!!

I remember seeing an interview with the guy who invented Simple Green and how he sold it to the Govt.....he drank a undilluded gallon of the stuff right in front of panel of Govt. officals. He did this to prove it was TOTALLY harmless! They bought it.... I guess he was wrong.

[pa28pilot]

Originally Posted by tbone55

WOW!!

I remember seeing an interview with the guy who invented Simple Green and how he sold it to the Govt.....he drank a undilluded gallon of the stuff right in front of panel of Govt. officals. He did this to prove it was TOTALLY harmless! They bought it.... I guess he was wrong.

I wouldn't say it's TOTALLY harmless, in either the toxicological or metallurgical context. I've read the Materials Safety Data Sheets for it, and I wouldn't want to ingest butyl cellosolve, even if it was a dilute solution.

I also won't use it on the airplane, but it is my all-time favorite household cleaner for everything else.

My personal favorite is the part where they say it "makes a safe and effective ant spray."

[kokketiel]

Originally Posted by Greg Elmassian

I like cleaning my wheel wells also.

But with aluminum doors and other components, I'm a bit paranoid about using simple green. It has caused hydrogen embrittlement in aluminum.

See this link on how it has destroyed aluminum parts in a chinook helicopter.

http://www.chinook-helicopter.com/ma.../cleaners.html

I use wheel cleaner, and once it is clean, a detailing solution, like a tire treatment, or vinyl treatment is great.

Greg

That's a very official looking site . It must be true, because you found it on the internet...

[joe1388]

Greg:

That website is a real eye opener about the effect of Simple Green. I think just to be safe I will discontinue using it on my 500SL. Thanxs;

Joe

[MBE55AMG]

Originally Posted by joe1388

Greg:

That website is a real eye opener about the effect of Simple Green. I think just to be safe I will discontinue using it on my 500SL. Thanxs;

Joe

Just to let you know, Simple Green has been effective in cleaning for over 20 years, whether its automotive, aircraft, etc. The reason why Simple Green corrodes metal like aluminum is because it is left on too long, and the alkalinity of the product speeds up the process of corrosion. All you have to do is use caution and rinse thoroughly with water after use.

[joe1388]

Originally Posted by MBE55AMG

Just to let you know, Simple Green has been effective in cleaning for over 20 years, whether its automotive, aircraft, etc. The reason why Simple Green corrodes metal like aluminum is because it is left on too long, and the alkalinity of the product speeds up the process of corrosion. All you have to do is use caution and rinse thoroughly with water after use.

Thank you for clarifying the issue. JOE

[MBE55AMG]

My pleasure, Joe!

[TOGWT]

Simple Green is corrosive and will react with bare aluminium causing hydrogen embrittlement (this is also known as stress cracking corrosion).

As the cleaner gradually ferments it reduces the pH from its normal mildly alkaline state to acidic. Slow corrosion of the aluminium results, generating a little hydrogen on the surface. Anaerobic conditions also generate hydrogen and hydrogen sulphide bio chemically, producing small amounts of methane. The aluminium probably has sufficient residual stress to be susceptible to hydrogen stress cracking, and this can be accelerated by the sulphide.

From Simple Green’s FAQ-

Simple Green products have been successfully and safely used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: Aluminium is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times of All-Purpose Simple Green and Crystal Simple Green with unprotected or unpainted aluminium surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green/Crystal Simple Green residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminium cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.

[DamonAnthony]

I tyre shine my front wheel arches and my sprare wheel well every time I clean the car. As I clean the car often I find this builds a resistance overtime, simmilar to polishing duco regularly. I'm in Australia and have never heard of simple green, I use a diluted degreaser for all my car,(esspecially wheels/arches) and obviously a pressure washer to as I won't use a sponge etc. I find this effective as it cleans all the build up areas....belt moulds, around badges etc. Most people are pretty negative toward acids too I find, and I have seen expensive lessons learnt with it and I have seen it undiluted eat away at concrete! But, watered down and used correctly, acid is too ideal for badges, moulds etc. Used correctly acid also removes water stains from glass and duco.

[SA Detailer]

Simple Green is the best wheel cleaner I have ever come across.

[Kar don]

what do u do to clean the inside of the wheels?

[2quik]

Im guessing he has to take off the wheel to clean the inside like that. Looks great. Kar don, where you been did you hang up your cleaning towels?

[Nickc0844]

Have you tried a brush that will reach all the way through? You can also use a flexible handle toothbrush to get behind the spokes and such. Another trick is to use old detailing clay in small chunks on the inside. When it is all said and done, try using a sealant to further protect them.

The above will yield having to take the wheels off to fully clean less.

[Kar don]

Originally Posted by 2quik

Im guessing he has to take off the wheel to clean the inside like that. Looks great. Kar don, where you been did you hang up your cleaning towels?

Yeah I gotta say, I have not done a vehicle in quite a long time. I am out of the game, I will be doing a couple over the holidays hopefully. Good to see you are still around.

[tex07]

does simple green work better than most other cleaners? also, if it drips down onto my wheels (which have a thin protective coat i believe..) the pH difference could be bad. any experience with this? When I rotate my tires at a tire shop, should i ask them to keep it up and clean it out (lol)...whats the plan?

[bmontalban]

a toilet brush usually does the trick on cleaning insides of wheels and the wells too.

[sack5000]

Try raising your car before attacking those wheel wells.

["G"]

Can't see the pics.

[mikekuriger]

my car seems to have fabric in the wheel wells. how do you guys clean that?

[vb26]

Originally Posted by mikekuriger

my car seems to have fabric in the wheel wells. how do you guys clean that?

mine as well.

["G"]

oNLY a benz forum will you find a how to on wheel wells lol