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Wheel Talk

Everyone wants to keep their OEM wheels clean, but how do you maintain their factory original condition? This is not a difficult task but will require some dedication. You should wash your stock wheels about once a week to keep your wheels in the best shape. In addition, you may want to apply a sealant containing wax once a month for added protection. For factory original wheels with machined or polished finish, you may also want to occasionally apply polish to keep your wheels looking brand new.

Begin with a bucket, soap, and a hose. Put a bit of soap into the bucket and fill it with water so you have it nice and sudsy. Lightly spray your used wheels in order to remove some of the dirt, tar and brake dust build up on you stock rim. To get rid of the tar you will probably need a tar remover and you may want to get special soap designed to clean your factory wheels and keep them in the best condition. Get your non-abrasive cleaning utensil, perhaps a sponge, nice and soaked. Lightly scrub your used rim. Applying too much pressure may scratch the OEM wheel, damaging the finish on your stock rim especially machine finished and polished wheels. Rinse off the stock wheel thoroughly and examine it for any missed spots. Take the sponge back to the used stock rim to ensure all the debris has been removed.

Once the wheel has been sufficiently cleaned, you can dry the wheel off with a chamois or other soft cloth or allow it to air dry. However if you decide to allow the wheels to air dry, you will most likely want to leave your car in the shade to decrease the chance of water spots. After the stock rim has dried completely, you can add a light coat of polish or wax to bring out the shine and protect your wheel. After allowing the product to settle on the OEM rim, remove it using a clean, non-abrasive cloth. If you plan on polishing and waxing, Follow the process for polishing first, then apply the wax containing sealant to ensure the protection of you used original equipment wheel.

By keeping your stock rim clean and giving it the added protection of sealant containing wax and following these guidelines, you can ensure your used wheels’ longevity and its’ fresh off the production line finish.