How to clean your wheel/wheel well/brake calipers ver. 2
 

Okay so a couple years back i did a write up on how to clean wheels, here is another one with most of the same products, however I switched up a few things.

Here is the set up, I have had the STI now for over 3000 miles and unfortunately I have had no time to give it even a proper wash, actually I haven't washed it yet. The day I figured I had some time it got just too hot to finish it. (98 degrees!)

Anyway here is a teaser. I got started on the wheels and after 3000 miles of caked on brake dust I decided to go all out!

By this I mean wheels were off the car, wheel wells were cleaned and dressed, brakes were polished and waxed.

Products used:

Uber Wheel Kit
Menzerna PO85RD
Sears Jack
19mm Socket
Ratchet
Torque Wrench
Cam Spray Pressure Washer

Now to the pictures:

Before shots of the wheels.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...irtywheels.jpg

Before Brakes and Wheel Wells. (reference left side, forgot to take all the complete shots, both sides were pretty dirty)
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...celeftside.jpg

Wheel being pulled off using ratchet and jack.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...eljackedup.jpg

Wheel off the car.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...loffthecar.jpg

Back
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...ackofwheel.jpg

P21S Gel on the wheels, I let it dwell while I cleaned the wheel wells and brakes
Back of the wheel
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1.../backdwell.jpg

Front of the wheel
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...il/p21sgel.jpg

What it looks like after P21S sits for a while, the P21S Wheel Gelis pretty thick.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...nomorefoam.jpg

Cleaned both the front side and the back side with the Uber Boar's Hair Wheel Brush, The Uber Spoke Brush, and the Swissvax Wheel Brush, each one helped with the process of cleaning all that brake dust and dirt off the wheels.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...spokebrush.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...rushwheels.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...hbackwheel.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...shfrtwheel.jpg

After I applied Swissvax Autobahn on them.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...axonwheels.jpg

Results from all that hard work on the wheels.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...fwheeldone.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...twheeldone.jpg

Now that the wheels were done...on to the wheel wells.
P21S Total Auto Wash was used to cut the dirt and grime off the wheel wells as well as the suspension bits, and brake calipers.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...il/p21staw.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...akedbrakes.jpg

Brushes were used to help clean up the wheel wells etc
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...nthebrakes.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...honthewell.jpg

After everything was rinsed and cleaned up, I moved on to polishing the brake calipers with Menzerna PO85RD after I put a nice coat of Swissvax Autobahn on them to give them a nice shine and protection.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...shfrtbrake.jpg

Caliper After Polish and before Autobahn
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...eelsbrakes.jpg

Applying the SV Autobahn
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...l/IMG_9920.jpg

Removing the SV Autobahn
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1.../wipebrake.jpg

Adam's Undercarriage Spray was applied to bring back a nice new look to the wheel well covers (note I did wipe down any access to prevent a oily greasy look, I was going for a matte finish)
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...wellsafter.jpg

Rear Before
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...rearbefore.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...earbefore2.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...orecloseup.jpg

Rear After
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...reardone-1.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1.../reardone1.jpg

Front Before
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...celeftside.jpg

Front After
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...wellsafter.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...hedfrtwell.jpg

After of the wheel back on the car (less the tire dressing)
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...tail/done1.jpg

Amazing! :thumbup:

Does the wax help keep brake dust from building up? I am sure I am not the only one that does not want to pull my wheels 6 times a year....

yes it does but like all things you have to maintain them as well.

What is the best way to remove old wheel weight sticker residue? Recently had the tires balanced and want to get rid of the old stuff (since I'm giving in to the 18% off sale and want to buy the wheel whell well tire kit). I tried WD-40 but only removed a litlle bit of it. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Daniel

I would say some 3m adhesive remover.

put some on a old towel, the soak it , it should come off , a plastic blade would help.