Diamond cut alloys

bs2014

Can someone advice how or what I should use to clean my diamond cut alloys on my Leon. Different people I speak to tell me different things and hense the extent of my cleaning has been the water they get from the carwash. My fear is I'd let someone put something on them and turn the wheels pink or cause them to bubble. I'm thinking of selling my car and as my wheels are thankfully 100% unmarked after 3 years, I want to show them off when for sale. One valeter today said use abit of white spirit or parafin but that sounds risky.

Henry Ford III

Use water. Lots of it. Don't use a car wash.

Curran

If you want to get your wheels back to a state where they sparkle like new - give them a good rinse down with the pressure washer, a mild dilution of wheel cleaner to help lift the heavy dirt (or car shampoo and a wash mitt) and then use a fallout remover.
This will remove the bonded iron contamination what will have build up on the wheels over time. Not always obvious to the eye, but its in the surface and causing a slight dulling which leaves the wheel lacking the pop / sparkle. A fallout remover will return this.
Dont be scared by it - it goes on clear and reacts on contact with contamination and turns purple (to show there is contamination) and rinse off. If the wheel are particularly bad, they may need a 2nd application and some agitation, then rinse. You should be surprised by the difference, especially if its never been done. Ohhh and these type of product stink so dont open indoors. Names for CarPro IronX, Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel or Korrosol would be the best performers - dont get fooled by the likes of Ice Wheels that can be got in Halfords, its not a fallout remover, despite turning purple on application.

bs2014

Curran wrote: »

If you want to get your wheels back to a state where they sparkle like new - give them a good rinse down with the pressure washer, a mild dilution of wheel cleaner to help lift the heavy dirt (or car shampoo and a wash mitt) and then use a fallout remover.
This will remove the bonded iron contamination what will have build up on the wheels over time. Not always obvious to the eye, but its in the surface and causing a slight dulling which leaves the wheel lacking the pop / sparkle. A fallout remover will return this.
Dont be scared by it - it goes on clear and reacts on contact with contamination and turns purple (to show there is contamination) and rinse off. If the wheel are particularly bad, they may need a 2nd application and some agitation, then rinse. You should be surprised by the difference, especially if its never been done. Ohhh and these type of product stink so dont open indoors. Names for CarPro IronX, Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel or Korrosol would be the best performers - dont get fooled by the likes of Ice Wheels that can be got in Halfords, its not a fallout remover, despite turning purple on application.

Thanks for the advice. I think someone mentioned fallout remover in the past. Is this acidic?

Curran

It's classes as non alkaline pH balanced which means it's on the slightly acidic side of the scale, but nothing of concern to almost every wheel surface.
With any product it is advised to test on an inconspicuous area before use, but this is a proven product.

MetzgerMeister

In order to prevent damage from washing on my diamond cut alloys I use Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel. Spray on, let dwell for a few minutes and powerwash off. The less you touch the wheels the less likely you are to cause damage.

It is pricey stuff to be using for every wash. Curran will even tell you to use it every 3rd or 4th wash and a normal wheel cleaner in between. If you want to reduce costs then this is the way to go especially if you can apply the normal wheel cleaner and not scrub with a brush as this can create tiny chips in the surface lacquer which then leads to white worm. I have the early stages of white worm on mine but it's due to kerbing damage and is localised to the kerbed area.