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MG MGA - Best way to clean (polish) chrome wire wheels?

I know this will go against the grain with Barney but what are the ideas out there for cleaning and polishing chrome wire wheels.
I now have 5.5" 72 spoke Dunlop (India) chrome wire wheels on my A.
Cleaning is hard on the fingers! I have a Moss wire wheel brush and modified tooth brushes to clean but to polish is the hard bit - I am thinking of making a synthetic finger out semi-rigid plastic rod (say 10 mm dia) and slipping a towelling sheath over it and use it to get in behind the spokes to polish. I would be interested to hear how others clean and polish. (Once or twice a year we show our cars Downunder, the rest of the year we use them how they were meant to be used!).
Mike
Mike Ellsmore (1)

Polishing, like bright surface finish? I don't expect to ever have that problem, but if I did I might try a mild abrasive liquid slurry in a liquid/air pressure blaster. Something like this:
http://www.carparts.com/GP_2007607_N_111+10718+600022098_10618.car

I have a similar tool with long reach angled nozzle that I use often for detergent cleaning. See here:
http://chicagolandmgclub.com/photos/hydraulics02/2346.jpg
Barney Gaylord

Addendum to above.
I normally use Eagle One Never-Dull wadding polish to clean the chrome but the buffing off with a soft cloth is the bit where I have trouble getting in behind the spokes and small apertures to get the "brilliant lustre" as the it says on the can.
Mike.
Mike Ellsmore (1)

72-spokers are the worst of the bunch to clean but it doesn't have to be too hard. the more often you clean them, the easier it is. I have various brushes for the different wheels on my cars but none of them are really optimum for wire wheels. Try shopping for kitchen cleaning brushes. Some of them are narrow enough to fit between the spokes on the 72s. British Wire Wheel sells a brush for this purpose as well but shipping to Australia might be cost-prohibitive and there isn't anything that special about their brush anyway.

For cleaner I usually use Auto-Glym but I do have a bottle of British Wire Wheel's cleaner I haven't tried yet. I should do that.
Steve S

I'm very happy with acid based chrome wheel cleaner such as Mothers. Spray on, wait a minute and pressure wash off. No brushing needed.
D Sjostrom

I have 60 spoke Dayton Chrome wire wheels on my MGB and love them. I use an acid based "spray on" foaming soap from British Wire Wheel. Just leave it on for a minute and wrinse it off with lots of water. Then I spend about 5 minutes on each wheel with Mothers car Wash soap, a spoke brush and long bristle brush. Rinse them again and the secret is to dry them thoroughly. I towel them and use an air compressor to make sure all the water has dried or else you get spots. Had them on the car for over a year and they still look like new. I'll be installing the same type of wheel on my Coupe when it's finished.

Andy
Andy Preston

I agree with Andy, but I go one step further, I mix JET DRY dish washer anti spoting rinse 50/50 eith water in a spray bottle. After washing I spray it on the wheels and then hose off, tilting the wheels as they dry to assist runoff. Show quality!!

Ken
L Caya

I would just buy Ako a pair of gloves. Heh heh!
Phillip Hughes

Phil,
I told Eiko about your suggestion and she did not think it was a good idea - now if it was a Mazada MX5 I might have had a chance!
Mike
Mike Ellsmore (1)

Hi chaps,
I have 60 spokeed chromes on my A, and previously had 72 spoked CWWs on an E-Type. I have tried all sorts of brushes, including home produced custom ones made from toothbrushes. None of them have been much good. The only method I have found to be totally satisfactory is to take the wheels off the car, and clean them on the bench, using a piece of soft cloth wrapped around my finger, carefully washing and drying the wheels first, then using Autoglym chrome cleaner. You have to be resigned to the fact that the finger aches for a few days after, particularly the knuckles since they get bashed quite a bit. Fortunately I have quite small hands, so can getcfingers between the spokes. Four wheels takes all day, so I keep the wheels as clean as I can, particularly after a "dirty" run. CWW look great, but are a real pain, but the comliments at shows or on runs nearly makes them worth it!! AB
A Bennett

This thread was discussed between 25/10/2008 and 29/10/2008

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