Ride wright wheel spoke cleaning/tarnish issue
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Lexington, KY
Ride wright wheel spoke cleaning/tarnish issue
Ride wright wheel spoke cleaning issue??? I've read through pages of searches and can't find help to my prob. I had this posted in the detail section for a week with no luck, so I figured I'd try it here with more traffic.
I've got chrome ride wright fat 50 rims and after cleaning the wheels and tires, I used Mothers Wheel Mist All Wheel cleaner for all finishes on the wheels. After just a few seconds of spraying it on the wheels I noticed that the spokes alone started to tarnish and dull. It cleaned the rim and nipples great but dulled the hell out of the spokes. Ive tried using harley chrome bright, nerver-dull, and mothers chrome polish and can't get them back to the shine they had before. Any ideas or solutions that have worked for anyone else? They were not tarnished before I washed and used the mothers all wheel cleaner on them and I washed it in the shade, not allowing the cleaner to dry onto the wheel. Its killing me. I've got super bright rims, nipples, and hubs, but the spokes are dull and grey as crap.
Thoughts?
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 601
Likes: 6
From: Aruba
You gotta watch some of those all purpose cleaners. The ones that are safe no matter what they get on don't do anything at all. The ones that actually clean stuff are dangerous to get on the wrong surface. Meguiar's makes Hot Wheels Chrome and All Wheel. The All Wheel does nothing but remove that same thing that soap would. The Chrome does a great job but if you get it on polished aluminum, it will turn dull gray instantly. (I do this as a pre-polish before using metal polish on polished aluminum that has been neglected for too long. It really cuts down on the amount of polishing required.)
As stated, your spokes are probably stainless steel. Unless you specifically ordered chrome spokes from RWW, then you got stainless which in my opinion are better anyways. Get some bright metal polish and go to town on your spokes. Mothers makes a good one, HD has some, there's generic ones available at Wally World that are probably just as good. It just takes some elbow grease. (Before you start, make sure that your spokes really are SS because metal polish will ruin chrome.)
As stated, your spokes are probably stainless steel. Unless you specifically ordered chrome spokes from RWW, then you got stainless which in my opinion are better anyways. Get some bright metal polish and go to town on your spokes. Mothers makes a good one, HD has some, there's generic ones available at Wally World that are probably just as good. It just takes some elbow grease. (Before you start, make sure that your spokes really are SS because metal polish will ruin chrome.)
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Los Angeles, CA
They are stainless. My spokes are powdercoated but my last set were not. I wash my wheels with soap and water, dry with a dryer, and hit the rim adn hub with pledge or whatever. I spray the pledge on the microfiber. The spokes I don't do anything to. I spin gth wheel and ghit the spokes with a dry microfiber. That's it.
Drew
Drew
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Lexington, KY
Thanks guys!
I didn't realize the spokes are stainless, makes sense never really paid attention until they became "non shiney" instantly!!!
At this point its going to take some real elbow grease, I might have to take the damn front wheel off to get them back. Live and learn at least its not permanent screw up
I didn't realize the spokes are stainless, makes sense never really paid attention until they became "non shiney" instantly!!!
At this point its going to take some real elbow grease, I might have to take the damn front wheel off to get them back. Live and learn at least its not permanent screw up
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Los Angeles, CA
There is really no need to polish them if you wash them regularly. Just blow dry and wipe with a mild cleaner. Purple slice works, pledge works, wahtever you ahve. the only time I found the need to get polish on them was when I neglected them. Weekly or bi weekly washing eliminates the need to polish. And you need somethibng to blow all the water off them with if you want to be able to do this regularly.
Drew
Drew
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,729
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From: Republic of Texas
There is really no need to polish them if you wash them regularly. Just blow dry and wipe with a mild cleaner. Purple slice works, pledge works, wahtever you ahve. the only time I found the need to get polish on them was when I neglected them. Weekly or bi weekly washing eliminates the need to polish. And you need somethibng to blow all the water off them with if you want to be able to do this regularly.
Drew
Drew
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Former Sponsor
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Los Angeles, CA
I got the mini air force blaster but a leaf blower works good too. Makes easy work of the rims.
Drew
Drew
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