How Do I Protect My Car's Aftermarket Rims, Custom Wheels and Aluminum?

The single most significant modification that can be easily bolted onto a car or truck today is a set of aftermarket rims. Alternatively known as Custom wheels or aluminum rims, these items are available for practically any vehicle, and may be constructed of steel, aluminum or magnesium. Protecting your car's aftermarket rims requires occasional cleaning, but did you know that you can apply wax to your custom wheels to help prevent damage? The reason for this is because many aluminum rims have a coating of clear coat on the surface that helps to prevent the custom wheel from corroding. This corrosion becomes evident after you begin to notice chips and flakes on the wheel's painted metal surface.

The first step in protecting your custom wheels is to clean them thoroughly. Begin by spraying the aluminum rims with a heavy-duty grease remover similar to what you might find in a kitchen cleanser. Allow the grease remover to work in the surface for a few moments, then agitate it with a wheel cleaning brush. This will work out any of the small particles of dirt and road debris that may have adhered to the aftermarket rims. Finally, hose them down with tap water and allow the wheels to dry completely. The grease remover may leave behind a light residue. This can be wiped away using a clean rag once it has dried.

Next, repair any of these chips or cracks that you might see in the protective coating of the aftermarket rims. They are particularly common on the outer ridge of the wheel, due to careless installation of the tire onto the custom wheels. This protective coating is nothing more than a clear protective coating similar to the clear coat on your car's paint finish. Use automotive clear coat touch up to fill in the cracks or chips, then let the clear coat dry completely before continuing. To complete the repair of the custom wheels, sand down the clear coat touch up with 2000-grit wet/dry sandpaper, and then buff the surface with automotive scratch remover.

The final step in protecting the aluminum rims or any custom wheels, is to apply a coat of protective sealant to the wheel surface. One product, called Zoop seal, is specially formulated for use with custom wheels. This sealant is relatively expensive but seals the wheel in the same manner that the factory seals the wheel in preparation for shipment to dealerships. To use the Zoop seal product, follow the package instructions completely. You will begin by cleaning the custom wheel with a water based cleanser that will strip away any impurities before you begin. Next, you mix the sealer's two parts together and apply them to the wheel. Again, follow the directions entirely and allow the sealer to dry completely, approximately 48 hours, before driving the vehicle or touching the aftermarket rims.

Another option for protecting aftermarket rims is to simply apply a coat of automotive wax to the custom wheels. Although this option is considerably less expensive, it does require more work. Wheels, being nearer to the road than many other components of the car, will tend to accumulate debris more easily. This includes road dust, tar, brake dust and a host of other contaminants. These contaminants help to remove the wax that you apply to the wheel and require you to occasionally re-apply wax to the surface. Generally speaking, re-waxing the custom wheels every two to three washes should be sufficient to keep them looking as good as new.

Custom wheels lend a touch of undeniable class to any vehicle, but they can be prohibitively expensive. Protecting the finish of aftermarket wheels helps to maintain not only their appearance, but their value, as well.

Sources:
Zoops Products: ZoopSeal: www.zoops.com