Detailing Wheels

[Kilgore Trout]

Well, I pulled my wheels off today so I could clean them really well front and back.

Safety first:
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I like to jack the car side to side instead of front or back. I find it much easier this way.
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Wow, the front rotor looks like azz, I got plenty of pad though. Looks like new pads were installed recently.
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The rear rotor looks like crap also and has a nice groove in it on this side. On the rear brakes I removed the caliper, removed the pads, beveled the leading edge of the pad with a file, applied brake squeal lube everywhere, and greased the caliper slide pins. I am getting brake squeal from the rear brakes. Hopefully all these measures will correct it. I had plenty of pad on the rear brakes also.
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One of my next projects will be painting the rotor hats and correcting the rock chips in the caliper paint.

Here are the wheels after I totally cleaned the rims everywhere with various techniques and cleaners. Waxed all painted surfaces also...
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[thomas91169]

i just did the same with the Bullits on my 02 GT. the insides were coated black, needed a SOS pad and some orangeblast to get it done. then i went after them with the powerball.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Makes the wheels look a lot better doesn't it?

I like to do it once a year, usually in the spring but since I just got the car I did it now. Very very dirty...

 

[VOORHEES]

I have also done this about once a year since new. It really helps the entire look of the car. What I hate is the glob of road tar that almost bonds with the inside of the wheel. What a pain to remove!

 

[Matt's 03 GT]

Vohrees:

About that tar... how did you get it off? I detailed my rims this weekend (it must be in the water!!) and there are a couple of spots of tar that I could not remove.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

I love those wheels, but it sucks you have to take them off to clean the inside. My Cobra R's you can get a wheel brush in them, so they clean up easily. Painting the rusted edge on the rotors is the best mod you can do. This guy had your same car at a car show, and he painted them a really nice charcoal metallic grey. They looked sweeeeet!! I just painted mine black.