How do you keep the wheelwell liners clean?

[AbsolutHank]

I drive and clean my car like crazy, but the wheelwell liners are a never ending battle to keep looking clean and detailed. They always appear white, chalky and stained etc. Anyone had any luck keeping them looking black and otherwise invisible?

I'm thinking of removing all of them, cleaning and scuffing them, and spraying them with undercoating or something similiar.

 

[wikkid]

I armor all mine, and it still *****.

 

[chesapeake07]

This is what I am going to try next.

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/645955-what-to-use-on-wheel-wells

 

[AbsolutHank]

This is what I am going to try next.

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/645955-what-to-use-on-wheel-wells

I have some of that already, and while I honestly haven't used it, I don't think it's going to do the trick. It just seems to shine up dull black, but mine aren't even dull black at this point!

 

[redtanrt10]

Ryan, the rears near the sidepipes are the worse. I'm not sure if there is a cleaner or polish to use. Seems like they just start to bleach milky white. I use spray paint, Krylon or something similiar for plastic. Clean them real good and apply a few coats. It will last for a few years. Mike

 

[AbsolutHank]

Mike, actually on this car, that area is not too bad at all...it's the rear on my front wheel liners that are killing me! I think I will pull them all off in the next few weeks and paint them.

I think it speaks to materials being used on this car, and I hope it's resolved for the next generation car. I think I can speak for every Gen III-IV owner and complain about the rubber texturized interior pieces, and the underhood panels that look terrible in an otherwise good looking engine bay.

 

[345s-bspinnin]

Interesting to see that your wheelwell liners are that bad. I pull my wheels every couple of washes, scrub them down with my used micro-fiber wash cloth, then finish it off with tire foam. I have used tire foam/cleaner on the wheelwell on all my vehicles for many years.

Do post pictures of your final product if you do decide to coat them or spray them.

 

[Cobraken]

I've always used tire foam with every wash starting when the car is new. Never had a problem. Discoloration may be a product of where you live?

 

[Slithr]

I've always used tire foam with every wash starting when the car is new. Never had a problem. Discoloration may be a product of where you live?

This is what I was thinking, maybe Northern salted roads ...... Then I looked at my front fender wells and noticed some white splotching. I keep my wheel clean when washing the car but, have never treated with a foam. Fortunately, Ryan's car is sooo slammed no one can see his wheel wells

 

[viper k]

i just pull the wheels mask off edge of the lip and spray with krylon fusion for plastic no sanding or priming looks brand new just done them to weeks ago

 

[FLATOUT]

Ryan, you can hose them down with simple green which will strip the crap off them. They will look chalky but clean. Get some cheap tire foam, "more shine" works great. Soak it down and if you're really picky wipe it dry with a shop towel. Been doing it for years and it works on all my cars and is easy to do.

Andy

 

[ulllose]

20K miles and have always used tire form or similar product but the backs of the wheels still are not perfect due to rocks etc...... I have noticed thou using products on the tire wells attract more dust!

 

[Coloviper]

Hank;

Just to http://www.trimshine.com buy a case of TrimShine. It is an areosol spray for that very purpose. It sprays on and then let it sit for about 1 hour to dry. Drys no streaks and you don't have to mask anything off. Just get the car on a lift if you can so you can get everything sprayed behind the wheel etc. I have used it for over 10 years. It is amazing stuff. You can sometimes buy a can from Pep Boys, etc. but it is hard to find. Works like magic on anything that is black. Plastic, rubber, black metal, suspensions pieces, etc. and all those trim pieces.

Rick

 

[FLATOUT]

Agreed trim shine works well too.

 

[Coloviper]

Once you clean those liners with pressure washer, let them dry. They will be that chauky grey, faded looking. Then spray on a thick coat of TrimShine, then come back in 1 hr after it drys. It will be absorbed into those rubber liners and they will look like brand new. Next time I do it, I will take a before and after picture but hopefully you will have done it before I do mine as I do mine about every 3 months. When you just spray it on with no prep work, it is easy to maintain.

 

[gilly6993]

I never even look at my wheelwell liners.....

 

[lagalaxy13]

I'm going to paint mine this winter. Sounds like even with the cleaners you have to do it quite a bit to keep them looking good, painting once a year would be much better.

 

[Stealth]

I never even look at my wheelwell liners.....

+1, except to spray it with a hose.

WOW, here I thought I was doing a good job washing and waxing and now I seek how much more thorough some are! I never pull the wheels for a wash, although I use a long brush to get the barrels clean. Excellent advice on this thread.

 

[FLATOUT]

It's easy to do and is quick. I don't pull the wheels.

 

[AbsolutHank]

I pull my wheels every other week and keep the brakes and inner barrels spotless. I also clean the wheelwells while I'm there.

I'll try some of the suggestions listed above...it sounds entirely possible that they're clean (which they should be!), but they were not dressed properly. I just wanted to avoid silicone type sprays as they attract dirt. Oh well, I'd rather have that which washes off quickly instead of white wheelwells!

 

[FrgMstr]

I tried the Back to Black from Mothers on my wheel well liners and it did not work at all. Still oxidized with the spotty white. Been thinking about shooting the liners with bed liner.

 

[Ripper]

Ryan, the cheapest , easiest and most effective product....

WD40

Crazy but this stuff works awesome. Mine have been chalky sine day one and recently a friend who has
been detailing cars for some time now shared his secret. Try it ,It really does work good.


Jerry~

 

[Sonoman]

Meguiar's Plast-X works great on the black fender tubs, if you don't mind a little shine. This fender tub material does oxidize and turn grey after a lot of exposure; I'm sure Dodge chose it mostly for it's resistance to fracturing rather than appearance. Popular cleaning products like Simple Green will accelerate the oxidation process. Plast-X is amazing stuff-- I first bought it for plastic headlight covers on another car-- and it doesn't attract dirt like tire treatments and WD-40 do. The Plast-X seems to actually remove the oxidation layer rather than just covering it up. Does take a little elbow grease, though.

 

[Ripper]

I have never had an issue with WD40 attracting dirt.

My experience with it has shown it repels water and so far dirt and grime
have been far less than before when not using it.

 

[Sonoman]

Yep, WD-40 is versatile stuff-- I use it to clean the gold chain on my Ducati and it does seem to attract less dirt than a normal chain lube. Any oil will cause fine dust to accumulate, though, compared to a dry surface. Sounds like it's working great for you, no doubt, so I'll keep an open mind, or at least start having one ;-) . I've heard WD contains more solvents than oils, so that may be why it works as a cleaner.

 

[JonB]

I've always used tire foam with every wash starting when the car is new. Never had a problem. Discoloration may be a product of where you live?

I swore I would NOT increase my post counts about waxing-detailing.......................... but I agree w those who use the Tire and Wheel Cleaner-Foams in their wheel wells. Like "NO-TOUCH" products. They have a mild degreaser-solvent that takes off brake dust and such.... you have to let it SOAK and then for best resuts on a very dirty surface, spray it down. A wash-mitt is still needed to help get off tire-****-marbles from track events, or mud..... but they do a good job. The key is to re-spray the liners agan AFTER they are cleaned off. Not exactly "NO" TOUCH but a good result.

 

[Ripper]

Yep, WD-40 is versatile stuff-- I use it to clean the gold chain on my Ducati and it does seem to attract less dirt than a normal chain lube. Any oil will cause fine dust to accumulate, though, compared to a dry surface. Sounds like it's working great for you, no doubt, so I'll keep an open mind, or at least start having one ;-) . I've heard WD contains more solvents than oils, so that may be why it works as a cleaner.

I can imagine this is the reason it works as well as it does.

 

[wikkid]

Just ordered this stuff. Cant wait to try it out.

 

[wikkid]

Hank;

Just to http://www.trimshine.com buy a case of TrimShine. It is an areosol spray for that very purpose. It sprays on and then let it sit for about 1 hour to dry. Drys no streaks and you don't have to mask anything off. Just get the car on a lift if you can so you can get everything sprayed behind the wheel etc. I have used it for over 10 years. It is amazing stuff. You can sometimes buy a can from Pep Boys, etc. but it is hard to find. Works like magic on anything that is black. Plastic, rubber, black metal, suspensions pieces, etc. and all those trim pieces.

Rick

Just ordered this stuff. Looking forward to trying it out.

 

[slysnake]

After you've cleaned them, Adams makes this product called Undercarriage spray that makes them look great. Really easy to use too.