So, I know I'm a little OCD when it comes to keeping my babies (cars) clean. When I lived out West, I used to have detailer put my car on a lift to steam clean under it and to clean behind the wheels.

Now that I no longer have this option, I'm wondering what the best way to clean behind the wheels. I hate that brake dust can build up behind them and take away the showroom look. I thought about jacking up each wheel, and then thought about just jacking the front end up, but any suggestions from my fellow Jag owners?

Thanks!

 

I'm assuming you're referring to the inner part of the rim and not the wheel well.

I'm jealous that you used to have the luxury of having it steam cleaned!

I have a 2-part system for taking care of this. First part is using this product:

Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Wheel Coating

It applies a ceramic coating that bonds to the wheels, effectively preventing brake dust from building up. It supposedly lasts up to 18 months, and thus far I'm inclined to believe as such.

Second part is weekly cleaning using the right tools. I only need to use soap and water after the coating is applied (which I do with the wheels off the car). This is what I personally use:

Wheel Woolies 3-Piece Kit, wheel cleaning tools, wheel brushes

They also have Boars Hair brushes: one for the tire and one for detail work, such as the caliper.

This combination works very well for me.

P.S: This website is dangerous for those of us obsessed with cleanliness...

 

Borrow a 'real' jack and jack stands and remove and clean one wheel at a time with a quality wheel cleaner and a scrub brush. Wear rubber gloves. Wheel crap and brake dust are not good friends to your hands.
If you have or have access to a pressure washer us it. The entire cleaning process is pretty fast with a pressure washer. Don't stop there, all the exposed suspension bits like to get cleaned too. I do this with several of my cars at least once each spring. Make sure the studs and wheel nuts are dry before putting each wheel back on. DO NOT try to be a nice guy and lube or WD40 the wheel studs when you put the wheels back on. Very bad idea.
RB

 

If that's OCD, I'm not sure how you'd describe me!



I only do this twice a year.

Graham

 

That's the way wheels on cars like a Jaguar are supposed to look. Nice job. If you wax the inside as well as the outside of your freshly cleaned wheels before refitting them your twice yearly wheel cleaning ritual should become a once yearly event. My friends say, "why bother, no one can really see the inside of the wheels anyway." I smile and say, "I can".
I don't think that people that have high standards when taking care of their cars are OCD. Most people I know wouldn't take half a shower and think that they were clean. Seems your and my wheels already know that.
RB

 

That's a good start! Nah, that looks amazing and is exactly what I aim for. I try to do mine a few times each year -- if the rim is the type you can see through. Something about knowing the nooks and crannies are clean makes me feel better, :-)