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Good wheel cleaner/degreaser?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Macmatic
  • Start date Start date
M

Macmatic

Guest
I was cleaning the bike this weekend...really for the first time. I've only put about 2000 miles on her since getting titled and tagged for the road...and 1000mi or so of that was getting down here to GA last fall with a few rides over the winter where I was in the same state.


Anyway I used some Simple Green on the front wheel for the minimal brake dust and it worked great but the rear wheel had more dust (dragging caliper at one point) and some lube from the chain (or maybe from spraying the chain w/lube) on the chain side which didn't want to come off with the simple green or some dish soap.

It was getting late in the day and...well...it was supposed to rain all the next day... and well.... I just left it and went out to make some more brake dust!

So what do you use for wheel cleaning? What cuts the grease but leaves the rubber on the rim?

/\/\ac
 
Brake dust/chain grease on the wheels..... nothing works better than WD-40.
Chain grease on the exhaust..... brake parts cleaner or acetone.

Once you start using WD-40 you'll never stop! If you've got a plastic chain guard rub some on and it will look brand new. Rub some on the airbox plastic that's visible and it will look new! Heck, during the winter when it's too cold to wash the bike I'll spray it directly on painted parts and wipe with a clean rag. Doesn't hurt the paint and it looks like you just waxed it.
 
I use chain cleaner on the rims. With a rag it takes that stuff right off Just use newspaper to cover the part of the tire you're spraying as you spin the wheel
 
Hoomgar said:
I use this stuff.

Works great, cheap, quick :)
Click to expand...


Great idea Hoomster, its going to take me an hour to clean my rims though....:-k I've got the alloy rims with the cast in spokes (My EF below) and they've got more nooks than your crannie ever thought of having. I guess its time to retire another toothbrush!

/\/\ac
 
I just use a soft dry cloth. Soft dry cloth for the whole bike actually.
If it's dirty enough, I use a damp cloth and follow that with a dry cloth in the other hand. I never hose my bike or pressure wash or use cleaners.
 
Macmatic said:
Great idea Hoomster, its going to take me an hour to clean my rims though....:-k I've got the alloy rims with the cast in spokes (My EF below) and they've got more nooks than your crannie ever thought of having. I guess its time to retire another toothbrush!

/\/\ac
Click to expand...

That's why I like the hand cleaner buddy. You can just use your fingers then. The cleaner isn't harsh to your skin and works so well it requires only minimal rubbing so a finger tip is all that is needed. Plus there is no tool that can feel it's way into those areas better than your fingers! You can feel what your doing! Just like an 8 year old pickin his nose man, your finger is the best tool for the job :lol:
 
S100 wheel cleaner is awsome, use it with a green/yellow scrubbing sponge. leave it sit for a few, scrub and rinse.

Also, brake cleaner works well.
 
Purple Power! Walmart $6.96 amazing stuff, just remember to dilute it 1st!
 
feelergaugephil said:
Purple Power! Walmart $6.96 amazing stuff, just remember to dilute it 1st!
Click to expand...

Yeah or you spray it with water for an hour trying to rinse it off! :shock:

The stuff works wonders on really heavy grim deposits though. I don't like how it attacks surfaces and leaves them dull.
 
The S100 Total Cycle Cleaner is great stuff. Literally spray it on and rinse it off. Then I spray the S100 Engine Brightener on just about everything metal. In 15 minutes the bike can go from a complete mess to looking purty darn good.
 
Jethro said:
The S100 Total Cycle Cleaner is great stuff. Literally spray it on and rinse it off. Then I spray the S100 Engine Brightener on just about everything metal. In 15 minutes the bike can go from a complete mess to looking purty darn good.
Click to expand...
I love the stuff. A bit pricey but hey, you get what you pay for. I do hate to report that it has removed some of the paint from my latest GS however :(
 
I use car shampoo and rinse well but not around electrical parts or calipers then blow dry with my leaf blower till dry! It works great.Then start my detail work.It only took me 3 hours yesterday to clean her up from wheel to wheel.Wouldnt ya know it would rain today.
 
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