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American Racing Wheels Finishes & Care
At American Racing, we produce wheels finished in several ways:
Chrome (our “Show” Series”)
Painted & Clearcoated
Painted with Teflon®
Painted Center with a Machined Lip (Clear Coated)
Polished
When it comes to care and maintenance, compatibility with your driving style,
local road hazards and weather conditions, can all affect a wheel’s finish. You
should select wheels that will be
compatible with your vehicle, driving habits, car care practices, weather, and
road hazards. If you are wondering how much time will be required to care for
your wheels, the answer has a lot to do with how they are maintained. Your local
climate and road maintenance can affect the care required and life span of a
wheel finish. For harsher climates, American Racing suggests that you retain
your original equipment wheels for optional use as wintertime equipment.
The first rule in caring for any automotive wheels regardless of finish is to
keep them clean. Generally speaking, from week to week during your car wash
cycle, it’s best to clean them with a soft brush, soap and/or mild degreaser or
quality spray-on wheel cleaner. For best results, it is important to keep wheels
clean, not allowing road film, contaminants and brake dust (which retains
moisture) to accumulate and sit on the surface. If you live in a harsh winter
climate where salt and chemicals are used during the winter, regular cleaning is
even more important. Be careful in selecting wheel cleaning products — select
products that are safe for the finish of your wheels. Avoid harsh or abrasive
cleaners. Some cleaners are harsh and could damage your wheel finish. Also be
aware that many car washes use strong chemicals to clean wheels and tires that
could cause damage to your wheel finish or even your automotive paint. NEVER
CLEAN HOT WHEELS, allow wheels to cool or cool them with running water. Another
important step is to seal your wheels with a sealant that will reduce static and
resist brake dust, such as
American Racing Wheel Wax.
Protect your investment, clean your wheels regularly.
To better understand the specific care and maintenance of your wheels, determine
which finish applies to your wheels from the list above. After determining what
finish applies to your wheels, go to the section below for suggestions and
instructions for the detailing, care, and maintenance of your American Racing
wheels.
Chrome Wheels
Aluminum wheels plated with chrome are beautiful and can significantly change
the appearance of your car by attracting light to base areas of your vehicle. If
maintained, the chrome finish will produce a brilliant shine. To reflect light,
which produces the attractive brilliant finish, the wheels must be cleaned
regularly. It’s best to clean them with a soft brush, soap and/or mild degreaser
or quality spray-on wheel cleaner. Rinse thoroughly. After cleaning your wheels
do not allow soap, chemicals or water to sit on the surface and produce water
spots—dry your wheels with a soft, non-abrasive towel. As stated above, it is
important to keep wheels clean, not allowing road film, contaminants and brake
dust (which retains moisture) to accumulate and sit on the surface. If you live
in a harsh winter climate where salt and chemicals are used during the winter,
regular cleaning is even more important. Periodically, polish chrome wheels with
American Racing Chrome-Tech, or some other quality non-abrasive chrome polish.
For best results and to reduce cleaning efforts in the future, after polishing
and/or cleaning, apply
American Racing Wheel Wax to seal the surface — this should help avoid
problems in the future and will reduce static so that your wheels are more
resistant to brake dust.
Clear Coated Wheels
American Racing manufactures many styles that are permanently coated with a
clear protective coating, essentially a non-pigmented, clear paint. The clear
coating that we use is the same material that we use for the original equipment
wheels we manufacture for leading automobile manufacturers. Your clear-coated
wheels should require only soap or a quality wheel cleaner product, water and a
soft brush. Once you have cleaned your clear coated wheels, a coat of
hand-applied
American Racing Wheel Wax or a quality, non-carnauba, non-abrasive polymer
sealant-quality wax will enhance resistance to brake dust and contaminants.
American Racing Wheel Wax works well and will save you time in the future,
as a few minutes of preventative waxing can last months (depending on your
climate).
Wheels Coated with Teflon®
Some styles manufactured by American Racing are permanently coated with Teflon®.
The Teflon® coating is a permanent, baked-on industrial finish of Teflon® -- two
years in development through our motorsports program. The purpose of this
program is to enhance wheel resistance to the elements and facilitate ease of
cleaning. It is very durable and easy to clean, if maintained properly. This
protective coating should assist significantly in reducing maintenance
requirements and brake dust problems. Essentially, for the care and cleaning of
wheels coated with Teflon®, you should follow the same basic cleaning steps used
for clear-coated wheels described above. Again, the key is to clean your wheels
regularly as discussed above. Your Teflon®-coated wheels should require only
soap or a quality wheel cleaner product, water and a soft brush. The surface
coated with DuPont Teflon® will release brake dust, road film and contamination
easily. DO NOT USE ABRASIVES OR ACIDS ON WHEELS COATED WITH DuPONT TEFLON®.
NEVER CLEAN HOT WHEELS — allow to cool or cool with running water prior to
cleaning. If you allow brake dust and road film to build up, you may need to use
a safe but more aggressive spray-on wheel cleaner or mild degreaser with a
brush.
Polished Wheels
Polished finished wheels have no coating, plating, or painting so they are
the bare aluminum wheels that have been polished to a bright shine.
Because polished wheels have no protective coating their finish is not covered
by any warranty. They require the most care in order to maintain their
finish. Wash only with mild soap and water. Do not use wheel
cleaners unless they specifically state they are safe for polished wheels.
Regular polishing with an aluminum polish is also required. Do not run
polished wheels in harsh climates where salt is used on roads during the winter
or in salt water environments. | |
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