I bought a set of 18" Limited rims for my 4runner and got a pretty good deal on them but they have these black stains on them and Im not sure how they got them or if it is possible to remove them. Other than the stains the wheels are in great shape. It appears like there was a wheel cleaner used or something was sprayed on them and it dripped/streaked. The face of the spokes are all pretty good, but the edges seem to be the worst. The stains feel smooth - If I run my finger acroos the wheel from normal to stained areas I dont feel any difference in texture... I have a feeling that it the top silver has just been stripped off revealing the black underneath, in which case there probably isnt much that can be done. I took a few pics to show what I have to deal with. Thanks for any help!

 

i got those same BS stains on my wheels as well. the dealer used some sort of tire shine and it f'd them all to hell.

definately wont scrub out. fine wet sanding would be my next try.

 

Try a degreaser diluted 50/50, let sit for 5 min and scrub them...
This should work if the stains are grease based (ie. tar, tire shine,etc)

 

try paint thinner. Should able to wipe them off with some rubbing!

 

looks like tar... maybe... try some googone...

 

pretty sure its not tar. It has no tacky/sticky texture (its texture is exactly like the rest of the wheel actually - I can not feel any difference from where it is stained from the rest of the wheel).

 

If regular wheel cleaners have not worked maybe it's time to try a metal polish like th P21S Finish Restorer. I use this with a two sided microfiber polishing towel when I need the best results from my polishing efforts. Usually with a little elbow grease you can remove most stains, contaminants, oxidation, etc.

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

^^^ and that is really safe for clearcoat?

 

Yes the P21S Finish Restorer is safe on almost all metals and clear coated wheels. The only surfaces you don't want to use it on are bare painted surfaces (no clear coat or other protection), anodized metals and cast iron aluminum.

Another option you can try on clear coated wheels is the Stoner Tarminator. This is a powerful cleaner that helps get rid of tar and other stubborn build-ups.

Let me know if I can help you any further!

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

problem is, its not tar.

a wheel cleaner/tire dressing (from the dealer, at least in my case) has stained the paint. its not buildup (like the OP said, theres no differnce in texture).

 

Well I took them to a detail shop (actually Ive had a few different people look at them) and they all say there is nothing they can do because the wheels are clearcoated. Anything they try would damage the clear since it is not just tar or something on the top. In fact one guy was so suprised that they were even clearcoated he said that he thought somebody just sprayed a coat of clear over a dirty wheel and that is why they looked like that... dammit Im not sure if I want to pay and have them powdercoated or just run them like this anyways (the wheels really arent too bad)... I wish I could find a way to clean them.