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$100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC without taking the finish off

3K views 44 replies 24 participants last post by  Bruce_M 
#1 ·
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#3 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC withou ... (Mike VR6)

Sorry that is wrong....

Let me show you a couple pics and then you can give me another answer.

How do you turn this...



Into this...



Without striping the finish. That is why i posted both links, so you can see the pics.
 
#5 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC withou ... (Gateway337CT)

Based upon the photos, you are in deep doo-doo, the clear, most likely an acrylic powder coat has been eaten into by the acids created during the normal corossion created as the various materials deposited on them, coupled with the heat generated during braking/driving has been broken down, plus it would appear that at one time or another a very caustic cleaner was used on them, breaking down the powder coat, making it more porus than orginal.
Ketch
 
#7 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC withou ... (ketch)

If you guys check the 1st link i posted you will see there are almost 200 other 337 owners on this site that have this issue.
Check the thread, I think it's up to 40 pages, 1400 posts and 40,000 reads.
Good reading if you are a VW owner. It tells you alot about VWoA as a company. http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif
 
#8 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC withou ... (Gateway337CT)

Quote, originally posted by Gateway337CT »

Good reading if you are a VW owner. It tells you alot about VWoA as a company. http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif

BBS, too?
 
#10 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC withou ... (Gateway337CT)

Props to you Gateway
I thinks its great you have put so much effort to document this and have tried to engage VWOA about a issue that is affecting a very expensive branded VW part.
I was going to buy some VW 337 wheels but after reading your thread I decided to go with the non 337 Silver painted BBS 18*7.5 VW rcs , and I am going to be monitoring their performance on a 02 1.8T from new.

I am looking to do a pad swap at some point too and i wouldnt mind comparing parts no.s with one of the 337 peeps.
Aiming to wax wheels prior to usage and then bi weekly cleans and waxs to see results.
I am going to get a digital camera so I will be able to document any similar degradation as time goes by.
If you have any others ideas , let me know if any of this will help you guys.
I noticed at one point you spoke of doing some destructive tests with some 337 wheels,
if you havent been able to obtain one yet someone is selling a 337 wheel on ebay right now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...43958
it looks to be in fairly mint condition.
 
#11 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC withou ... (durksterVR6)

Looks like pitted brake dust to me. Try a claybar. It takes ALOT of work to get it off with a claybar, but I've gotten brake dust off of my rims that way. You may not see the difference on the rims right away, but you will see the claybar turning brown. Alas, some of my pitting WAS below the surface of the finish, and I couldn't pull it out with the clay, tho. For that, I literally wet sanded the finish with water and a Scotch pad. That is extreme, though... I wouldn't do that to your BBS's.
 
#12 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC withou ... (Triumph)

Whatever you do, DO NOT use any cleaner on a warm wheel. You will shock the finish and it will look much worse than it does now. Spray them with a hose to cool them off before doing any work.
Claybaring a wheel takes time, but it may help. Since some of it looks rusted, you may want to try a cleaner that works on rust. C.L.R. comes to mind.
 
#13 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC withou ... (durksterVR6)

Quote, originally posted by durksterVR6 »
Props to you Gateway
I thinks its great you have put so much effort to document this and have tried to engage VWOA about a issue that is affecting a very expensive branded VW part.
I was going to buy some VW 337 wheels but after reading your thread I decided to go with the non 337 Silver painted BBS 18*7.5 VW rcs .

Thanks and good choice on the rim. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#14 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC withou ... (Gateway337)

i work at a detail shop, and my friend just got a 337 and he was scrubbing his wheels with a brush and some wheel acid. it didnt do anything to the finish from what i saw.
 
#16 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC without ... (Gateway337)

Prevention:
Get some good brake pads
Cure:
Soak them in Meguire wheel cleaner for a coupla minutes then spray off
(repeat 10-15 times)
Better start with the prevention NOW.
 
#17 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC without ... (Gateway337)

First thing, after seeing the pics, you'll need to clay bar your wheels to get all this gritty stuff off. This is the only way to do not damage the surface, most wheel cleaner will have a few side effects. After your wheels are gently clay bared, get a coat or two of wheel wax, this will help keeping them clean
http://www.wheelwax.com/
Where's my $100??
 
#18 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC without ... (VinceQc)

Quote, originally posted by VinceQc »
First thing, after seeing the pics, you'll need to clay bar your wheels to get all this gritty stuff off. This is the only way to do not damage the surface, most wheel cleaner will have a few side effects. After your wheels are gently clay bared, get a coat or two of wheel wax, this will help keeping them clean
http://www.wheelwax.com/
Where's my $100??

Clay bar will help take some of it off but not all of it. I have wheel wax. I've put tons of it on my rims. Doesn't help.
The problem here guys is the brake dust is eating away at the rims finish. Those white spots you see in the pics... show where the brake dust has eaten all the way through the finish of the rim.
So none of you guys win the $100 because I asked you guys a trick question.
There is no way to clean them. There is no cleaner out there that can put clearcoat back on your rim.
If you check the first link i posted in my first post. You will see I am trying to get VWoA to replace the rims and pads.
Thank you all for playing though.

BTW, you guys did give some good answers. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
 
#19 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC without ... (Gateway337)

I really think you'll have to buy some low dust brake pads, like tye green pads the tirerack seel. I'm not sure which pad is the lowest dust but I'm sure someone here will know.
For sure nothing will give back the clear coat on your rims that was eated by brake dust.
 
#20 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC without ... (VinceQc)

We are trying to get the pagid pads that came on the German 25th AE. Those owners haven't had any issues with this. So far only the U.S and U.K 25th AE/337 owners are having problems.
 
#21 ·
Re: $100 to the person that can tell me how to clean a 337 BBS RC without ... (Gateway337)

I've been having a lot of issues with the BBS wheels on my Wolfsburg. What gives here, honestly. My mother has a Taurus she never cleans, and if you wash the wheels with a generic sponge and generic dish soap once every two months they look like new.

I know this is a problem with the GTI 337 wheels, and am not disputing that in anyway. I'm sure someone who chooses a 337 spends some time taking care of it as well, I just don't understand why these premium wheels are falling apart and VWOA stance on the issue is to either blow the customer off or in some cases kiss hiney, but never explain the problem.
Really confused.
 
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