Use a foam ended bottle brush to get inside the wheels. A few squirts of wheel cleaner and a water soaked foam brush make quick work of it. You can easily reach to the back of the rim and behind the spokes. You can even get the brake caliper and hub.



I got my EBC brake pads from one of the NAM sponsoring vendors. If I can remember who I will post the link here later. They are EASY to install.

I found the place. I got them at Out Motoring.

 

Ask a local mechanic where to get Greenstuff brake pads......or you can order from any number of NAM sponsors who sell performance parts. By the way, cleaning inside the wheels with a toothbrush does sound like overkill to me.

 

Not overkill at all!!! You should see me in my house!

Thanks for the recommendations...I will definitely be ordering the Greenstuff pads and installing them ASAP! Though, I can already tell a difference since I AIOed the wheels! Hurray!

Now, on to find that scrubber...

 

Thanks to everyone in this thread!

I bought all the stuff and yesterday was my first oportunity to go through the whole process. Preston looks great and now I'm confident that I did a good job to protect him too!

Much appreciated!!

 

I would suggest you be careful with the toothbrush. The bristles could damage the finish over time. A soft foam brush like the one shown earlier or something similar would probably work better and be less likely to damage the finish. I have tried using toothbrushes on various things (like removing wax around emblems) and found that they can scratch paint.


In regards to washing the wheels or car first, I would suggest you consider washing the wheels and tires first using items dedicated to the wheels. Then mix a fresh batch of soap and water for the car. This will prevent the car from spotting while doing the wheels and prevent damaging the paint with residue from the wheels and tires.

 

I just finished doing the clay bar, AIO, (and even) SG thing on my IB/W Cooper. It's the second time I've applied the products and I can say, as easy as it is to use, it's even easier the second time around. The first time I was getting used to the routine...and using the right amount of product. This time it was a no brainer and kinda relaxing.

Ah, now to sit back and enjoy the results!!!

 

Morris9982--Although I agree that I could possibly be damaging my wheels, I am not too worried about it. And unfortunately, finding that soft brush thing has been a pain in my rear end--needless to say, I cannot find one. And yes, I also wash the wheels and tires first with their own special mitt, with their own special water and soap. Then dump it out, and start over with a new mitt, water, and soap for the car itself. This is best for me!!

JDS--Agreed! The Klasse RULES! That stuff is super easy, and although I am not fond of the clay bar (perhaps just one I got stinks), it seemed to be helpful...though not positive.

I do have another question...I now have my bonnet stripe, and the company says not to wax over them, but I have read it is ok on some threads...Which is it? Is Klasse OK to use?

 

Just a shot in the dark here, but are you using the Meguiars clay bar? That's the one I have the most issues with and dislike a lot. It leaves a lot of residue and is sticky to use.

As far as waxing over the stripes, I would absolutely do it. It surprises me that a manufacturer would ask you not to. I think they are worried about cleaner waxes with heavy solvents and abrasives that could do harm or scratch the printed stripe material. You can easily be careful an avoid that. It's important to protect the stripe IMO.

 

Thanks Brad! I had done it anyway, since it didn't seem like it would hurt it. But, hell, I didn't think a toothbrush would cause problems either...so what would I know.

And no, I am using the mothers clay bar (or I did). But it just fell apart, even though I broke it into small pieces like the threads mentioned, etc., etc. Most likely--USER ERROR. I will try again soon, and hopefully be better!