[wjones14]

The 788M wheels are the most difficult to clean I've ever experienced. Compounding the problem is that they're covered in brake dust just a few days after cleaning them, at least with the stock brake pads. And they look horrible with the red-ish rust colored dust covering the gloss black rims.

I decided to take mine off one at a time time this weekend to thoroughly clean them for the first time since my June 2021 delivery. Took almost 90 minutes start to finish. Given the amount of time involved, I won't be taking them off every time to clean them. But they did look decent afterwards - for the first time since they were new.

Just curious if anyone takes the wheels off to clean them, and how often?

[Foggins]

very timely...this past weekend I did an all wheels off clean, decon, and ceramic coating...no joke, it took me a good 6 hours, I have NEVER had wheels this complicated. Really hoping it helps with maintenance, ie would be amazing if I can just use a good wheel cleaner (some have said Sonax is the best) and a strong blast of water to get it pretty clean, and then do an agitation wash once per month.

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by wjones14

And they look horrible with the red-ish rust colored dust covering the gloss black rims.

The red dust is from the rotor surface rust after washing. These cross drilled rotors seem to rust much more than any previous BMW I've had and combined with the black wheels (I have 437M) they get coated with red dust when driven after a wash.

To minimize the rust dust, I used to use Hyde's Serum Rustopper on the rotors after washing.
https://www.obsessedgarage.com/produ...rust-inhibitor

Other folks drive around after washing but I like to wash and back up into my garage. (I don't want dust on my paint if I'm going to do any further work on the paint).

When Hyde's became unavailable last year I started using Dry Coat Rust Preventative https://www.amazon.com/Armor-Protect...dp/B00DD29BY8/

Both products are decent. As the video in the first link says, it's not a game changer, but it greatly helps reduce rotor rust and minimize the red dust on black wheels.

[MyM2See]

The thought of washing those wheels makes me not want to start my car wash lol

[blkonblk]

Originally Posted by Foggins

very timely...this past weekend I did an all wheels off clean, decon, and ceramic coating...no joke, it took me a good 6 hours, I have NEVER had wheels this complicated. Really hoping it helps with maintenance, ie would be amazing if I can just use a good wheel cleaner (some have said Sonax is the best) and a strong blast of water to get it pretty clean, and then do an agitation wash once per month.

I wash my car on average about every two refills of gas, or at least once a month. I didn't apply ceramic coating on the wheels, and don't bother with soaps, brushes or mitts when cleaning them. I just spray with a wheel and tire cleaner, let it soak for 5-10 minutes, then do a power wash. I admit it's not as thorough as with using soaps, brushes and mitts but the wheels look shiny and clean and it gets the job done.

[Foggins]

Originally Posted by blkonblk

I wash my car on average about every two refills of gas, or at least once a month. I didn't apply ceramic coating on the wheels, and don't bother with soaps, brushes or mitts when cleaning them. I just spray with a wheel and tire cleaner, let it soak for 5-10 minutes, then do a power wash. I admit it's not as thorough as with using soaps, brushes and mitts but the wheels look shiny and clean and it gets the job done.

That looks good, going to try your procedure and product!

[blkonblk]

Bear in mind that I clean the wheels often and do not let a lot of dust accumulate and settle for a long period of time. I generously spray as much of the nook and crannies of each wheel then move the car about a half a wheel turn then spray some more. Don't hesitate to overspray, a 32 fluid ounce bottle usually lasts me for two cleanings.

[Nettles]

FYI there’s no such thing as a spray and rinse product. If you want 100% clean wheels you need agitation.

Also if you go through the work to properly prep and ceramic your wheels then wheel cleaner is a waste. A good soap and brushes will do the trick. Going with something like sonax after a ceramic is only going to degrade the coating over time and make you reapply sooner.

It’s obviously not ideal, but consistent maintenance is the real key to all detailing.

[blkonblk]

Originally Posted by Nettles

FYI there’s no such thing as a spray and rinse product. If you want 100% clean wheels you need agitation.

Also if you go through the work to properly prep and ceramic your wheels then wheel cleaner is a waste. A good soap and brushes will do the trick. Going with something like sonax after a ceramic is only going to degrade the coating over time and make you reapply sooner.

It’s obviously not ideal, but consistent maintenance is the real key to all detailing.

I agree that consistent maintenance is the key to detailing. But with wheels, specially the 788, I don't bother with all the steps you mentioned above to clean them. I'm satisfied with the way it looks after a spray and wash and I do not want to spend extra time as they will get dusty rather quickly anyway. I just don't leave the dust on the wheel for a long period which makes it easier to clean them. I'm not as OCD as, and this is an option to others when it comes to cleaning wheels.

[BMW 16 5-0]

I have yet to remove my wheels although I want to! A few weeks ago I finally had the time to do it, so I grabbed by old BMW jack kit from my 135i but the breaker bar and the torque wrench seemed a bit too big and would slip off.

What is the proper mm for the lug nuts????

[blkonblk]

Originally Posted by BMW 16 5-0

I have yet to remove my wheels although I want to! A few weeks ago I finally had the time to do it, so I grabbed by old BMW jack kit from my 135i but the breaker bar and the torque wrench seemed a bit too big and would slip off.

What is the proper mm for the lug nuts????

17mm

[BlacMacJac]

has anyone discovered a good brush that helps get behind the "forks", but before the barrel of the wheel? That little gutter that runs the diameter of the wheel in between these two spaces? I've found my only way to really get this is to take a rag and manually feed it around the wheel. I have to assume someone has found a brush that might make this easier?

[tenaciousd]

I bought a pair of brushes on Amazon by the name of ExoForma. They are bendable and will hold the shape you bend them into. There’s a fatter one and a skinny one. I go around the wheel jamming the fat one into each spoke opening, then the skinny one with about a 90 degree bend towards the end to get behind the spokes into that channel. I also use a third big brush with soft long bristles on the face of the wheel around the lugs.
Between those three brushes I can do each 788 wheel in a minute or so, and the results are acceptable.

Hope this helps!
Kevin

[Maynard]

Rag around my finger works best for this area.

[///MPhatic]

The best way to clean the spokes of these wheels is to remove them and never put them back on. If there is one thing in the F87 community that won't be rare in the future, it's this wheel.