Just thought I'd make a new thread on this issue. I figure wheel fatigue is a real issue as more cars are tracked + the average wheel age increases (ala E36's). There is no need to inadvertently add to wheel failure......Alloy wheels coming apart @ 120mph is a bad thing.

FYI per US Military newsletter...

https://crc.army.mil/MediaAndPubs/magazines/flightfax/2005_issues/ffnovdec05.pdf


It has been brought to the attention of the AMCOM Depot Maintenance Engineering Team that numerous units are using the commercial product “Simple Green®” as an aircraft wash. STOP! This product has beenthrough DoD testing and was determined to be highly corrosive on aircraft aluminum. It can also be a catalyst for hydrogen embrittlement in high strength aircraft alloys. While it’s a highly effective cleaning agent for floors and non-aluminum/non high-strength alloy vehicles, this product is not approved for aviation usage. If your unit has been using Simple Green® on a regular basis, it is recommended a thorough freshwater wash with the approved cleaners per the appropriate airframe maintenance manuals be accomplished as soon as practicable. This should be followed by a corrosion inspection / treatment and application of approved corrosion prevention compounds.

—POC is Richard Cardinale. He may be
contacted at DSN 861-4041 (361-961-
4041) or e-mail corrosion@amcomcc.
army.mil.

:eyecrazy

If your wheels are painted or otherwise sealed, I don't see how this could be a problem.

If your wheels are painted or otherwise sealed, I don't see how this could be a problem.

That makes sense. However, wheels see alot of abuse (heat cycles, curbing, scratches, road debris) over time. Add abrasive washing in the mix and i'm sure the 'seal' is less than 100% over time.

Thanks for the heads up!

Simple Green is a great product...the best i ever found for cleaning wheels. The fact all wheels are painted, cromed or clear coated means that any corrossion of aluminum caused by this product is not a factor. Hydrogen embrittlement would take years to actually occur even if we were applying to unfinished rims. I for one am not going to stop using this biodegradable product that is not harmful to painted surfaces based on this unfininished aluminum aircraft issue. But i'm sure glad they will stop using it on aircraft unfinish aluminum surfaces....I fly allot :)

That stuff is pretty abrasive, i'm scared to touch it when it's in concentrate form. I found normal car wash soap in a seperate bucket with a microfiber wash mitt gets all the brake dust off as long as you wash your car more than once a month.

Washing the wheels once a month with stock pads would mean your wheels are BLACK :). I wash once a week, and they still look nasty by wash day.

Simple Green seems to be pretty safe as far as handling goes. I use gobs of it on my wheels every time I wash, and inevitably end up getting some on me and probably breathe it in when the wind shifts. I've never had any skin irritation or anything adverse come of it. :dunno I typically dilute it 1:3 to stretch the bottle out, and it works just as well as full-strength. Even slides the dust off the back side of my wheels where I can't reach with my brush.

Washing the wheels once a month with stock pads would mean your wheels are BLACK :). I wash once a week, and they still look nasty by wash day.

Simple Green seems to be pretty safe as far as handling goes. I use gobs of it on my wheels every time I wash, and inevitably end up getting some on me and probably breathe it in when the wind shifts. I've never had any skin irritation or anything adverse come of it. :dunno I typically dilute it 1:3 to stretch the bottle out, and it works just as well as full-strength. Even slides the dust off the back side of my wheels where I can't reach with my brush.

Just make sure you're not soaking your hands in the stuff for long - it'll degrease your skin pretty effectively. My hands turned into mummy hands for a couple days after doing that.

My hands get pretty dried out after a good wash, but I suspect that's mostly from wash soap, wax, and other products I use. I have little contact with the Simple Green, as I use a brush. It's definitely not something I would intentionally get on me, or leave on my skin for any appreciable amount of time. I use it with the same attitude that I use with shower cleaner and pretty much any other cleaner. It's not horribly dangerous, but I still make an effort not to get it on me.

interesting..

I dont understand why everyone raves about Simple Green for cleaning wheels.

Do you guys just spray it on, let it sit, & rinse it? You might as well use a wheel cleaner for that. They are not expensive.

If you use a brush or sponge to get the dirt/dust off, why not just use the left over car-wash suds?

I use car wash suds on my wheels and they look great.

Same with the used washwater and suds.

Same with the used washwater and suds.
same what?

I spray the wheel and tire down with simple green, scrub it with a wheel brush, rinse, and go onto the next wheel. Simple green breaks up the dust better than soap, in my experience, and since I like to get the dust in places I can't reach with the brush (back of the wheel), simple green loosens it up and the hose clears it off. Simple green is cheaper than wheel cleaner, and I can use it around the house too, so it makes more sense to me.

I spray the wheel and tire down with simple green, scrub it with a wheel brush, rinse, and go onto the next wheel. Simple green breaks up the dust better than soap, in my experience, and since I like to get the dust in places I can't reach with the brush (back of the wheel), simple green loosens it up and the hose clears it off. Simple green is cheaper than wheel cleaner, and I can use it around the house too, so it makes more sense to me.
i guess you make a good point there.

I spray the wheel and tire down with simple green, scrub it with a wheel brush, rinse, and go onto the next wheel. Simple green breaks up the dust better than soap, in my experience, and since I like to get the dust in places I can't reach with the brush (back of the wheel), simple green loosens it up and the hose clears it off. Simple green is cheaper than wheel cleaner, and I can use it around the house too, so it makes more sense to me.


I have been using it for several years with ZERO issues. I buy it at Costco in large containers and it is CHEAP. Anyhow, I wouldn't worry about using simple green.

What a funny name, what other places can you get it? All of my families bimmers seem to attract brake dust:mad . I clean it, drive it for 30 minutes and its back! arrggg.

You can thank the OE brake pads. I have never seen pads that make so much dust as BMW's. I think there are some brands that you can switch to that greatly reduce brake dust as well as improve stopping. I'll be swapping out mine as soon as they get worn down.

You can get Simple Green at any number of places. Wal-Mart sells it, for one. If you have an empty sprayer lying around, it is easier to buy the large refill-size of SG since you can't really dillute a full bottle of SG :).

Never heard of using simple green for wheels. I'll have to try that next time.

like everyone said, on painted rims (including clear coated ones), this is a non issue. however, Simple Green recently came out with another version that does not corrode aluminum. i forgot what it's called, but my local NAPA auto store sells it.

I detail for a BMW dealer in St Louis, we use simple green, but in a generic form from car chem. We pump it out of a 55 gallon drum. Just dont use it on chrome or aluminum that doesnt have a clear coat on it. (Like everyone said) The brake dust issue has always been a problem for most BMW owners. Its because of the pad itself, BMWs use a softer pad that produces a lot of dust. Techs at my shop always have told me not to switch the pads because Id loose the infamous BMW stopping power. So I just keep using the OEMs.

I have Simple Green wheel cleaner. It's in the spray can, makes a foam, that stuff. I don't know if it's any different, but it says non-corrosive, non-abrasive, and all that jazz. Got it from a True Value.

Drew

i had some stains on my rims from the previous owner that were proving very tricky to get rid of and i checked around on here and thought id try the simple green stuff, with a bit of scrubbing it all came right out.