INTRO
One of the most challenging obstacles to overcome when buying a set of nice wheels comes from the cleaning. There are those who clean only the face, hoping that the inner brake dust/tar will be black enough not to notice, and there are those who would prefer to keep the barrel pristine and shiny. As a result, wheel brushes have been introduced to help keep owners from cutting their hands on the spokes or rotors.
Unfortunately, many wheel brushes are not alike. Metal ones are very popular but have the most potential in damaging the face of the wheel if you are very aggressive enough. Also, they do have the tendency to rust eventually or react with the chemicals being used (like Sonax or IronX for example). Non-metal brushes were once very rare to find and have the least potential in damaging the face/spokes and do not react with most chemicals.
Also, with the emerging market of wheel brushes merely consisting of clusters of bristles of synthetic fiber, there tends to be a major downside to the design. An obvious example may be the EZ Detail Brush. These brushes are excellent tools but have the unfortunate downside of splattering the cleaner when pulling the brush out of the spokes. As most chemicals are acidic or basic, getting them in your face or eyes are never safe. Since most users do not use goggles or masks to protect their face, it becomes a potential health hazard. Luckily, this is where the set of brushes I'm reviewing come in:
REVIEW
The Wheel Brush I am reviewing and using as a basis for this DIY consists of the "Wheel Woolies," made by the company Braun Brush, in which they are made in the USA. Currently they are sold by Autogeek and their sister websites. Each website sells them in a set of 3 sizes -- Small, Medium, and Large. All 3 have their own Pros/Cons.
Small Brush
This brush is fairly petite and very firm when squeezed between the fingers. It is excellent for spot work as it is too small to clean large areas quickly. As a result, it does exceptional work for the corners as well as removing stubborn bits of brake dust, or rubber if that is an issue for you as it is for me. In my experience, this is the least used brush within the trio.
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Medium Brush
This brush is the medium pack and is my go-to brush for the face and between the spoke cleaning. It is definitely not as near as firm as the smaller one (imagine gripping a wet sponge between your fingers). It removes normal brake dust/rubber with ease but has difficulty where the smaller, firmer brush is needed. This one is clearly worth its weight in gold for those who prefer a clean face.
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Large Brush
The Large brush is the other go-to brush among the trio. It is the least dense of the trio and feels like a super soft bunch of carpet fibers wrapped around a plastic stick. It does quick work of the inner barrel and maneuvers with ease, even between the rotors and brake caliper. The compression and cleaning potential of this brush within the inner barrel is exceptional. Another added bonus of this brush due to the length of the fibers in which cleaning behind each spoke is fairly simple and painless. This is another brush worth its weight in gold
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CONCLUSION
Are the Wheel Woolies worth it? I'd say so thanks to soft fibers and plastic handles. Risks of damaging the wheel are lowered and I get to have "new" wheels every time I clean my car. While I may not use the Small brush as often I'd like, both the Medium and Large brushes are something I cannot live with compared to the microfiber towels I used to wash my wheels with by hand. Having a lot less cuts and bruises make this trio perfect. Also, with the added benefit of no splatter at all (EZ Brush users should know what I'm talking about) when cleaning the wheel, that makes it a lot safer for the user.
Great review! I've been hunting new wheel brushes, and have been seeing these brushes popping up more and more on the forums. I think you've made my mind up, thanks very much!
Great review! I've been hunting new wheel brushes, and have been seeing these brushes popping up more and more on the forums. I think you've made my mind up, thanks very much!
Sure thing. Gotta spread the secret around after all
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Originally Posted by eagleeye
Will they scratch my "SuperFinish" wheels???
Anything will scratch if a contaminant is trapped between the fibers. I make sure not to use much pressure and rinse it out every few spokes. Its great to have a dedicated wheel washing bucket for that purpose
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Originally Posted by PaPaHoFF
Great review. Are these made for hand or drill? I may have to try these out now since i hate the splatter on the ez detail brushes.
They are made for hand use only, but I'm sure you can shave down the handle to fit a drill lol. I found wearing goggles that turned black after 4 wheels due to the splatter rather tiring so this was the best thing I ever found
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Originally Posted by kentaro
great review.
might have to pick up the medium/large ones
You definitely won't regret it!
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Originally Posted by LiCelsior
hmm might get a combo pack. need these for sure.
Do it Joe! You'll prolly put them through the paces over the winter time
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Originally Posted by avgj0F
Old polishing pads and quality painter nylon brush cost much less but work as well.
Old polishing pads are too stiff for my liking, especially since its rather rare to destroy a super soft one since those are reserved for the lightest of cuts. The nylon brushes I used to use but with this many spokes/inner spokes/spokes spokes spokes, I'll take an entire hour using it. I decided in my best interest to get these to try and I'm glad I did since I don't have to change the angle of the brush to clean the inside of the spokes. Work smarter, not harder
__________________ Say hello to my swirl-free finish
Automotive Care & Detailing Moderator Who mods a Camry?
How long have you been using them? If these actually last several years (being used at least several times a week) without falling apart, I might just have to get a set. Otherwise I think $49+shipping is CRAZY for what these are.
How long have you been using them? If these actually last several years (being used at least several times a week) without falling apart, I might just have to get a set. Otherwise I think $49+shipping is CRAZY for what these are.
Washing 2 cars (Camry with its embedded brake/rubber dust and RX330 with dust/oils) every week for the last 2 months. Most extended use with Medium and Large brushes as well. They have been exposed to pH neutral, acidic, and basic cleaners of varying strengths. So far, all that has changed is the appearance of the fibers. It was like straight, short hair when new, now it looks curly
If I can spend over a grand on wheels, ~$50 every year is nothing. I plan on replacing them every year anyway
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Originally Posted by NorCal510
Great review! Might have to pick up a set of these to clean my wheels!
You wont be disappointed
__________________ Say hello to my swirl-free finish
Automotive Care & Detailing Moderator Who mods a Camry?
got my set today, they feel pretty good. gonna see how good they are with some tough wheels.
Make sure you use the right cleaner with the stuff on the wheels Joe. They're made to work in conjunction with them. Let me know how it works on the stuff of NY
__________________ Say hello to my swirl-free finish
Automotive Care & Detailing Moderator Who mods a Camry?
Isaac.. do you use the large brush to clean your fender walls? If not, what do you use? I'm thinking of getting these but haven't committed to them yet.
Wheel Woolies are an excellent tool to have in your detailing arsenal and when used in conjunction with a high quality wheel cleaner, they have the ability to clean even the most neglected wheels.
With the long handle you can clean the wheel barrels of wide wheels.
They also work great for cleaning exhaust tips and other hard to reach areas.
Review: Cleaning Rims w/Wheel Woolies
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