Wheel well cleaning
04-12-17, 10:06 AM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Wheel well cleaning
Hi. Tried to do a quick search and didn't find anything so thought i'd start this new thread.
Soon after i had bought this car new, the car was driven in a new shopping center (im not the primary driver nor was i the one driving when this happened) through a newly painted parking lot resulting in road paint in the wheel well and on the car. I took a panel pryer and got most of it off. Only issue is the wheel well. This is the first time ive seen a wheel well made with a material thats not like a hard smooth plastic, but more of like a carpet-like material. So long story short, its caught onto the fibers. Even with a pressure washer, its hard to get off.. Im tempted to just get like black spray paint or plastidip and just cover it. But before i do it, id like to ask the fine members of this forum if they have any trips up their sleeves.
Soon after i had bought this car new, the car was driven in a new shopping center (im not the primary driver nor was i the one driving when this happened) through a newly painted parking lot resulting in road paint in the wheel well and on the car. I took a panel pryer and got most of it off. Only issue is the wheel well. This is the first time ive seen a wheel well made with a material thats not like a hard smooth plastic, but more of like a carpet-like material. So long story short, its caught onto the fibers. Even with a pressure washer, its hard to get off.. Im tempted to just get like black spray paint or plastidip and just cover it. But before i do it, id like to ask the fine members of this forum if they have any trips up their sleeves.
04-12-17, 05:48 PM
#2
If it's not coming off with a pressure washer you're pretty much screwed.
Road paint, once dried, is one of the most difficult things to remove on a vehicle. Unlike tar which can be broken down and softened by spraying with a solvent, most road paints cure hard and are virtually untouched by solvents or other reducer-type products.
Since it wasn't stated, what kind of pressure washer did you use and at what distance? I recommend to put the car on some jacks, pull off all the wheels and at least try a solvent to see if there's any chance at all of it coming off.
1. Spray with solvent liberally and let it dwell on the felt wheel well liners for several minutes.
2. Scrub with a hard bristle brush (similar to a tire cleaning or carpet brush) to see if the road paint is smearing or showing any signs of breaking down. If it is, you're in luck.
3. After thorough agitation and some good old TLC, rinse the liners well with the pressure washer (2000psi at a close distance). I usually get the pressure washer tip pretty close to the material without issues (3-5 inches away as needed) You have nothing to lose at this point.
4. Try to stay clear of spraying or hitting any of the actual painted surfaces with any of this.
If the above steps improve the situation, repeat until all the splatter is gone. If nothing happens, than you're pretty much stuck with ruined liners.
I'd recommend either of the following products used in an aerosol or spray bottle application in no particular order, use whatever is easier to acquire (Tarminator, Tar-X, 3M General Adhesive Remover, Mineral Spirits, Paint Thinner).
PS. most of the newer vehicles have these felt/carpeted material liners nowadays. It started out with high end luxury German cars about a decade ago to reduce noise and over the years has made its way into virtually most nicer cars and trucks today even on some cheap models. Back in the day, they used them only in the rear wheel wells, but nowadays the nicer cars have them all around. It works as intended but the negative side effect is that they attract and hold dirt and debris that is not fun to remove unless you routinely pressure wash and brush them out.
Road paint, once dried, is one of the most difficult things to remove on a vehicle. Unlike tar which can be broken down and softened by spraying with a solvent, most road paints cure hard and are virtually untouched by solvents or other reducer-type products.
Since it wasn't stated, what kind of pressure washer did you use and at what distance? I recommend to put the car on some jacks, pull off all the wheels and at least try a solvent to see if there's any chance at all of it coming off.
1. Spray with solvent liberally and let it dwell on the felt wheel well liners for several minutes.
2. Scrub with a hard bristle brush (similar to a tire cleaning or carpet brush) to see if the road paint is smearing or showing any signs of breaking down. If it is, you're in luck.
3. After thorough agitation and some good old TLC, rinse the liners well with the pressure washer (2000psi at a close distance). I usually get the pressure washer tip pretty close to the material without issues (3-5 inches away as needed) You have nothing to lose at this point.
4. Try to stay clear of spraying or hitting any of the actual painted surfaces with any of this.
If the above steps improve the situation, repeat until all the splatter is gone. If nothing happens, than you're pretty much stuck with ruined liners.
I'd recommend either of the following products used in an aerosol or spray bottle application in no particular order, use whatever is easier to acquire (Tarminator, Tar-X, 3M General Adhesive Remover, Mineral Spirits, Paint Thinner).
PS. most of the newer vehicles have these felt/carpeted material liners nowadays. It started out with high end luxury German cars about a decade ago to reduce noise and over the years has made its way into virtually most nicer cars and trucks today even on some cheap models. Back in the day, they used them only in the rear wheel wells, but nowadays the nicer cars have them all around. It works as intended but the negative side effect is that they attract and hold dirt and debris that is not fun to remove unless you routinely pressure wash and brush them out.
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iandroo888 (04-14-17)
04-14-17, 11:25 AM
#3
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
hi 91-sc300. thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately this has been quite a while ago (~1.5 yrs ago?) car was purchased new on Oct 2015, maybe within a few weeks of that. I had attempted using my electric pressure washer rated at 1900 psi at close distance and its most pinpoint setting with mild success. some did some off but at the expense of essentially it "ripping" off the liner. i tried workin on it soon after but to no success. I had thought about it again recently after washing the and decided to ask.
SHould i even attempt to acquire any of the solvents you suggested ? or should i just paint it at this point
SHould i even attempt to acquire any of the solvents you suggested ? or should i just paint it at this point
04-14-17, 06:04 PM
#4
Just go to your local hardware store or Walmart and get some mineral spirits or paint thinner for cheap and try it out. It will cost you no more than $10 and might work. Alot cheaper than getting new liners. If it doesn't work then at least you know you tried every option.
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