An interview with the creator of Wheel Wax

 

Mr. Stover was kind enough to stop by our facility on his return from the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. We took advantage of his visit to get the lowdown on one of our favorite products, Wheel Wax. Question:  For readers unfamiliar with your product, what is Wheel Wax? Answer:  Wheel Wax is a soft polymer, not a wax, that makes your wheels easy to clean, prevents brake dust build-up and produces a bright, protective shine. It cleans, polishes and protects all in one step.

Q:  What is the history behind Wheel Wax? A:  Back in 1997, I bought a BMW 840 and put a set of $3,000. M-Style wheels on it. They looked great but every time I hit the brakes, my beautiful wheels would turn black. Cleaning the wheels turned out to be a real bear. I tried every non-acid wheel cleaner I could find and they would remove most of the residues but leave the wheel "freckled" with black spots that defied cleaning. In frustration, I tried a popular "All Wheel Cleaner" that promised complete brake dust removal. That product turned out to be acid based. This cleaner etched my wheels on contact. It turned their bright finish to a dull white stain. I was desperate. I called everyone I could think of but no one could tell me how to clean my car's wheels without harming the finish. I finally contacted a contract chemical company and asked them to look into the problem.     The first question we asked ourselves was, "Why is the brake dust so difficult to remove?" " What is happening to bond this dust to the wheel's finish?"     Through research, we found that the brake dust particles being thrown off the pad through abrasion are negatively charged. We also discovered that, in motion, air moving over the wheels was causing enough friction to create a positive charge on the wheel's surface. These opposite static charges were small but had the effect of literally powder coating the wheel's finish with dust.     Once we discovered what was happening, it was fairly easy to find an anti-static agent that could be combined with a cleaner and protective polymer to break the bond that was holding the dust to the wheel. We took these three ingredients, the anti-static agent, a non-acid cleaner, and a protective polymer and spent about six months optimizing the formula. What we ended up with was Wheel Wax. A product that cleans, shines and protects your wheel's finish and makes future cleaning easier. Q:  How do you apply Wheel Wax? A:  When you wash your car, wash the wheels with your favorite car wash shampoo and rinse with water. This will remove loose oils, dirt and road grime. You do not need to use a wheel cleaner. Wash and dry the rest of the car. Now wipe a coating of Wheel Wax on the wheels using a Terry cloth or Microfiber cloth (or applicator pad). There is no need to rub. Apply Wheel Wax as if you were waxing the car. Allow it to dry and buff the wheel with a clean Terry or Microfiber cloth.

Wipe on dirty wheel.	Allow to dry. Wipe off!

Q:  How long should you let Wheel Wax stay on the surface before buffing? A:  It doesn't matter. You can keep Wheel Wax on the surface for a long time or a little time. It starts working instantly as soon as it hits the wheel's finish. You can buff it off immediately or you can wait for it to haze (dry). We sell Wheel Wax to a long distance buss company. When a buss returns from a trip, they clean the wheels, apply a coat of Wheel Wax, without buffing, and put the buss in storage. When the buss is chartered again, sometimes after 90 days in storage, they buff off the Wheel Wax and the wheels are clean, bright and ready to go.  It's that effective and that easy to buff off. There's no way you can do it wrong. Q: How often should you use Wheel Wax? A:  About every 4 to 6 weeks. When the wheel looses it's slippery feel, it's time to apply a fresh coat of Wheel Wax. The first time you use Wheel Wax your buffing cloth will be very dirty. The next time you wash your car, just use your favorite car wash shampoo to wash the wheels. Do not use a wheel cleaner as this would remove the protective coating of Wheel Wax. You'll be amazed at how easily the wheels clean. In four to six weeks, after washing the wheels with your standard shampoo, apply a fresh coat of Wheel Wax and buff. Your wheels will be bright, shiny and protected for another 4 to 6 weeks. Q:  Is Wheel Wax safe for all wheel finishes? A:  Yes, you can use Wheel Wax on any wheel, natural billet, painted with or without a clear coat, chrome, powder coated, plated or anodized. It will clean, shine and protect all types of wheels.

Q:  Can you use Wheel Wax on motorcycle wheels? A:  Absolutely, motorcycle wheels, and wheels on cars, trucks, RV's, commercial vehicles, even construction equipment. If it moves on wheels, Wheel Wax will keep them clean and protected.  On bikes, Wheel Wax is great for cleaning the front forks. The upper forks on Harleys are typically chrome but the lower fork tubes are anodized or clear coated. If you use the wrong cleaner on the lower fork tubes you can permanently etch them. Wheel Wax is safe for all metal finishes and clear coats.

This concludes  our interview with Bruce Stover, the creator of Wheel Wax. We would like to thank Bruce for taking the time to visit our facility and on a personal note, I have used Wheel Wax on my Audi's wheels since new. I just turned the car in after 44 months and the wheels looked as bright and shiny as the day I drove off the lot. During the lease inspection, the inspector actually asked me if I had repainted the wheels! If you want your car to look it's best, try Wheel Wax.