So, you want to protect your new wheels. What’s the first thing you should do? We show you how to treat your new wheels with Gtechniq’s C5 Wheel Armour to ensure maximum protection for your wheels.
Wheels make or break a car, right? Right. That’s why we spend so much of our hard-earned on the latest must-have rims for our ride. So, it goes without saying that you’ll want to protect your investment.
Of course, you can do this when your wheels are already on the car but you’ll need to make sure you thoroughly clean and decontaminate them first. Plus, while it will protect against any future damage or scratching, a protective coating won’t repair any existing defects or blemishes already sustained.
Instead, the best time to apply the protection is as soon as you take the wheels out of the box – before you even fit any tyres. This ensures maximum coverage and optimum results and protects your wheels from day one.
The only thing we will say is that if you are going to coat the inner rim of the wheel too, it is best to apply that part after the tyres have been fitted. Gtechniq says that the wheel sealant is so effective it can cause issues with modern adhesive wheel weights sticking to the rim!
Why Use Gtechniq C5 Wheel Armour?
Gtechniq’s C5 Wheel Armour is an easy-to-apply protective coating that offers unbeatable alloy wheel protection. It works on all common wheel types, including powder coated, diamond-cut, chrome and polished alloy. The protective layer repels brake dust and harmful contaminants, preventing them from sticking to your wheels and making them easier to maintain.
It is not like a wax or sealant. C5 Wheel Armour forms part of Gtechniq’s highly acclaimed range of ceramic coatings. And in the same way ceramic coatings protect your paintwork, C5 Wheel Armour forms a chemical bond with the wheel surface to provide durable and long-lasting protection.
Capable of withstanding high temperatures of over 600°C, C5 is ideal for use on all types of wheels and even your brake calipers too. Because it works on bare metal too, some owners also use it on their exhaust tailpipes to make cleaning off dirty carbon deposits much easier.
How to Protect Your New Wheels – Applying C5 Wheel Armour
You can apply C5 Wheel Armour to old wheels but you’ll need to thoroughly clean, degrease, and decontaminate them first. If you’re applying to existing wheels, make sure you check out our guide to the Best Wheel Cleaners first.
Step 1 – Clean your Wheels
Yes, we’ve just said that for maximum protection it’s best to apply C5 to your new wheels before you do anything else. But just because they aren’t covered in brake dust and road grime, doesn’t mean they are clean enough to apply a coating. Mucky fingerprints and residue from packaging will mean the wheels need a thorough degrease first.
Use a suitable cleaner to remove any unwanted marks, and buff to a dry and clean finish using a microfibre cloth.
Step 2 – Load the Applicator Pad
Once you are happy the wheel is thoroughly clean (and dry!) and ready to accept the coating, gently apply a small amount of C5 to the applicator pad supplied as part of the kit. You don’t need loads, just dampen the applicator and that will be enough to start application. A 15ml bottle is enough to coat the outer face of four wheels up to 17in diameter. The 30ml bottle will cover up to 20in rims, inside and out.
Step 3 – Applying the C5 Wheel Armour
Now, apply the coating to the wheel. Use small circular motions to ensure even coverage. You can see where you’ve been as the coating leaves a wet look. Our top tip, though, is to apply coating to half of the wheel at a time. The residue needs to be buffed off with a clean microfibre within 30 to 60 seconds – by doing half the wheel at a time you can ensure you can apply the coating and buff-off within this window.
Repeat for the other half of the wheel. Then, repeat for the other three wheels.
Step 4 – Allow the Coating to Cure
The coating needs 12 hours to cure. If you’re applying to new wheels, keep them stored safely in your garage away from the elements – don’t repackage them into their boxes until the coating has fully cured.
When applying C5 Wheel Armour to wheels already on a car, park the car in the garage overnight so the wheels won’t get wet or damp during the curing process. After 12 hours, the coating will have fully cured and your wheels will be protected!
It won’t protect you from wheel damage caused by potholes and curb rash if parallel parking isn’t your strong suit, but it will act as a barrier against harmful brake dust and nasty road salts sprayed during the winter months and make your wheels a lot easier to keep clean and keep your car looking its best.
Fancy some? Grab yours today from Gtechniq!
C5 Wheel Armour 30ml RRP: From $57.95, buy now. £42.54 for 30ml, buy now.
