If you’re obsessive about keeping your Porsche clean, then Larry Kosilla of AMMO NYC is your man. Not only is he a Porsche guy at heart, he knows more about detailing cars than just about anyone we’ve ever met. Today’s video is especially timely for those that drive their Porsches through harsh winter elements. Not only can you use the procedure that Larry outlines to restore and prepare your Porsche’s wheels for a concours, you can use them to prep for winter driving, too. The video is quite long and detailed, so if you just want the step-by-step we’ve broken it out for you below.
Step-by-step Porsche Wheel Restoration and Winter Prep
- Remove your tires from your Porsche.
- Don’t rinse off your tires. Instead, spray down the front and back of the wheel with your choice of wheel cleaner while they’re still dry and let the cleaner do the work so it doesn’t have to fight against the water. (make sure you read the instructions on your cleaner as some of the less expensive cleaners do recommend a wet wheel).
- Use a wheel brush to agitate the tight areas and then use a wheel mitt for the larger surfaces.
- Brush the tread with soapy water. This gets rid of debris and will also show-off a non-obvious slow leak.
- Rinse them off.
- While still wet, it’s time to clay them. Larry says it’s best to use an older piece of clay. Anything that touches the wheel should never touch the paint! Lube up with some spray wax and work the clay inside and out on the wheel.
- Next up is to dry the wheel. If you have compressed air, use it. If not, older microfiber towels are fine (just remember you’re never going to use that towel on your paint again).
- The next step is for the totally obsessive. Using a 3″ rotary tool with a 3″ cutting pad you’re basically going to use the microfiber cutting pad to get any remaining residue off. If you do this on the outside of your wheel Larry says you’ll need to add another step and polish them. So that’s up to you.
- Next, wax the inside of the wheel. You want to get it everywhere. Put it on thick! In fact, if you’re going to drive your Porsche in the winter in an area where there’s salt, you might consider leaving a thin coat on. Not only will it help remove brake dust when it comes time to clean them again, it also provides some protection for the rims.
On to the Under Carriage
- Stop here if you have Carbon Ceramics. Larry says you need to check with your owner’s manual and or manufacturer for special car instructions.
- With the wheels off, time to spray on some brake dust remover on the rotors and calipers.
- Using the same mixture and technique you can now get the suspension and the wheel well itself.
- Rinse everything off and then use compressed air to get everything dry again.
- Now take tire dressing and massage it into your wheel well. This creates contrast for concours, but for winter driving it helps deflect all the salt and sand because the tire dressing is hydrophobic.
Last Step: Clean the Lug Nuts
Larry’s method is for the obsessive compulsive, but that’s probably why he’s so good at what he does. I won’t break it out step by step, but you can see it toward the end of the video.
That’s it, you’re done. Your Porsche’s wheels are good for concours, good for winter use or even good for storage.