Wheel Cleaning, Tire Dressing, and Tire Maintenance: What Each Does

Wheel cleaning

Brake dust is metallic and hot when it lands, so it bonds to the wheel face rather than resting on it. Cleaning removes that build-up along with road grime from the barrels and wheel wells. Left long enough, bonded brake dust can pit some finishes, which cleaning will not reverse.

Wheel cleaning is part of every Forged by Heart package and of the Exterior Only service. It is cleaning, not refinishing: curb rash, clear-coat peeling and corrosion are wheel-repair work, which we do not offer.

Tire dressing

Dressing is a cosmetic finish applied to the sidewall after the tire is cleaned. It restores an even, dark appearance and, depending on the product, adds a light surface layer. It does not repair cracking, restore aged rubber or affect grip or tread life.

Tire dressing is included in the packages that list it and is applied to a cleaned sidewall — dressing over a dirty tire is why dressing sometimes slings onto paint.

Tire maintenance is a separate job

Inflation pressure, tread depth, rotation intervals, alignment, age and load ratings are safety items, and they are vehicle-specific. Your correct cold inflation pressure is on the placard in the driver's door jamb or in the owner's manual — not the number molded into the tire sidewall, which is a maximum rather than a recommendation.

Forged by Heart is a detailing business. We do not inspect, service, repair or sell tires. If a tire shows uneven wear, sidewall damage, bulges, cracking or repeated pressure loss, have a qualified tire professional look at it.

• •Check pressure when tires are cold, using the door-jamb placard value.
• •Watch for uneven wear across the tread — it often points to alignment or pressure.
• •Ask a tire professional about anything involving damage, age or replacement.

Sources

• NHTSA — Tires and tire safety