What does sulfur do to wheels?

7586 · 09-11-2007, 02:07 PM

So I just find out a couple of minutes that the city is trying to cap a sulfur spring that has been busted since we had a huge earthquake a few years ago. Anyhow, they are draining the sulfur straight down the street and it engulfed my two passenger wheels. I jsut got these new wheels not even two weeks ago and they look all messed up. I'm curious if sulfur can mess up my wheels at all? I tired wiping them down with some wheel wax and nothing... Any help is appreciated!

HyperM3 · 09-11-2007, 02:14 PM

Wont do anything in its pure state. If anything, it might clean your wheels.

Gort · 09-11-2007, 02:20 PM

Nothing like brimstone flow to mess up the neighborhood.

Are you talking molten elemental sulfur? Anything that is going that is going to screw up the finish on the wheels most likely. I would scrape off as much as possible with a plastic spackling blade, and then clay bar the rest as best as possible.

gonzo · 09-11-2007, 02:41 PM

Make them smell like toooots?

7586 · 09-11-2007, 02:44 PM

Yeah, it smelt horrible!

2007_E93 · 09-11-2007, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7586

Yeah, it smelt horrible!

It depends if the liquid contained sulfur as Ammonium Sulfate or Hydrogen Sulfide (both smell of rotten eggs) or even Sulfuric acid component (pungent smell but not rotten eggs smell). The acid depending on strength may effect the finish of your wheels. You best bet is to wash it ASAP and with alot of water then clean them well and clay as someone above suggested. If the finish is destroyed you may have been dealing with some acid in the liquid and it essentially dissolved or corroded the finish. Then I would treat it like a severly oxidized car and polish and wax to get the best finish possoble back. Good luck I hope this helps.

BMXtreme · 09-11-2007, 04:05 PM

keep snakes away from your car.

TurboFan · 09-11-2007, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2007_E93

It depends if the liquid contained sulfur as Ammonium Sulfate or Hydrogen Sulfide (both smell of rotten eggs) or even Sulfuric acid component (pungent smell but not rotten eggs smell). The acid depending on strength may effect the finish of your wheels. You best bet is to wash it ASAP and with alot of water then clean them well and clay as someone above suggested. If the finish is destroyed you may have been dealing with some acid in the liquid and it essentially dissolved or corroded the finish. Then I would treat it like a severly oxidized car and polish and wax to get the best finish possoble back. Good luck I hope this helps.

+1. I was going to say the same thing.

Sulfur makes a very powerful acid when mixed with water - H2SO4 - sulfuric acid. Same acid as found in acid rain. Try to wash / polish / wax. You may not be able to fix the finish, a good body shop could re-paint the wheels. You probably have a claim with the city.

UncleWede · 09-11-2007, 09:26 PM

It might be tough to blame the city if it was truly left over from an earthquake, "Act of God or Nature"

09-11-2007, 02:07 PM	#1
7586 Private First Class 12 Rep 128 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: May 2007 Location: central cali iTrader: (0)	What does sulfur do to wheels? So I just find out a couple of minutes that the city is trying to cap a sulfur spring that has been busted since we had a huge earthquake a few years ago. Anyhow, they are draining the sulfur straight down the street and it engulfed my two passenger wheels. I jsut got these new wheels not even two weeks ago and they look all messed up. I'm curious if sulfur can mess up my wheels at all? I tired wiping them down with some wheel wax and nothing... Any help is appreciated!
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09-11-2007, 02:14 PM	#2
HyperM3 Too many Alex's, from now on, call me Beaufort 342 Rep 6,188 Posts Drives: See Sig Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lawrenceville, NJ iTrader: (8)	Wont do anything in its pure state. If anything, it might clean your wheels. __________________ 13 HD FatBob 17 A4 Glacier/Black 1st Edition/Pre+/Sport/EurocodeTMD/Racechip 16 S6 (gone),14 S6 (gone),14 S6 (gone),13 S6 (gone),10 S4 (gone) 07 335i(gone)
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09-11-2007, 02:20 PM	#3
Gort Klaatu Barada Nikto 30 Rep 1,169 Posts Drives: 2017 X3-35i Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: A Bipolar Planet iTrader: (0)	Nothing like brimstone flow to mess up the neighborhood. Are you talking molten elemental sulfur? Anything that is going that is going to screw up the finish on the wheels most likely. I would scrape off as much as possible with a plastic spackling blade, and then clay bar the rest as best as possible.
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09-11-2007, 02:41 PM	#4
gonzo Lieutenant General 10202 Rep 14,398 Posts Drives: as many as possible Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: TeXXXas iTrader: (0)	Make them smell like toooots? __________________ Crazy Diamond
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09-11-2007, 02:44 PM	#5
7586 Private First Class 12 Rep 128 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: May 2007 Location: central cali iTrader: (0)	Yeah, it smelt horrible!
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09-11-2007, 04:05 PM	#7
BMXtreme Lieutenant Colonel 59 Rep 1,657 Posts Drives: E60 535i Join Date: May 2007 Location: Redmond, WA iTrader: (3) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	keep snakes away from your car.
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09-11-2007, 09:26 PM	#9
UncleWede Long Time Admirer, First Time Owner 18031 Rep 9,378 Posts Drives: G01 X3 M40i Dark Graphite Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oxnard, CA iTrader: (0)	It might be tough to blame the city if it was truly left over from an earthquake, "Act of God or Nature"
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