Brake dust problem

V

vdubrick

New member
Hallo Fellow Forum Members,

I am looking for your help on cleaning and keeping clean these alu wheels, which I have on my Bimmer. They are PITA to clean and there are some baked brake dust which I couldn't get rid of even using special BMW wheel cleaning brush and wheel cleaner. Is it OK to use some polish on the spots ? I'm also planning to buy P21S Gel stuff. Do you think this would help ?

Any help is appreciated.

Here's a pic of my wheel, 18"

bmwstlye72m.jpg


Deckard
 
I used Armour All wheel cleaner just once to really get the brake dust off the wheel. Then I put a coat of AIO on which cleaned it even more but coated it. Now the brake dust comes right off with shampoo and either a terry, or a light brushing with and OXO. I would not recommend using Armour All regularly, but if you really have a mess, it does work and I don't the one time will cause any problems... it hasn't on my 330 wheels.



H
 
Your wheels are painted and clear-coated. You think THOSE are bad - try the M5 wheels! anyway, whatever goes for automotive paint goes for your wheels. Polishes and cleaners are fine. There is a fairly harsh chemical spray called "brake cleaner" - can be used on the tough spots. But then, as recommended, wax 'em. They will clean easier from then on.

Be sure you do NOT ( as some unfortunate M5 souls learned the hard way) buy "mag wheel cleaner" or equiv. <strong class='bbc'>This is an acid[/b] and it will completely destroy the paint on your wheels.
 
P21s is a very good product but Eimann Fabrik Hi Intensity is a much better buy. I agree a good coat of AIO helps aid in cleaning.
 
I would say that you should get dust free brake pads. Most people don't like them saying that they might be unsafe and don't brake as well. Well news to them they make OEM dustless pads, they're just really expensive !!!!! :)
 
Stop using your brakes and just buy some real good thick boots for your feet. That will solve your brake dust problem. :)
 
Thanks Waxman !

My question was actually not about preventing brake dust but baked spots on the wheels. But I would be glad to see a picture of your boots

lach.gif


Deckard
 
Mine produces a lot of brake dust and it is a PIA to keep up with. I make sure I wash my wheels at LEAST once a week.



Remember, your wheels are clear coated just like your paint, so before you spray harsh acid cleaners on them, ask yourself would I use this on my paint??



Buy a soft brush and some wheel cleaner. I like to use simple green on my wheels for the initial cleaning step. Some people have had problems with simple green on here, but I think they had non clear coated billet wheels. Once they come clean, apply your favorite polymer sealant. If some spots are stubborn, use an abrasive product like NU FINISH to get the rest of the dirt off as a last resort.



Once this is done, your wheels should come clean every wash (assuming you wash it every 1-2 weeks) with a sponge and car wash. There is no need to use those harsh wheel cleaners each time you wash the car.
 
These guys are right....take the time to give your wheels a good cleaning, then coat then with a synthetic barrier, such as Klasse, Nu-Finish, Zaino, etc. They make it super easy to clean your wheels, with soap and water and/or a QD.
 
There's only 1 brake dust adhesion preventative on the market soley for this reason. Rain-X wheel protectant. It puts a layer between your wheel and the brake dust so it just washes off. Use this on a Klassed wheel and you've got yourself a nice little system (like I do ;))
 
I know some guys that had warped rotors as a result of those things limiting airflow and cooling. If you late model large disk brakes, I wouldn't recommend using KLEENWHEELS. Too bad though, it is a great concept.
 
A few years ago when my farther ordered a new 3 series he also added a OE option of a product similar to Kleenwheels. I do not know if it is still an option but it may be worth giving BMW a call.



Steven

Alfa 164
 
Think TWICE about using brake dust shields such as "Kleenwheels."

Despite their claims, they increase brake component temperatures, and can lead to improper wheel torque.

Please refer to BMW's official stance on brake dust shields:

Dean

dustshields.jpg
 
Interesting that BMW knows of the problem and knows what not to do, but doesn't offer how to fix the problem.



VW fixed their problems, well half of them! ;) So they got so many complaints from owners that, they replaced their oem pads with dustless ones. The problem is they only did it on front wheels. Now on many VW's the rear wheels have all the dust! As I mentioned before the kicker is the these dustless pads for the rear are really expensive.
 
I phoned my farther about the products designed to keep the wheels clean, he said they were not from BMW and later on the dealer recommended he should remove them, which he did.



So I should take more notice of my farther and do some research before posting. I will try both in future.



I have checked several BMW sites and newsgroups - all of them say to stay away from products like Kleenwheels.



Steven

Alfa 164 (big brake dust problem - but the brakes are very good)
 
Unfortunately, if you want brakes that work well, ALL quality pads create a good amount of dust. By quality I do not mean durable (not having to change pads for 80k miles)...I mean grabby. It is a double edged sword and unfortunately, the chemical composition of the brake pads in use today have to follow the laws of physics.



I agree that some manufacturers use pads that dust a lot more than others. But, I NEVER see heavy dust on cars that have puny brakes...do you?



I for one will take TONS of brake dust and the ability to stop on a dime rather than no dust and have less braking capability.
 
I got EBC Greenstuff pads for my car, and they dust considerably less than stock pads. Also, the dust is a lighter color, which makes it more difficult to notice. I think the EBC compound is a carbon kevlar material. The brakes work a little better than stock (although not that much of a difference) and dust less. That's a win-win situation for me. The price for a set of pads was about $150 for front and rears, which is not that much worse than the stock pad cost of about $100/set.



Dom

1991 Alfa 164S
 
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