Wheel Cleaning and Break Dust

M

Mom2Boyz9600

New member
I want to start off saying I love this site, I have learned so much! I just bought a 2008 Maxima, I spent most of the day detailing it with all the advice I have gotten on here. But there is one thing I am confused about....I have these beautiful wheels, but all I can see is the dirty brakes behind them and it's driving me crazy! Are there any tricks to get in there and clean it off? I tried a sponge but no luck. Thank you in advance! You all are awesome!
 
Welcome! Autopia will do that to you ;)



Ahhh... the good ol' days of reaching into the wheels with a sponge to clean the inside of the wheels and the brake components; potentially roughing your hands up in the process.



I'd recommend getting a dedicated wheel brush. The ones with handles and bristles all around like the E-Z Detail Brush. They cost a bit more than regular brushes, but they're totally worth it.



A dedicated wheel cleaner or APC will also do wonders with breaking down the grime for easy wipe off cleaning.
 
Mom2Boyz9600 said:
...all I can see is the dirty brakes behind them and it's driving me crazy! Are there any tricks to get in there and clean it off?
Click to expand...



Welcome to Autopia!



IF the brake calipers themselves are what bugs you, they can often be cleaned up, and even painted (and that also helps make it easier to keep them looking nice in the future). IF they're really nasty, it might be worth replacing them with rebuilt calipers and painting those (rather than struggling for ages with the original ones).



Sometimes just giving the calipers a thorough cleaning (wheels off the car for access) can be enough. Brake parts cleaner (be careful, some are very flamable) and/or a steamer can sometimes work wonders.



The brake rotors can be tricky. Getting the existing rust off so paint will stay on can be challenging. You could start with new rotors, and they are often available with plating/etc. (though such finishes seldom hold up well to winter salt/etc. IME) if you don't want to try painting them (painting the unswept areas that is, the areas that the brake pads do *not* clamp onto when stopping the car).



It's sorta a question of how far you want to go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top