sport pkg BRAKE DUST PROBLEMS
 

anybody have tremendous amounts of brake dust very shortly after washing their sport pkg rims? im talking bout the 5 spoke 17" ones that come on 325's

This is normal

so, they make you pay extra for nicer rims, then say its against warranty to install brake dust shields. interesting. do they want us to have dirty cars?

Brake dust shields are a HUGE no no. They block valuable cooling airflow, thus causing brakes to overheat.

No, of course they don't want us to have dirty cars. It's in the fine print in the enthusiast guidebook. BMW ownership is expensive, both monetarily, and time wise. :thumbup:

Yes, I HATE dirty dust covered rims... so much so that I wipe down my wheels after every drive. It actually doesn't take that long, and if you do it often, the rims never get pitted and stained and always look brand new so it's a worthwhile investment for me. But yes, after even one short drive I'm amazed at how much dust splotches all over the front rims. It has nothing to do with the type of wheel you have, it happens to all of them.

Do you ever notice how many peeps in Bimmers drive around with so much brake dust on their wheels, they've turned black? : puke: That just disgusts me!

I'm thinking about getting some replacement pads that dust less, any suggestions?

--J.

Dust...
 

I just bought my first BMW, 330i with HSP and HPP and I'm surprised how much dust gets on the wheels. I even asked my dealer about this and they told me it's normal. What do you recommend to use for cleaning the dust? I've been using Simple Green, but is there anything else anyone uses?

I use tire foam, usually Armor-All. I spray the tire and the wheel then wipe off the wheel...Tire and wheel looks great. If I stay up on wiping the wheels, I don't need to use the foam every time...Maybe every 2nd or 3rd time that I wipe them down. Which means I might use the foam once every week or two. I'm obsessive enough that I think about cleaning them every day, if not after every drive like JonathanIT, but I'm not ambitious enough to make it happen. Obsessive-Compulsive and Lazy; makes for some interesting conversations inside my head. :loco:

Alternatively, instead of (or in addition to) brake pads, try Klass AIO & SG. Does take a little work, though. See the detailing forum here:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63945

Hehe...that would be me. My wheels are graphite right now.

The brake dust issue isn't limited to SP equipt cars.

Two words: Axis Deluxe.

Mintex Red Box pads work very well too.

The Axxis Deluxe Plus will help the dust issue at a cost of some braking performance.

Anyone who installs dust shields should have their car summarily seized. I can think of very few things you can do to your car that are more dangerous.

If you wax your rims when they are clean, they will be easier to clean again. However, the wax will wear much more quickly than it does on your paint. If you hand wash your car (and you should :p ) use your sponge to clean the wheels after you wash the body. Then after you dry the car, use a paper towel or something soft (cotton cloth) to clean up what's left. Normally if this is done frequently there is no accumulation problem.

I saw MrClean have some sort of Magic wheel cleaning solution that is sold under the spot-free autowash line. Anybody tried these?

I'm always afraid of wheel cleaning products eating my finish...

Replacement pads
 

Either the Hawk or the Akebono ceramic will solve the problem. Don't go nuts with the performance, track versions, etc. The simple ones will work just fine and are a better pad than the OEM.

posted this a few times already. I can't remember when I looked at my car and said, Damn the wheels get dirty so fast.

Invest in all 4 pads (the fronts get dirtier faster since the have to exert more stopping power than the rears - inertia.

This is the single most best thing I ever did for the car. :thumbup:

MAKe sure you seat them per the instructions on the box!!!!!!!!!

It's easy but important to do that. I did it 8X modderate stop from 35 - 45 MPH followed by 5X hard stop from at least 50.

Carbotech Bobcats.

And the way they're wearing so far (20k on them) they should last me 3x longer than stocks (26k)

Simple Green?! Would you spray Simple Green on your paint? Well, the wheel is finished the same way with clearcoat on top of color coat. Simple Green will dull and discolor your wheels with time. It's hard to notice that but compare them with your spare and you'll see how dull and yellow they got.

I agree that with moderately dirty wheels it's best to just use car shampoo but if they get really dirty use dedicated wheel cleaner. I like Eagle One's A2Z, BMW wheel cleaner and Meguiar's Hot Rims.

I don't feel like polishing my wheels so from time to time I just use Klasse All-In-One but NuFinish is also a good alternative for wheels.

All German pads will leave black dust, I think that TUV mandates the use of certain materials in pads. I got a set of Axxis Deluxe Plus pads and don't think about brake dust anymore.

Exactly right. He lucked out by having a sport package. If he had a performance package and mentioned this question, he had been stoned to death already. :p

This problem is hardly related to the sports package. All modern BMWs are like this.

The issue of brake dust has been discussed to death, if you'd like a solution to your problem do a search on "brake dust" and you will see there are hundreds of solutions to "your" problem.

Wax is generally not recommended, due to its low melting point (brake dust is hot). At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, Read This Fine Thread:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63945

I have a similar solution, but much less work! Yeah, I also had heard that regular wax was a no-no on wheels. I just use an OTC polymer/wash one-step spray (made for standard auto paint finishes, but I only use it on the wheels). After washing the car I just spray it on the wheels and dry. The real secret, however, is wiping them down often with this: Adam's Detail Spray. It's a super easy wipe-off-the-dust job, and it leaves the wheels slippery and smooth so nothing ever sticks. After more than eight months since my last wash, my wheels are still slick and spotless. :)

Also it's the best I've found for an all around detail spray, it's awesome stuff. And it smells like cotton candy.

But, I would still be interested in brake pads that give off less dust. Maybe I will investigate the brands mentioned.

--J.

While a lot of people swear by Meg's Hot Rims, it's acidic (IIRC), and you're not supposed to get it on any brake parts (e.g., rotors, calipers, etc.). The issues seem to be:

• If there's any clearcoat damage, the acid might eat away at the aluminum (the instructions do say to rinse it off after 15 seconds, after all, which might minimize any damage).
• How do you not get it on any brake parts (unless you pull the wheels)???

I've got a bottle, but I'm not sure if I really want to use it. Maybe if you only use it once (and then keep the wheels clean using something else, like Klass)?

:stupid: :loco:

Yeah, ditto. Next thing you know, there will be Sports Package gas threads, Sports Package rear view mirror question threads, etc. Sheesh, I mean where will it stop!? :bigpimp: :angel:

What about all use Premium Package owners.... We need PP gas, PP blinker fluid, PP wax, PP headliner cleaner, PP rear view mirrors, etc., etc., etc. :lmao:

I don't think you have enuf PP. :rofl: