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Brake dust revisited

155K views 198 replies 114 participants last post by  Silver quick 
#1 ·
Brake dust and its removal/prevention seems to be an ongoing problem for many detailers. Replacing your OEM brake pads with low-dust after market pads will reduce the dust problem, but so far as I know there are no pads that will eliminate brake dust. This still leaves us with the problem of dealing the dust.

There are many special wheel cleaner products on the market, each with its own hype and its loyal band of followers. I don't endorse nor recommend any of the special wheel cleaner products because I don't think that they are needed and I haven't used them for a long, long time.

I use a secret wheel treatment that allows me to clean off the brake dust usually using nothing more than a cotton towel and a spritz of distilled water - - only occasionally do I need to add a little car shampoo to the water - - and heavier pressure than lightly wiping is never needed.

A year or two ago all of the wildly differing suggestions/recommendations on this and other detailing forums led me to do some comparative experimenting. I started by doing a thorough cleaning and polishing of all four wheels, then applied one recommended product to the left side wheels and another product to the right side wheels. After driving for awhile I would then compare the dust accumulation on each side and the ease (or difficulty) of removal. Another thorough cleaning, the winning product on the opposite side and a new product on the other side.

It didn't take long to realize that all of the carnauba waxes attracted a lot of dust and were difficult to clean without using a special cleaning product and/or a lot of scrubbing. Closer examination and a little experimenting showed that with even fairly light braking the wheels heated enough to soften even the best carnauba. The heat softened wax retains a great deal more dust than an unwaxed area! Quite a bit of the retained brake dust is trapped under the surface of the wax and cannot be removed without removing the wax.

Progressing on to the synthetic protectants showed a marked improvement - - much less dust retention and much easier cleaning. The "combination" synthetics such as Blackfire and Platinum UPP did not do as well as the "pure" synthetics such as Klasse and Zaino. Zaino attracted/retained slightly less dust than Klasse, but IMO Klasse was the product of choice because of its ease of application.

Recently I decided that it was time to compare my winners to some of the new (to me) products. As expected the carnaubas were poor perfomers, and the combination synthetics such as NXT and Wolfgang did not come up to the level of the pure synthetics. Menzerna was as good or maybe slightly better that Klasse for dust retention, and was easier to clean that either Klasse or Zaino.

I think that I will continue to use Klasse on my wheels and not switch to Menzerna because if you're not very careful when applying Menzerna it's easy to leave too much product on the wheels - - and this can lead to pink stains that are very difficult to remove.

 
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#27 ·
wheelguy said:
[snip] …. You are right about waxes melting and making matters worse. The polymers bond to the wheels, last longer and help protect the wheel surface. We combined three elements in our formula. A cleaner to remove old brake dust that is baked onto the wheel, amino functional silicones to seal the painted surface and an anti static element to help repel the dust. The rule of thumb these days is don't use anything to clean your wheels that you wouldn't use on your fenders. They are both covered with clear coats and can be damaged by acidic formulas. There is nothing in WheelWax that can harm paint or wheels. You can use it in the sun, leave it on for days and it comes off just as easily.

Send me an e-mail or call me and I will send you a jar for your evaluation. Hope this helps.

All the best,
Bruce
Wheel Wax is one of the many wheel care products that I evaluated in my comparative testing. Although it may be the product of choice for some, for me it didn't perform nearly as well as Zaino or Klasse.

I currently use Klasse on all three of my cars; Z3 and xB with silver gray wheels and MINI with white wheels. Normally a spritzing with Sonüs Acrylic Glanz and a wipe with a terry towel is all that is needed to remove all of the brake dust. Occasionally - - like after very spirited driving in the twisties where the brakes have gotten pretty hot - - there will be a few spots of dust that do not wipe off easily. In those cases I apply a little Klasse AIO and the dust comes right off with no problem. Every 1,000 miles or so I go over the entire wheel with AIO and top with two coats of Klasse HGSG.

On wheels it can be difficult to apply an appropriately thin layer of HGSG because of the odd shapes, crevices and curves, and this can make the HGSG hard to buff out. A spritz of Sonüs and a light rub with a MF towel takes care of the problem.

I'm perfectly satisfied with my Klasse method and cannot imagine an easier method - - until somebody develops a self-cleaning wheel.
 
#31 ·
those things are actually bad for your braking performance even though they say it doesnt. not that you wont stop as fast , but your brakes arent cooling off like they need too. those things block dust from getting out and block cool air from coming in and hitting the brakes. i would never use them. its for lazy people who dont find it necessary to wipe their wheels when they wash there car
 
#32 ·
I'm starting to get some staining on my rims (the 5 spoke ones in post # 19) and am wondering what I can do to remove/prevent this from happening before it gets out of hand. I wash my car every week so there's not a lot of buildup. I don't understand why this is happening. Please help :dunno:
 
#33 ·
zentenn said:
I'm starting to get some staining on my rims (the 5 spoke ones in post # 19) and am wondering what I can do to remove/prevent this from happening before it gets out of hand. I wash my car every week so there's not a lot of buildup. I don't understand why this is happening. Please help :dunno:
My experience with stock BMW pads is that they dust heavily in one day. They work great on the street and are rotor-friendly, but they produce a lot of dust. On the street, I now run Axxis Deluxe Plus pads, which dust a lot less. Audi pads are the same, they dust heavily. I'm assuming it's a TUV thing with pad content.

I'm back to using Wheel Wax on my wheels, instead of RejeX. It's a time thing; it's very easy to apply, dries quickly (and changes color in the process), and is easy to buff. Easy enough to do almost every time I wash the car. It's worked well for me over the last year or so. I wind up cleaning my wheels thoroughly at each washing anyway (often involving tar remover, which removes wax), so an easy-to-apply product fits my needs.

I might be crazy, but with stock pads you have to clean your wheels almost daily to keep them free of brake dust. It was annoying me when working on the rear of the car (brake dust everywhere, even up on my trunk lid). Hence the pad change.
 
#35 ·
FenPhen said:
Really? That's brake dust? :confused: I thought it was particulate matter from the exhaust. :dunno:
On my car, it was brake dust. Everywhere on the underside in the rear, and then some on the bumper cover, the trunk lid and the tops of the rear fenders. Lots of it inside the rear bumper cover. Gone with the change to Axxis Deluxe Plus pads.

I can't speak for other cars, but the aero of the roadster brings brake dust up onto the trunk lid in fairly short order. Enough to warrant being careful about proximity to the trunk lid and bumper cover with light colored clothing if the car hadn't been washed in a few days.
 
#36 ·
dwm said:
My experience with stock BMW pads is that they dust heavily in one day. They work great on the street and are rotor-friendly, but they produce a lot of dust. On the street, I now run Axxis Deluxe Plus pads, which dust a lot less. Audi pads are the same, they dust heavily. I'm assuming it's a TUV thing with pad content.

I'm back to using Wheel Wax on my wheels, instead of RejeX. It's a time thing; it's very easy to apply, dries quickly (and changes color in the process), and is easy to buff. Easy enough to do almost every time I wash the car. It's worked well for me over the last year or so. I wind up cleaning my wheels thoroughly at each washing anyway (often involving tar remover, which removes wax), so an easy-to-apply product fits my needs.

I might be crazy, but with stock pads you have to clean your wheels almost daily to keep them free of brake dust. It was annoying me when working on the rear of the car (brake dust everywhere, even up on my trunk lid). Hence the pad change.
Thanks for the pad recommendation, but I want to know how to remove the stains
 
#37 ·
zentenn said:
Has anyone tried these?

Wheel Shields
I tried these out on my truck.

They do have vents cut in them for air to get in, but your wheels do get extremely hot. Also, they do not completely work. I still get a decent collection of dust on the rims that gets through the cracks.

The best thing when I had my car was buy Axxis Deluxe Plus pads. I should have done that as my first mod.

I hope they come out for the E90 soon.
 
#38 ·
Mikey will try anything once.

wheelguy said:
I then worked with a chemist to develop WheelWax (acutally a polymer, not a wax) and have been marketing it for 3 years now to fellow BMW drivers. I would be glad to send you a jar for your evaluation and you can find more information at www.wheelwax.com where you will also find my phone number for questions.

You are right about waxes melting and making matters worse. The polymers bond to the wheels, last longer and help protect the wheel surface. We combined three elements in our formula. A cleaner to remove old brake dust that is baked onto the wheel, amino functional silicones to seal the painted surface and an anti static element to help repel the dust. The rule of thumb these days is don't use anything to clean your wheels that you wouldn't use on your fenders. They are both covered with clear coats and can be damaged by acidic formulas. There is nothing in WheelWax that can harm paint or wheels. You can use it in the sun, leave it on for days and it comes off just as easily.

Send me an e-mail or call me and I will send you a jar for your evaluation. Hope this helps.

All the best,

Bruce
I'd like to try the product, but I have a question about the formula. You said that it has a cleaner and protectant built in? Has anyone else tried it yet. I'll volunteer, as I have just about given up trying to keep my 330 wheels clean.

cjwheeling
 
#39 ·
cjwheeling said:
I'd like to try the product, but I have a question about the formula. You said that it has a cleaner and protectant built in? Has anyone else tried it yet. I'll volunteer, as I have just about given up trying to keep my 330 wheels clean.

cjwheeling
I tried this stuff. It didn't make one difference. Used it once, didn't like it and never used it again. It seems like it's regular wax to me. I emailed the seller for a refund (they have a money back gaurantee), never heard back.
 
#40 ·
bad BAD brake dust... help!

I just bought a 2001 330i and one of the gorgeous rims is just riddled with dark brown brake dust - I mean REALLY caked on there so thick - so bad that it will not budge with several different so-called 'no scrub' brake dust 'dissolving' sprays. I've tried full strength simple green and something from Eagle I think.

I can take my key and scrape a bit of it off but obviously this isn't going to be good for the wheel. I've tried 3 different brushes of varying strength and it just sits there, laughing, taunting me. I'm thinking about even trying a small plastic paint scraper!?

Anyone have any tips for getting this gunk off?
Help!:yikes:
 
#42 ·
Help with these brake dust stains? Already tried Klasse.

Does anyone know how to get rid of these brake dust stains? They were present, but much smaller, on the wheels when I bought the car a few months ago. But, they seem to worsen in between washings. I've tried Klasse AIO to remove with no luck.
 

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#43 ·
Does anyone know how to get rid of these brake dust stains? They were present, but much smaller, on the wheels when I bought the car a few months ago. But, they seem to worsen in between washings. I've tried Klasse AIO to remove with no luck.
Maybe you should try a clay bar :dunno:
 
#45 ·
Sprays- stay away from the DuPont Spray

I tried the Armor All wheel cleaner, it was ok for light dust. I also tried the DuPont Teflon Wheel Cleaner, it sucks. :tsk: It removed nothing, I mean there was nothing removed- waste of money. I tried the Mequiars Gold All wheel cleaner, and that was the best so far. :thumbup: Nothing really beats my wheel brush, but for an "off the shelf" product, the Mequiars is good.
 
#46 ·
break dust stains

I have had a similar issue with the staining- but to lesser extent on my Lexus where the spokes radiate from the centre hub... I spent my summers working for GM many years ago and learned a few things while there. I have had great luck with a product called 3-M Finesse-It - it is used in the factory after spot paint touch ups to polish the paint (of course with a high speed buffer in the factory). It is a white polish (a little goes a long way!!) with just a bit of grit, apply it by hand with a clean, white 100% cotton towel or cloth, buff off with another clean, white, 100% cotton cloth/towel --it will not harm the paint finish.

dentate GTA
Ontario, CA
 
#48 ·
Change your pads to PBR Deluxe (was know as Repco in years past). I've used them on my tii for 30+ years and I even run them on my Tundra. They are fade free, squeel free and best of all, dust free. I never have to do anything special to clean my wheels when i wash the car. I get alot of comments on how great my wheels always look. See attached picture, 34 year old alloys with no visible tarnish or wear.
 
#50 ·
Do any of you guys use tire shine? I haven't for years now because they really muck up the wheel.

As for sprays; i have yet find anything that really works without harming the finish. So i go with soap water and brush once a week. I use this rediculosly large soft Meguires brush that has a detachable head. I also wear thick cotton gloves you can buy by the bag. I soak my hands gloves in the bucket of water and use them to get in between the crevasses of the wheels. Fast and doesn't hurt anything...

I have used steel wool on occasion when the stain or oxidation is really bad but its a last resort used sparingly on chrome type finish or where the clear is gone. It would probably work on eom wheels because they are durable..
 
#51 ·
I use Rejex on my wheels. As long as it doesn't rain I just remove the dust with a small california duster. If it rains I let them dry, hit them with the duster and get any remaining with a towel and some QD spray.
 
#52 ·
I have to give praise to Rejex as an excellent wheel protectant. I have applied it to both my sets of wheels. One I use for the street, stock style 135, and my 17" track wheels.

I had a track day on 4/9 which produced a pretty good cake of track pad dust on my Kosei's. I continued to drive on them until this past weekend, 11 days more of dust build up. They were pretty much black, front and back. I hosed them off, used warm water with my usual Meguire's Gold Class soap, and a small kitchen sponge. The dust just wiped right off. Not one stain, not one spec of dust remained. They look brand new!

I'm probably going to apply Rejex to my front bumper and paint below the waist-line during my next full detail. It's really good stuff to stand up to the abuse of track duty!
 
#53 ·
I use Zaino on my car.

Should I stick to Zaino for my wheels as well? (Z2 and use Z6 to clean?) I even have a bottle of Z-AIO I haven't tried yet.

Or should I go with Klasse AIO, and use the Sonus Acrylic Glanz to clean? I guess I'm trying to decide if its easier to keep it in the family or go with the Klasse because its that much better.

Also, would Sonus Rim Bright take all of the above off the wheel? Would that only be useful for initial cleaning, or as a replacement for the Acrylic Glanz on a coated wheel?
 
#54 ·
I can talk about Klasse cuz I use the twins on my car. I've used AIO on the wheels before, followed by one coat of HGSG.

Last fall I had a real mess on my hands of baked on dust. I spent hours getting my 135s clean. AIO did a really good job with most of it. I used Sonus SFX-1 for some of the mess that required a little abrasiveness. Clay bar too. I followed with HGSG and this lasted pretty well until spring.

I like Rejex better in this application. AIO will chemically clean any other protection you have from the wheels, I'm pretty sure about that. So to start fresh, it's a good step before applying other products. Even some Zaino users start with AIO.

I'm in the middle of a full-on detailing assault on my car, but next week after I've accumulated some dust, I'll take some pics that demonstrate the wonders of Rejex. I'm seriously thinking about using it below the belt line on this detail job.
 
#55 ·
I can talk about Klasse cuz I use the twins on my car. I've used AIO on the wheels before, followed by one coat of HGSG.

Last fall I had a real mess on my hands of baked on dust. I spent hours getting my 135s clean. AIO did a really good job with most of it. I used Sonus SFX-1 for some of the mess that required a little abrasiveness. Clay bar too. I followed with HGSG and this lasted pretty well until spring.

I like Rejex better in this application. AIO will chemically clean any other protection you have from the wheels, I'm pretty sure about that. So to start fresh, it's a good step before applying other products. Even some Zaino users start with AIO.

I'm in the middle of a full-on detailing assault on my car, but next week after I've accumulated some dust, I'll take some pics that demonstrate the wonders of Rejex. I'm seriously thinking about using it below the belt line on this detail job.
I've used RejeX on my cars for several years. Started using it on the exhaust tips (to minimize yellowing and carbon build up), then windshield (bug splats), then wheels. Works great, especially in high heat applications. Between washings, I use a California mini duster on the wheels.
 
#56 ·
How long does brake dust have to sit on the rim before it does any damage?
Does brake dust buildup affect the stopping power or the rotors of the car?
 
#57 ·
A week or two of heavy build-up and you're probably looking at some effort to get the wheels clean, if not protected with a synthetic sealant like Klasse or Rejex. I once went 2+ weeks between cleanings of my wheels with my track pads on, I had to spend an hour per wheel minimum to get them clean. That was the last time I will ever a) go that long, b) leave the wheels unprotected.

The dust doesn't stick to rotors, it gets polished off every time you use your brakes, but it will stick to everything else in there, including your paint on the body. This is why regular washings are important as is keeping the paint protected.

An ounce of prevention...
 
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