my R53 i purchased was in amazing shape except for the wheels. the previous owner didnt clean them much and now the rims have baked on brake dust. ive tried a few cleaners out there but nothing takes this stuff off. is it a part of the rim now and should i get them refinished or is there a SAFE product out there thatll help out here. thanks alot

 

it's probably on there for good, got through the clearcoat....probably cheaper just pick up a used set from the board, it'll cost you probably just as much to refinish. but if you wish to do something different (like hot pink color) use http://www.wheelcollision.com

 

Before posting your question, you really ought to look for other similar discussions in the general Detailing101 area.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...splay.php?f=12

There is a current discussion with your exact same question here.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=130175

 

When nothing else is working I go to the Mr. clean sponge.

 

i'd try some polish too... if that fails, sand it down and give it another
coat of silver.

wurth paint is bbs silver.

 

I have never had anything that simple green could not remove. Spray it on, let it dry, spray it on again and hit it with elbow grease and a pressure washer.

 

Look at the thread Richard posted.

You can go with the advice of using Megs Wheel Bright. as it does work wonders with little effort.

I once cleaned rims/wheels that had 4-5 years of brake dust built up with the following process. (server is down so I can't post the pic sorry).

Wash
Wheel Bright.
Clay with Megs Blue Clay
Wheel Bright.
Rinse
NXT Wax

Owner was very impressed to say the least as he never thought they'd turn out as they did.

 

Also keep in mind that brake dust can be corrosive. When baked on and left for a long time, it can actually etch your wheels a bit, similar to how an acid would.

In most extreme cases like you're describing, what you're seeing is a combination of stubborn brake dust and the pitting caused by brake dust etching- both can look quite similar since the pits usually have some brake dust stain in the middle of them. Once all staining is removed, the pitting usually looks like tiny black dots and you can sometimes see that they are concave.

Everyone has already offered some good suggestions for cleaning off the brake dust residue. In addition, remember that you can treat painted wheels (I'm assuming they're painted because most wheels are although they may not be) in a similar way as your body paint. In other words, you can use abrasive polishes (ie, Prima Swirl would be a good bet) on your wheels to abrade off your stains.

Another product suggestion is Prima Wheel Armour, which contains a strong wheel polish/cleanser as well as a final protective coating.

As for your probable pitting that may still remain after removing the stubborn stains, the unfortunate truth is that these have to be machined out and then repainted (or you could leave them unpainted) in order to physically fix them. As ImagoX mentioned, the etching may have penetrated your clearcoat. As a result, your wheels may have some clearcoat left in some places and not in others.

The good news is that it's likely that most of what you're seeing is staining and only a small portion is etching. So I would suggest cleaning them up and then determine how good/bad the etching is.

Good luck!

-Heather

 

I just thought of another idea that may have been mentioned already, but the Mr clean magic eraser may be worth trying.

 

Well I am a new owner and don't have much experience in cars but I am OCD about how clean I can keep my Mini. Today I did a tire rotation and I had those little black blobs that I assume come from the brakes. Well after an hour of rubbing with cleaners and clay bar. I began to think they got on the wheel cause of heat. Sooooo if I add heat then it will be easier to work with. That is when I got out the heat gun that I have had for years just sitting there for when my outside pipes freeze. Well at first I took it really slow cause this was totally my screw up if it went wrong. Soo as I began to add heat to it the easier it began to clean up. Before I knew it that stuff came off without needing to ice my elbow. My wheels were unscathed and looked shinier than ever. I have stock aluminum alloy wheels anything else I think i would have been to afraid to do it.
Good Luck!! In the fight againt BRAKE DUST I hate it with a passion.