I'm having a terrible time keeping my 17's clean and free of break dust. Has anyone found a product that will repel brake dust from the wheels? I don't feel like changing the brake pads already.

 

Yes, change the brake pads. There are those that greatly reduce the dust produced. Otherwise, look at all that dust as evidence of your motoring expeditions and enjoy it!

 

I think Moss sells a cover for your breaks... sort of like a vented pie-pan... It's an idea, but I love being able to see the breaks behind the rims.. that way you can avoid the plastic hub-cap look...

Rocketboy_X

 

I've heard those covers tend to heat the rotors and pads up more. One of the reasons that the dust ends up on your rims is that the air blowing across the rotors is flowing out through the wheels. If you put some plastic thing in the way it reduces the cooling. Less cooling = more heat = brake fade = no stopping.

FatBob
EB S

 

I think one of the biggest problems with the 17's is the wheel design itself. Don't get me wrong, I love the look and have them too. I have noticed on wheels that have no "lip" protruding from the inside circumference to hold stuff behind the wheel, it just spills out to the front and looks awful. When the wheels have some material there it almost acts like a dam and keeps more of the crap out of site.

I don't know if there is much you can do but clean them or just don't use the brakes. :smile:

Just my $.02.

 

Pull the wheels off and put on a good wax. The dust will rinse off easier. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Drive. :smile:


Florida Mini owners

 

I have 16", just hit 500 miles today [took a photo of the speedometer since I'm such a geek - while driving down the road mind you with my digital camera]

break dust is all over, had my car for 5 days, even washed her yesterday. It's rained twice in LA over the past five days. we are in the middle of a huge drought, largest in decades and it has rained not once but twice. tires are still dirty w/dust but otherwise Gidget is squeaky clean.

the pans aren't a good idea since they can over heat the brake pads. i'll eventually change the pads, but it's too early for me to spend the $ on it.

 

The pans look well vented, but then again, you have pans behind your rims... The solution reminds me of Moss's extra cup holder... Yes, it works, but do you really want it anyways? but so far, the easiest way I've found to clean them is some foaming tire wet (i like black magic better then armor-all extra strength...) and a hose... let the tire wet sit for 10 minutes or so, then hose it off... that'll get most of it off...


Rocketboy_X

 

The wheel guards are a bike nono. 4 VWs a XR4Ti and a Mustang later, I had them on each and every car (as did my girlfriend on her Hon-duh) and each car has glazing on the pads, and warped and cracked rotors. So, says I, how about an experiment. I used an infrared thermo gun from work and measured a 0-25 stop with the covers and with out the covers. Results? The covers resulted in 3 times as much heat build up on the rotor surface.... I have coated my white wheels with Boat Wax and the dust hoses right off...
Alex

 

>>The wheel guards are a bike nono. 4 VWs a XR4Ti and a Mustang later, I had them on each and every car (as did my girlfriend on her Hon-duh) and each car has glazing on the pads, and warped and cracked rotors. So, says I, how about an experiment. I used an infrared thermo gun from work and measured a 0-25 stop with the covers and with out the covers. Results? The covers resulted in 3 times as much heat build up on the rotor surface.... I have coated my white wheels with Boat Wax and the dust hoses right off...
>>Alex<<

Any particular brand of Boat Wax, Alex? Thanks for the tip...

Cheers!
Clover

 

My problem is that I haven't been able to scrub my rims due to the winter here (in chicago and can only go to automatic washes bla bla bla).

ANYWAY.....It was warm enough for me to hand wash my Mini over the weekend and my front rims seemed to be stained now!!

Has anyone had this problem and found a solution to get the stains out? Looking for a product.

Thanks

 

Best stuff for cleaning your wheels is Griots Garage Wheel Cleaner. Avaliable at http://www.griotsgarage.com. Or call at 800/345-5789.
Good luck and enjoy your clean Mini.

 

I've found that Simple Green works great - squirt it on the wheels and let it soak for a few. Then get a towl and it wipes right of. Rinse your towl often. I plan on putting some wax on them eventually. Had my MINI for a week - if anyone says anything about it Pippin and I will charge them and make more break dust while they get dust in their shorts

 

BMW...I mean MINI brake pads are notorious for horrendous brake dust. Best deal is to change them. I'll be switching to EBC Green Stuff the day my MCS comes home; BMW wisdom now extended to you :smile:

Cheers,
Ryan

 

>>I've found that Simple Green works great -

I can confirm that simple green works wonders on my white wheels.

 

Simple Green not only is the best solution for brake dust it is also a safe biodegradeable product. (Most wheel cleaners are pretty toxic) Nothing works better for cleaning bike chains and such, it removes the sticky element of the brake dust and easily wipes off.

 

Changing the pads is the only real solution. But in Australia we use a product called "De-Solv-it". Every Australian knows of this stuff and uses it for everything. It cleans anything and everything with no damage at all. (except leather) It is Citrus based. Unfortunatly the active ingrediant is not listed on the bottle.

You spray it on move it round a bit with a soft mag wheel cleaning brush and wash it off. After the wheel is dry if you then give it another light spray and you can leave it on and the dust will come off without any brushing at all the next time.

This stuff is so safe you can drink it.

If someone is really keen and could resiprocate in some way I am happy to send them a bottle or two.

Cheers

 

I had the Kleen Wheels on my MCS adn they are now in the trash. They work fine, nd my brakes work fine under them, but I am worried about the warranty. I now remember that a sticker in the car said (paraphrasing) 'brake dust shields will void your warranty, Scott'.

Plus, I read a bunch of other threads on the topic here and this is the conclusion I have drawn: Motoring is an experience that INCLUDES washing your car and making her pretty after you use her. You can improve her so she doesn't kick out as much dust. You can wax her so the dust doesn't stick. But the shields cause more harm than good. The price of convenience was too high in this case.

Oh, and anyone want a used set (4) of Kleen Wheels Brake Dust Shields?

 

>>BMW...I mean MINI brake pads are notorious for horrendous brake dust. Best deal is to change them. I'll be switching to EBC Green Stuff the day my MCS comes home; BMW wisdom now extended to you :smile:
>>
>>Cheers,
>>Ryan

ryan,
is that the name of the brake pads? I hate the brake dust and am considering changing the pads out even before the stock ones wear out.

 

EBC makes a few types... Green stuff for road usage...I think there's a Black stuff for the track, etc, etc.

 

For the last couple hours I've been spending some TLC time with my 17 8-spoke white wheels. I saw a picture of a MINI where their white wheels where white all the way inside. Ever since I picked up my MCS, the inside of the white was dirty. So I've pulled each wheel one by one off of my car so I can get at the backside of the rims. Now they look very clean and whilte. I just wonder how long it will last???

 

If there's a spray-on-wash-off product which does not include wiping and/or using a soft brush, somebody speak up, because I don't think it exists. Waxing the wheels seems like only thing that might help a bit. After that, I'd guess any product made for rim cleaning would work about the same: spray on, wait a bit, wipe off- you've got to physically clean them anyway, and that will include a brush, a rag, and your hands. Re: cleaning the inner part of white (or any) wheels: I'm sure that going to the trouble of taking the wheels off to clean them will keep them spotless- until you use the brakes again.

 

I installed the EBC greenstuff pads from The TireRack. NO MORE DUST! I have driven over two hubdreds miles since putting them on and when I wipe my fingers on the rims ITS GONE! Thanks a bunch EBC.