OK it was a long winter, new baby in the house (excuses, excuses).... I'm sorry I neglected My MINI. There is a significant amount of brake-dust deposits that WILL NOT COME OFF on my X-Lites. I've tried P21s gel cleaner to no avail. I even got out my clay-bar....it sort of works, but very very slowly if at all. Are my wheels pitted? Any suggestions for very stubborn brake dust deposits??? I think its too late and I'm screwed

 

I'm with you. Check out this thread I started a while back about getting embedded brake dust deposits off of my white wheels.

My most recent product purchase was Eagle A2Z Wheel Cleaner. It seems to do a decent job in the spray on/hose off method, but I haven't tried to scrub off those annoying black specks yet. No time this weekend.

A couple of other products people have recommended to me:

Wesley's Bleche-White
Castrol Super Clean
PS 21 Gel Wheel Cleaner

I guess you didn't have any luck with the PS 21. Did you use a brush?

Anyway, let me know if you get a good answer to this questions, and I'll do the same. We're both in the same boat here.

 

Veak:

If P21S Gel does not work then talk to Larry Reynolds from http://www.carcareonline.com
This guy is a real car care detail guru, he will be able to guide you in the right direction. I have been buying products from him for about 6 years now, he really knows his stuff. He sells a product called "Oil Flo Safety Solvent" which is listed on his website as the next step beyond P21S Gel cleaner for cleaning wheels with caked on brake dust. I had the same issue as you except it was on a volvo XC90, luckily the P21S gel cleaner removed all of the caked on brake dust.

Keep in mind one thing always use the least abrasive cleaning method otherwise you might damage the wheels finish. Once you get them clean give them a coat of rejex or zaino Z2.

hope this helps.

 

Once you get you rwheels cleaned, wax them so that they are easier to clean in the future.

 

A great way to clean brake dusts off my wheels is with a high pressure water blaster. No need for any harsh chemicals, acidic cleaners, and best of all, no scrubbing!! Mine is a Gerni 'Crown'...good for 1800 psi

 

A local used car salesman said they use WD-40 to remove tar and breakdust. I would definitely remove the wheels first -- I would think that you do not want WD-40 on your pads and rotors. Then it will probably take a LOT of gentle rubbing with a soft cloth to disolve it.

You can take this method 2 ways. Either they've (used car service center) done this so many times they've discovered the easiest fastest way to do it ... or that they don't give a hoot about what they do to a car -- let the new owner deal with the consequences. .... The guy is a neighbor, so I don't THINK he's the calious bas*&#$ used car salesman type.

Let us know your final results 'cause this is of concern to a lot of us.

 

>>Veak:
>>
>>If P21S Gel does not work then talk to Larry Reynolds from http://www.carcareonline.com

Where do you think I got the P21s? Larry is great, I get all of my stuff from him. I didn't even think to call him - good suggestion!

When if I get this embedded dust off, rejex or something is going on the wheels! I am also going to get rid of the OEM pads...or my wheels are getting powder coated "brake-dust gray" ops:

I like the suggestion of the pressure washer, but his stuff is really on there!

 

Veak:
After you talk to Larry please post what he says, I am interested to see what he suggests.

thanks,

 

"Once you get you rwheels cleaned, wax them so that they are easier to clean in the future."

I agree!

I wax the wheels whenever I wax my cars (polymer "wax" every 6 months or so). They collect lots of brake dust between washes but the wheels still clean up easily and completely.

Hopefully it's not too late for your wheels...

 

The subject of wheel care and dealing with brake dust seems to be an on going problems for many owners. In the past I’ve done quite a bit of experimenting with various methods and products, and here is what I’ve found:

Brake dust is acidic! If it sits on the clearcoat for any length of time it will eat a small pit in the clearcoat and further embed itself. Almost all wheels are clearcoated with the exception of some alloys and most chromes.

The best way to deal with brake dust is to prevent it from contacting the clearcoat.

The common method is to keep a good coat of carnauba wax on the wheel, but this creates another problem. Even with normal (non-spirited) driving the wheels get warm enough to soften the carnauba - - and this allows the dust to become trapped below the surface of the wax which means that the wax must be removed to remove the brake dust. Ordinary car wash shampoo is formulated to NOT remove carnauba wax, so either a lot of scrubbing or a strong alkaline wash is needed. If the wheels aren’t cleaned frequently this way, then the dust will still work its way down to the clearcoat and cause pitting.

A better method is to use a synthetic such as Klasse or Zaino on the wheels. These products do not soften with heat, so they do not trap the dust. They also provide a harder surface than carnauba which makes for easier cleaning.

How to deal with neglected wheels:
Wash and scrub with a high alkaline content detergent to remove all of the accumulated wax - - Dawn dish detergent is fine for this task. If there is stubborn embedded dust, then careful claying is the next step - - be sure to use plenty of lubricant to prevent causing fine marring. No need to use a dedicated lube - - car wash solution works just as well and is much less expensive. If claying is not sufficiently aggressive to get out the embedded dust, then it will be necessary to attack it just as you would any other paint defect - - find the least aggressive polish that will do the job, and then finish with a very mild polish to remove any hazing.

Once the dust has been removed:
Work each wheel with a synthetic cleaner such as Klasse AIO, then top with one or two coats of Klasse HGSG. Now you have a hard protective surface on your wheels. Wipe the dust off of the wheels every couple of hundred miles using your favorite car wash shampoo, even if you don’t wash the entire car! Reapply the HGSG every 2,000 miles or every two months, whichever comes first.

How do I know all of this? I did extensive comparative testing. I tried most of the high end carnaubas as well as several synthetics - - one product on one side and another product on the other side. After comparing dust accumulation and ease of removal I discarded the loser, and reapplied the winner to the other side and tried another product on the winning side (after a thorough removal of both products).

Caveat Emptor! Don’t believe anything I’ve said - - try it yourself and you’ll know for sure what works best for you! I refuse to get into pissing contests with anybody over detailing products or techniques.

 

>>OK it was a long winter, new baby in the house (excuses, excuses).... I'm sorry I neglected My MINI. There is a significant amount of brake-dust deposits that WILL NOT COME OFF on my X-Lites. I've tried P21s gel cleaner to no avail. I even got out my clay-bar....it sort of works, but very very slowly if at all. Are my wheels pitted? Any suggestions for very stubborn brake dust deposits??? I think its too late and I'm screwed


The P21s work.. YOu just need to leave it on there to do it's job for 45 minutes plus

Then it wipes off rather easily.

 

Must try this P21S stuff for my wheels, which were also neglected this winter. I have a similar problem with my Borla exhaust tip, which I'm no longer capable of getting back to silver with Simple Green.

 

In response to Buckdodgers. I have used WD-40 on my trailer wheels and it does work well removing caked on brake dust. The trick is to make sure that you don't rub it to hard and to reapply WD-40 occasionally so it doesn't get to dry and scratch the clearcoat. I have used this method once on my Mini wheels too and it worked though at the time I was wishing I knew if I was damaging the wheel. I am not discounting anyone elses suggestions only stating that WD-40 will work. Good luck.

 

I'm not complaining, but please stop telling us to wax/Zaino the wheels. The question is what to do AFTER the break dust gets on the wheel, not how to prevent it in the first place!

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to protect the wheels before they got dirty. Now I want to get the embedded particulates off BEFORE I use wax or a synthetic protectant.

I know it was kind of dumb not to do this first thing when I picked up the car, but I waited too long and the black specks started to stick. Thus this thread.

Again, I'm not complaining, just trying to focus the responses.

Thanks for all the input! :smile:

 

countym, stop complaining! If you had just waxed your wheels like you should have, you wouldn't be in this mess!

 

[quote]
countym, stop complaining! If you had just waxed your wheels like you should have, you wouldn't be in this mess!

 

How to deal with neglected wheels:
Wash and scrub with a high alkaline content detergent to remove all of the accumulated wax - - Dawn dish detergent is fine for this task. If there is stubborn embedded dust, then careful claying is the next step - - be sure to use plenty of lubricant to prevent causing fine marring. No need to use a dedicated lube - - car wash solution works just as well and is much less expensive. If claying is not sufficiently aggressive to get out the embedded dust, then it will be necessary to attack it just as you would any other paint defect - - find the least aggressive polish that will do the job, and then finish with a very mild polish to remove any hazing.

Once the dust has been removed:
Work each wheel with a synthetic cleaner such as Klasse AIO, then top with one or two coats of Klasse HGSG. Now you have a hard protective surface on your wheels. Wipe the dust off of the wheels every couple of hundred miles using your favorite car wash shampoo, even if you don’t wash the entire car! Reapply the HGSG every 2,000 miles or every two months, whichever comes first.

 

I spray simple green on the rims after the initial rinse of my car, prior to the washing.

Let it sit.

Finish the washing.

More Simple Green.

Soapy water and soft brush to remove the great quanities of life-sucking dreck that is brake dust.

Let dry.

And then...........

NEV-R-DUL!

Works every time

 

I'm hoping some can help answer a few easy questions about P21S Gel wheel cleaner.

Who should I purchase this from? And what contents should I expect in the delivery? I've seen a handfull of different product images and all of them have been different. I just want to know what I am ordering.

 

I usually get it from one of two places. Classic Motoring. or Autopia.

It comes in a spray bottle just as pictured.


Good choice, BTW, it is MUCH safer than acid sprays or Simple Green which can do harm s-l-o-w-l-y over time. I've seen it happen.

 

How about painting your wheels flat black and forget it.
Charles

 

thanks for the info

 

We've just finished using some 409 de-greaser on our s-lites. One wheel had brake dust caked on by whatever the tire shop used to put the balancing weights on . It takes some time and elbo grease but it works. :smile:

 

Just reading through the post... I was thinking maybe some rubbing compound... AJAX or Comet... You have to use it very very very lightly. Too much and you will take the finish off just about anything.

Use with caution... just my two cents...

 

Yikes! Be careful! Treat the finish of your wheels just like you would your painted and clearcoated body panels. They will easily scratch if use highly abrasive materials.

Polish compounds, (quality ones) and swirl removers will remove defects and scratches. But the mechanical grit in abrasive cleaners like Comet will scratch badly.

It's best to use a ph balanced cleaner, such as P21S like we discussed, and agitate with a soft toothbrush if necessary in caked areas. Then, if you wax the wheels with a heat resistant polymer based wax (not carnauba based) both inside and out it will make the wheels MUCH easier to keep clean and maintain. In fact, you will find that you can use common auto shampoo or even just water if you wash them once a week after that. Cleaners will not really be needed any more. The wax fills the pores of the casting in the wheels and makes them slick. The dust will stick less and the wheels will look better as well.