My Clubman turned a month old this week and flipped 1k on the odometer. My #1 gripe is copious brake dust adhering to my alloy rims. I could wipe them down daily, and every 2-3 days is practically a requirement. I don't think I'm hard on the brakes. In fact, the close coupling of the engine and automatic transmission (it doesn't really coast freely) means I actually use the brakes less than with previous cars I've owned.

Are you dealing with this too? Will my car outgrow this malady as the brake pads wear down?

Solutions? Dust shields? I don't want to overheat the brakes by depriving them of normal airflow.

Thanks,

 

I agree - but the dust is a necessary evil for great stopping power. My suggestion is next time you wash them, follow up by waxing them. There is a special wax (I think it's called wheel wax - not sure) that's even more effective than regular wax due to the high heat of the wheels. You'll see that much less of it "sticks" and when you wash or wipe them it comes off MUCH easier!

 

It's a MIni thing and no, it won't get better. I use Four Star Wheel Cleaner. Works great. One could debate the technical issues of shields. On the one hand, without them, more air flows through to the brake parts while moving. However, the metal of the shields may also act as a heat sink and aid dissipating heat, especially while the car is topped. For normal driving, there probably is no technical worries. But, they look like crap, in my opinion.

 

Welcome to the world of BMW products! The excessive brake dust is not just a MINI problem, but also a BMW problem in general. Next time pay attention and look at the front rims of newer Bimmers and you'll see them caked in brake dust.

I second the suggestion of the wheel wax as it helps "repel" most of the dust and aides with the cleaning process of the rims.

 

Next time you have your wheels clean, put a coat of wax on them. Keeps it from sticking and getting baked on if you don't get to it right away.

 

I would also suggest not letting it go more than two weeks between cleanings because these "BMW" brakes have a tendency to adhere permanently to the wheels. I have owned Audi vehicles that produce a lot of dust but it always seems to come off fairly easily. The dust from "BMW" brakes seems to etch into the wheel paint.

 

Surprised no ones mentioned this yet. Brake dust is not a necessary evil for good braking. As a convertible owner even my rear seats were getting coated in blake brake dust.

Ceramics pads (I have the Hawks) give drastically less dust. The dust is also light grey in color and in my case my wheels are grey so it doesn't even show much. I also wax the wheels once or twice a year. Only question I'd have is if the Gen 2 car's pads are different, and if so does someone like Hawk have them yet.

 

+1 my friend has an m3, LOTS AND LOTS of brake dust. And the fact that it gets baked onto the rim making it impossible to remove, little black specs is what it does to his wheels.

 

I was waiting for someone to say this. Ceramics are the way to go. All GM vehicles have them. No brake dust and the pads practically last the life of the car.

We've had the Mini a week and Ive swabbed the rims down three times already. I will be switching to ceramics soon!

 

Before installing my new wheels I washed them, put two coats of Wheel Armour on them and then Hydro'd them. I did this to the front and the back of the wheels. The dust washes off much easier. I will continue to apply Hydro whenever I wash the vehicle.

I haven't tackled cleaning my old wheels yet. Dreading it, but I must do it soon.

 

What is Hydro?

 

has anyone tried the ebc brake pads yet?

 

I just buy the BIG pack of microfiber towels at Costco and wipe the wheels down EVERY morning before work and EVERY evening after work.I remove the wheels once a month to clean the inside of the rims.

 

WOW You remove your wheels to clean them???

And I thought I was **** about cleaning and waxing my cars. I ain't pulling my wheels thou. LOL

 

The Wheel Armour and Hydro are products from Detailer's Paradise. Check them out at
http://detailersparadise.com/_system...qryDefault.asp

Be careful. When you start buying detailing products from them it is like a crack habit.

Hydro is a great spray on wax for your paint as well.

 

I did mine new wheels before I put them on. Now I am going to treat my OEM wheels since they are off the car. Yeah it is ****, but I can't help it. It really is the only way to get to the back of the wheel.

 

I pulled my wheels and waxed both sides. It helps keep them very clean. I used a wax call Collinite 845. One of the guys in our mini club recommended to do the whole car with this as well as the wheels. In fact I'll be doing it again shortly.

http://www.hawaiiminiclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=643

Here is a link to our website. You can read the thread on his recommendation.

 

I've had great success with RejeX

http://www.corrosionx.com/rejex.html

It's a polymer coating developed for the military to keep the area around the exhaust of gas turbine-powered helicoptors clean.

Rejex your wheels when they're new, and then it's SO MUCH easier to keep them clean. Just don't Rejex a wheel before you get a new tire and have it mounted. THe wheel weights won't stick to the inside! Had it happen to a friend. (You can remove the rejex with a very mild cleaner/wax...something that is just slightly abrasiive.

As for the dark spots on wheels after you've used every form of wheel cleaner conceivable, try Oil-Flo http://www.titanlabs.net/oilflo.htm

Use it straight from the bottle, and the edge of a credit card or other plastic-edged tool to remove these spots.

 

Sounds familiar

 

sounds obsessive!

 

Isn't that the truth! Just check my sig!

 

When you are **** like i am about brakedust,i purchased black rims,still need to clean them,but it helps me.Q

 

"Wheel Wax" is specifically formulated to minimize brake dust sticking to the wheels, and based on my experience, it works very well. See http://new.minimania.com/web/Item/NM.../InvDetail.cfm

 

My Mini & Jeep both have lots of brake dust, but the Jeep is worse.

 

Gosh, I wish I had the time to wipe down the brake dust from my wheels every 2-3 days. Yep, sounds obsessive.