I've had my 05' Cooper S for 2 weeks now and I'm getting ready to clean the brake dust off my wheels for the 3rd time. I know I can replace the brake pads to reduce the amount of dust produced, but do you have any advice for removing the dust? Is there a spray-on/hose-off product that will work? Or better yet - spray on and no hose needed? This 20 minutes of scrubbing-each-nook-and-cranny thing is getting old very quickly.

TIA,
Lori

 

There are products that you can spray on, let set and hose off. But with my past experience with them they don't fully do the job... actually the stuff i just got to see if it was any good (the eagle stuff, blue and silver can) says to spray, let set and scrub with soft brush and then hose off. And no, it did not do the job. Quick question, what wheels do you have?

 

Hi, Lori!

I definitely understand what you mean about the 20-min-per-wheel situation!

I'm certain you'll receive lots of suggestions, so here's mine...

Buy a 12pk of cheap kitchen towels & a pack of toothbrushes at the dollar store. "Awesome" is a cleaner sold at the dollar store...it works great!
Wipe off the brake dust using a dry towel on a dry wheel.
Wash the wheel using dawn dish soap.
Use the toothbrush to get into the nooks & crannies.
Use "Awesome" to get rid of any remaining brake dust residue.
Dry thoroughly.
Use a product such as "Wheel Wax" or "Rejex" on the wheels.
Let dry...buff...apply another coat & repeat!
(If using Rejex, you need to wait 12 hrs before applying the next coat.)

Rejex makes it very easy to simply wipe off the brake dust. A "static" duster (those rainbow-colored ones at the dollar store) work great for grabbing the brake dust, too! After removing the brake dust, I spray some quik-detailer wax onto a dry towel and wipe down the wheels to add some shine.

I recently swapped out the OEM pads for Carbotech pads. While the wheels were off the car, I applied Rejex on the outside & inside of the wheels. A few days later I applied another coat. I'm going to apply another coat this weekend. The Carbotech pads hardly have any brake dust (PS: I have WHITE wheels!) but the multiple-coats of Rejex makes it so much easier to keep my wheels white!

 

Here's the link for Rejex:

http://www.rejex.com/

It's also available at your local True Value Hardware store...call ahead to make sure they have it in stock. They can special order it...

 

Thanks so much. I'm definitely going to try the Rejex product.

These are my wheels:




Probably the easiest of all the styles to clean, but still a PITA. Takes about 5 min per wheel, 20 min total. I wouldn't mind doing that once a month... but every 4 - 5 days is just ridiculous!

Thanks again for your advice!!

~Lori

 

Here's the stuff I use and it really works.
You just spray it on and wait about 15 seconds then spray it off.
WARNING: This stuff is very agressive so don't get it on you or you will be sorry (coming from experience).

I also use Simple Green for touch ups and (50/50 mix with water).

 

Lori...

Your pic isn't appearing...

You can see my wheels in my siggy pic. It took me 20-min per wheel when I had the OEM pads because the brake dust REALLY shows up on white wheels!

My wheels were originally silver but I had them powdercoated white...the powdercoating also makes it much easier to remove the brake dust.

Erika

 

> Thats what I use...Its great and a wheel cleaning brush that I bought from Wal-Mart... Brake Dust! Clean Tires !

 

A coat of wax works for me.

 

An 05 you've had for two weeks....

I'd check the pads....they may be due to be changed anyway....
Changing b4 the sensor goes off saves a few bucks as the sensor is a consumable and must be replaced once it goes off....

And there's a good DIY guide available here if you've ever turned a wrench and are willing to get your hands dirty.

Pads and rotors on these beasts is very straight forward.

 

Oops, sorry for the bad pic. Here's a link to the album.

Erika I love your white wheels - that looks awesome on your car!!

Capt, I wouldn't want to try it myself... I drive fast and need the brakes to WORK.

 

Uber Blu Erika

Which rejex did you use?

 

Lori...

Replacing the brake pads is a very easy job...IF you have the proper tools.

Where are you located?

I like your wheels. My original wheels had the lugs exposed and I dreaded the cleaning...so I bought a set of R84s because they're lightweight AND have the center hub cover.

Erika

 

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

I'm going to wash Schultze sometime this week and I'm going to do an experiment...I'm going to apply Rejex on one of the side mirrors and on half of the white roof. Testing to see if it will make it easier to remove bird/squirrel droppings. Will probably also do half of the boot, too!

A little bit of Rejex goes a LONG way!

Erika

 

I've heard that Hydro (by Prima) works well applied to the wheels after washing so that the dust can just be wiped clean in between washings. I'm hoping to try this out when mine arrives.

Good luck!

 

I just spray my cold wheels with "Simple Green" use a paint brush and Fox tail brush, rinse with water and brake dust all gone. The paint brush gets in the minor crevices. Works for me and is quick. Bill

 

Thanks, I think I am going to try it on the wheels. Wheel wax that I have used works but it is still a lot of work.

 

I'm with Erika. Get a pad that doesn't dust and yet stops the car really well, and the problem is solved. H2O, Dish Soap, sponge. 5 minutes, all done.

 

The alkaline nature will strip waxes if you wax your wheels. I use car soap after the car wash - I have a seperate mitt for wheels. I do use dish soap once a year before I claybar and wax - to remove the old wax.

Alex

 

How about going to a lower dust brake pad. I am thinking about it. Something like EBC greens or reds. I know there is no such thing as dustless but less dust would help. Anyone have expreience with these?

 

or the Carbotech 1521 Bobcats, better stopping power and much less dust then OEM.

 

Dustin, I am running your XP10 and XP8s at the Glen this week. They have tremendous stopping power and is holding up very well after three days. Two more to go.

Really like the Carbotechs. I think they are a little too dusty and noisy for me for regular street use. Definately will think of trying the bobcats.

PS: A+ for your great service. Thanks much.

 

Thanks for the update, have fun, drive fast- on the track, the XP pads are dusty but they are track pads, the Bobcat street pad is much less dust.

Thanks for the P.S. too

 

Detailer's Paradise has a product called "Wheel Armor" that works very well to help the dust come off easier.

For the actual wash, I use the water from my car wash bucket (Prima Mystique) after I'm finished with the car. I purchased a long handled brush from a local car parts store made for tires/rims (make sure the bristles are soft and feathered at the end) Dip the brush in the soapy water and in a few quick minutes, I'm done.

Before all this, I was using a cloth / pad - after MANY minutes per tire and busted knuckles, I knew I had to find another way.

That all said, I've been tempted to take the easy way out - not clean them for a month or two and tell everyone I purchased new anthracite rims!

Good luck!

 

I sprayed some of this on a weed in my garden and it was dead [as in brown] within 4 hours! Prolonged use of such an aggressive cleaner will destroy your wheel finish. Use your car shampoo in a separate bucket from your paint and get a dedicated small sheepskin or wool mitt for the wheels. [I cut up a worn out paint mitt for my wheels] Stay away from the bristles and acids and your wheels will look better, longer.

...Also, get rid of those horrid stock brake pads! Something like Hawk Ceramic or HPS, Mintex Redbox, Carbotech Bobcat, or even fast street pads like the Ferodo 2500 dust less than stock.

Cheers,
Ryan