I've seen several discussions, but most of them a bit old.

My dealer suggested brake dust covers to help keep my white wheels white, but in researching it I am getting concerned about their safety.
While I drive aggressively and to have fun, I don't race, and for a major rally like Dragon I would remove them...

But are brake dust covers really designed in such a way as to warp or otherwise damage the rotors due to heat buildup??

I would consider green pads, but I really don't want to do anything that reduces braking power. Seems they are less effective

Ideas, folks?? (And wash and wax the wheels is my current default - getting rid of the whites is NOT an opttion!)

Thanks.

 

For "normal" use, dust covers won't be a mechanical problem. But, they look like crap. I'd just clean my wheels.

 

I have a Cooper with white wheels and GreenStuff pads. The pads have been all over with my Cooper...to the Dragon 3 different years, to 2 MMEs, to 2 2-day track sessions, and thru 30,000 miles of city, highway and spirited driving. The OEM pads dusted like crazy, so I put the GreenStuff pads on as soon as I had some money. They have never let me down, and I still have many more miles before me, as I can see no significant wear.

I have heard bad things about the brake dust covers...that they trap the heat and cause the rotors to warp. I don't know about that, but don't really want to try them and find it out, wither. So my Cooper remains with just the GreenStuff pads and minimal dusting...and I am happy.

 

I like the Green pads, seem to work better than OEM.

 

I've had EBC Greenstuff pads on my '05-S for over a year now and they have been great, much less dust then the OEM BMW pads and they brake just fine. The EBC green brake dust just washes off my white S-lites.
I was talking to Chad at Detroit Tuned a couple of weeks ago at a pulley party, and he really likes the Hawk ceramic pads over the EBC Greenstuff pads. Give Chad a call he is a great resource, and a nice guy.
http://www.detroittuned.com/

 

I put the Hawk ceramics on about 10K miles ago and love em. Much less dust. Used to want to wash the wheels every 3 days, now it takes two weeks and even then they're not nearly as dirty. Part of it is also that the dust if a light grey instead of black, so depending on wheel color...

I put anti squeal lube on the back and don't have any squeal, didn't with the OEM either though.

 

Great info so far - thanks everyone!

MI MINI - spoke with Chad, who was very knowlegdgeable and helpful.
Here's the net, for my kind of driving ("spirited", but no track, maybe an occasional MOTD or MOT):

Hawk HPS - nearly dustfree. At least as good in stopping power as stock, and more likely better than stock.
Says Greenstuff has slightly changed their formula, and produce a bit more dust.

More opinions to further confuse me are still welcome!!

 

I have white wheels and changed to the Hawk HPS pads. You will be impressed with the dust compaired to OEM. Stopping with the HPS is about the same as OEM, maybe a little better.

Having white wheels you will always have to deal with dust no matter what pads you use. Get the Hawk HPS pads, you will really like them over the OEM.

 

Thanks for the priceless voices of experience - very helpful.
I believe I shall forego the dust covers and change the pads at some point in the future.

 

There is a nice write up here in the Tire forum on how to change your pads, front and rear. Turns out it is very easy to do. I can't believe I paid someone to do it in the past.