Brake dust bonding to wheels
#1
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
Brake dust bonding to wheels
I have the 20 spoke polished wheels. For some time now, I have had brake dust bonding to the flat surfaces on the outer edge of the wheels. About 10 months ago, I took it back to the dealer and they had a regional rep come in to look at it. They replaced my original brake pads (brembo I assume) with the softer (quieter) pad. Brake dust still bonding to the wheel. I wash them every week, but soap and water will not remove the bonded particles. My detailer recommended Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus. It works (with a lot of elbow grease), but the dust bonds again after a few weeks.
Have you guys seen this? I must not be alone on this.
Have you guys seen this? I must not be alone on this.
#3
Lexus Test Driver
This is what I would do if I had that problem. Guessing at one point you left brake dust on the wheel too long and it formed a heavy abrasive layer. When whoever cleaned them, fine scratches were made in the finish. Once those scratches are there, it is really easy for the dust to cling to the surface. Thus the vicious cycle begins again.
Try this. It will be tedious due to the multi-spoke design...
Detail the wheels really well first like you normally would. Try using Sonax & a pressure washer.
Use iron-x and get rid of any imbedded brake dust in the paint.
You can even try to clay the wheel if you're patient enough. Just stay away from the tiny corners.
Rewash wheels.
Dry & let cool
Coat with a glass coating like Cquartz UK.
If you do this right your wheels will be so much easier to clean down the road.
Once all that is done, try using the armor-all brake dust repellant after a car wash. It works pretty good if applied correctly.
Good luck.
I'm in ATL too. We need to hook up one day.
Name is Ming btw.
Try this. It will be tedious due to the multi-spoke design...
Detail the wheels really well first like you normally would. Try using Sonax & a pressure washer.
Use iron-x and get rid of any imbedded brake dust in the paint.
You can even try to clay the wheel if you're patient enough. Just stay away from the tiny corners.
Rewash wheels.
Dry & let cool
Coat with a glass coating like Cquartz UK.
If you do this right your wheels will be so much easier to clean down the road.
Once all that is done, try using the armor-all brake dust repellant after a car wash. It works pretty good if applied correctly.
Good luck.
I'm in ATL too. We need to hook up one day.
Name is Ming btw.
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ISFPOWER (02-20-17)
#4
Pole Position
I had the same wheels and brake dust problem. I had the wheels detailed which included a coating with Ceramic Pro 9H but the dust amount was so great it was still a daily build up problem.
Since I was not tracking the car anymore I changed to a low dust street usage pad, "Carbotech 1521". Now I only clean the wheels when I wash the
car. I give the wheels a quick spray of Sonax MultiStar Universal Cleaner (which is less expensive than wheel cleaner), a quick brush and rinse before washing the whole car.
Only downside to the Carbotech was that the brake pad sensor slot was the wrong shape and the sensor cables had to be tied back and not used.
Speedfreaks sold me the 1521 and they were looking for a solution that has the correct sensor slots, maybe Project Mu.
Since I was not tracking the car anymore I changed to a low dust street usage pad, "Carbotech 1521". Now I only clean the wheels when I wash the
car. I give the wheels a quick spray of Sonax MultiStar Universal Cleaner (which is less expensive than wheel cleaner), a quick brush and rinse before washing the whole car.
Only downside to the Carbotech was that the brake pad sensor slot was the wrong shape and the sensor cables had to be tied back and not used.
Speedfreaks sold me the 1521 and they were looking for a solution that has the correct sensor slots, maybe Project Mu.
#6
Lead Lap
I had the same wheels and brake dust problem. I had the wheels detailed which included a coating with Ceramic Pro 9H but the dust amount was so great it was still a daily build up problem.
Since I was not tracking the car anymore I changed to a low dust street usage pad, "Carbotech 1521". Now I only clean the wheels when I wash the
car. I give the wheels a quick spray of Sonax MultiStar Universal Cleaner (which is less expensive than wheel cleaner), a quick brush and rinse before washing the whole car.
Only downside to the Carbotech was that the brake pad sensor slot was the wrong shape and the sensor cables had to be tied back and not used.
Speedfreaks sold me the 1521 and they were looking for a solution that has the correct sensor slots, maybe Project Mu.
Since I was not tracking the car anymore I changed to a low dust street usage pad, "Carbotech 1521". Now I only clean the wheels when I wash the
car. I give the wheels a quick spray of Sonax MultiStar Universal Cleaner (which is less expensive than wheel cleaner), a quick brush and rinse before washing the whole car.
Only downside to the Carbotech was that the brake pad sensor slot was the wrong shape and the sensor cables had to be tied back and not used.
Speedfreaks sold me the 1521 and they were looking for a solution that has the correct sensor slots, maybe Project Mu.
I also don't want to CQuartz my rims because I they are matte black. If I coat them they will no longer be matte.
#7
Lexus Test Driver
The sensor clips fit perfectly. Just a lil pricey imo but once you get over that, it's a great all around pad.
On cold days they can squeak at 1st and stopping power is way less. But that's only for like the first mile or so.
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#8
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
Iron-x rocks for getting the embedded dust out of the wheel's clearcoat
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ml#post7818844
There is no way to prevent hot brake dust from melting into the coating on a wheel short of polishing the metal and leaving it bare (and prone to oxidation). If there is any paint/powdercoat/organic finish on a wheel and you get your brakes hot, there will be embedded brake dust because it is essentially hot metal cinders flying straight at the wheel's perimeter. Any finish sufficiently heat resistant to burning metal would destroy the wheel's integrity with the amount of heat it would take to fuse to the surface in the first place. There are LOTS of discussions about powdercoating wheels and ensuring they do not exceed 300F or the alloy will be compromised and the wheel could break in service. It is unrealistic to believe brake dust will be sufficiently cooled by the time it hits the wheel's surface.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ml#post7818844
There is no way to prevent hot brake dust from melting into the coating on a wheel short of polishing the metal and leaving it bare (and prone to oxidation). If there is any paint/powdercoat/organic finish on a wheel and you get your brakes hot, there will be embedded brake dust because it is essentially hot metal cinders flying straight at the wheel's perimeter. Any finish sufficiently heat resistant to burning metal would destroy the wheel's integrity with the amount of heat it would take to fuse to the surface in the first place. There are LOTS of discussions about powdercoating wheels and ensuring they do not exceed 300F or the alloy will be compromised and the wheel could break in service. It is unrealistic to believe brake dust will be sufficiently cooled by the time it hits the wheel's surface.
#10
Sonax works great (their alcantara cleaner is also great for our interior pieces...my wheel is full alcantara, so I use the stuff every other week on it). As Ming also stated, get the wheels C quartzed and that will eliminate the issue completely...just rinse them off.
#11
Lead Lap
Sonax works great (their alcantara cleaner is also great for our interior pieces...my wheel is full alcantara, so I use the stuff every other week on it). As Ming also stated, get the wheels C quartzed and that will eliminate the issue completely...just rinse them off.
I said, "I wish I would have talked to you before I mounted them."
It appears that I have another project coming soon.
#12
The pursuit of F
As Mingofish pointed out, try Armorall brake dust repellant. I was a skeptic until I evaluated it: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rc-...repellent.html
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