Remove brake dust from alloy wheels permanently?

[JMGS4]

Help!, chaps and chapesses.
Have always had the problem that I can't keep brakedust from adhereing to my expensive alloy wheels. I do many, many, miles per year (120000kms) and I can't spend hours every weekend polishing wheels. Has anyone a patent recipe here? I thought of a teflon coating so that when one goes through the wash the wheels are cleaned? or anything similar? Can't use steel wheels and hub caps as I have a performance car with a wheel size that's not produced in iron......

[castex]

There are special brake pads you can buy, "Green stuff" I think, which give off much less dust. Find 'em in Demon Tweeks, or similar. You can also get covers that go inside the wheel, outside the disc. Possible disadvantages might be overheating brakes if you're wont to go mental for long periods, and we might not be able to see those tasty red calipers through your giant Momo's...

[JMGS4]

castex, thanks for the brake pad tip. Tried some of these but braking efficiency dropped dramatically (75%) and at german motorway speeds that's not to be recommended! Will look at covers though...

[Simpo One]

My TVR S3 had black rubber discs fitted just inside the wheels. They did a perfect job of keeping brake dust off the alloys. Someone thought they might reduce brake cooling, but as I didn't thrash it, it was fine.

You might be able to get them in Halfords etc.

[.mark]

Don't string me up for this but.....
WD40 provides an invisible coating on the wheel and while the brake dust does stick to it when you wash the car it simply flows away.
Please be careful though - I have tried this only a couple of times (as I can afford the time to clean mine)on my company car and if you get WD40 on the disks braking can be a real event I had to drive with my foot on the brake for about a mile - what's that smell!

[tvradict]

best way to put WD40 on the wheels, would be to take the wheels off first and then spray! Then you don't have to be careful, also gives a perfect oppoirtunity to inspect the brakes!

[s2 giles]

I was also once advised to apply cooking oil / olive oil to the wheels to achieve the same result, this is wiped on and so avaoids puttin it on the brake discs..... however I have not tried this

[flasher]

The best thing ever is Wonder Wheels. Get it from Halfords for about £6-8. Ten mins rubbing it on with a brush and the wheels look like they have just come out of the factory....

[tvradict]

Flasher, your wheels HAVE just come out of the factory!

[flasher]

I meant on my company Vectra, tvradict.... and the wifes S40 Volvo...

Oh no... I've admitted it, there's a Volvo AND a Vectra on my drive ....the shame

[JMGS4]

Thanks for all the advice chaps, will be trying them.
Have a happy Easter.
I'm off to a small island where the largest cars are ford fiestas and no straight is longer than 200m... wheeee... wot fun! and 1500m high and steep!

[VTECDave]

I'm running EBC greenstuff pads at the moment and the do seem to cause less dust.

Shop around for prices, Demon Tweeks and similar compaies are over charging. I got mine from a little local auto parts co. much cheaper.

[GreenV8s]

quote:
I was also once advised to apply cooking oil / olive oil to the wheels to achieve the same result, this is wiped on and so avaoids puttin it on the brake discs..... however I have not tried this

I find ordinary furniture polish works pretty well if you start with a clean wheel, it soon looks horrible but wipes off taking the brake dust with it. Unfortunately if you leave it too long (i.e. weeks) it wears off. I tend to be lazy during the winter and have to give all the wheels a thorough clean come spring time.

[campbell]

Apart from the cooking oil and changing your brack pads, you could try not using the bracks at all
After all you are driving on the autoband or you could just get some one else to wash your car for you

[tvradict]

quote:
I meant on my company Vectra, tvradict.... and the wifes S40 Volvo...

Oh no... I've admitted it, there's a Volvo AND a Vectra on my drive ....the shame

Well, you redeemed yourself by buying a Tamora!!

[tvradict]

quote:
Apart from the cooking oil and changing your brack pads, you could try not using the bracks at all
After all you are driving on the autoband or you could just get some one else to wash your car for you

Ahhh campbell, your on form today Big Man!!

[flasher]

quote:Well, you redeemed yourself by buying a Tamora!!

I had to with benno owning his German Staff car

[JMGS4]

quote:
Apart from the cooking oil and changing your brack pads, you could try not using the bracks at all
After all you are driving on the autoband or you could just get some one else to wash your car for you

Well, autobahns do have numpties who want to risk their lives changing into the outside lane when you're travelling at 250+kph and brakes are advisable in that case.. and someone else to clean the car...?? You volunteering??

[tvradict]

quote:
I had to with benno owning his German Staff car

Hmmmmm! Don't tell him about things that might () go pop and eventually he will get rid of that red Max Power heap and buy a real car!

[ErnestM]

I know it always seems that there are products in the US that help with this sort of stuff, but since that is where I live, that is what I know...

Mothers www.mothers.com makes a Clear Coat Wheel polish that acts as a wax on your wheels. While it doesn't eliminate the brake dust, it does enable you to just spray them off with a hose and "float away" the dust. I am sure there are comparable UK products out there. Or you could just try a regular wax. I think the idea is to put an invisible barrier between the dust and your wheels...

ErnestM