Controlling Brake Dust?

"jkm7680" (jkm7680)
02/19/2014 at 18:18 • Filed to: None

How do you do it, and what do you use? My wheels look like a mess in a week, 10 miles each way commute. Oh, and please excuse the muddy tires, it appears that I drove through a muddy river last week

DISCUSSION (39)

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:21

Black steelies.Problem solved.

Different/better pads is really about the only option.

You can buy dust shields that mount between the wheel and you brakes, but I'd worry about them breaking and causing problems.

I have taken to applying Armoral to my wheels when I wash my car. It seems to help them clean up better. Doesn't really stop dust from adhering thoough.

Goggles Pizzano > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:21

Ceramic pads.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:22

I don't, I just wash it off every now and then... My wheels have far less spokes though.

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:23

Clean your damn wheels more often, you have an Audi you're just screwed. The 3 post millennium Audis my fam has owned all had terrible brake dust I guess its just the compound they use.

EBC pads don't throw up much brake dust that seemed to do the trick for my dad's last one/ my Mk 5 Jetta

Frosted > Goggles Pizzano
02/19/2014 at 18:24

^Was just going to suggest the same. Better pads in general leave less dust but ceramics would be the way to go.

Goggles Pizzano > Frosted
02/19/2014 at 18:27

Put 'em on last time, and will NEVER go back.

desertdog5051 > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:33

Use only parking brake. Fronts stay clean. :)

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:34

Depending on the wheel, if it's clear-coated or non textured, they have wax specially designed for wheels and it works magic on keeping brake dust off.

I've had both chrome wheels and painted/clear coated wheels and I've used this stuff for quite a while. One small thing of it has lasted 2+ years now.

I can't remember the name of it, and I'm travelling for work at the moment . But I can try and look it up and give you the name. Otherwise, different pads like everyone else recommended.

Flavien Vidal > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:35

My old car... Front vs rear... Then swap the front in the rear and you've got cool anthracite rims :)

Kinja'd!!!

jkm7680 > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
02/19/2014 at 18:47

Yeah, I've tried putting wax on them, with no avail. I might Dip them black, but probably not steelies

jkm7680 > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches.
02/19/2014 at 18:47

Thanks! I will look for a product like that!

Battery Tender Unnecessary > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:49

Armor-all's wheel protectant works wonders. I only have to clean the rims every 4-6 weeks instead of 4-6 days.

jkm7680 > Goggles Pizzano
02/19/2014 at 18:49

I'll look into that!

jkm7680 > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
02/19/2014 at 18:50

Yeah, it takes me like 30 minutes for a wheel, it really get's caked on there. It's pretty much a toothbrush, a washcloth and a bucket of water

jkm7680 > banjo cat ghost of oppo past
02/19/2014 at 18:52

Thanks! I might just go for some simpler wheels if nothing else works. Harttmans or something like those.

obwakeboarder > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:57

Throw some Vaseline on the rubber and they will look slick longer, as for the wheel its already been mentioned, better pads.

 > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:58

Depending on the car they make brake dust shields. It's basically a metal plate that gets sandwiched between the rotors and a wheel. It prevents the dust from coming out onto the spokes. Down side is you are no longer able to see the rotors. Up side is your wheels are always free of brake dust. My Grand Marquis with BBS style wheels that were a pain in the ass to keep clean had those and they worked nicely.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:58

I was being slightly sarcastic with that suggestion.

offroadkarter > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 18:59

Ceramics pads and/or wheel sealant

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 19:04

Here's mine

Kinja'd!!!

Flat, 5 wide spokes, angular cut mags, very easy to clean, fortunately, hahah...

DollaMoneyAve > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 19:08

Not sure how to prevent it, but search on Google for a product called Brake Dust Pro. Works well. Constant cleaning is really the best way to keep your car looking fresh.

jkm7680 > DollaMoneyAve
02/19/2014 at 19:13

Oh, I forgot about Bdp, from Dip Your Car, I intend on trying it out

jkm7680 > Flavien Vidal
02/19/2014 at 19:15

Haha, now I'm glad I got some jack stands

jkm7680 > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
02/19/2014 at 19:16

Ah, you are lucky to be blessed with easy to clean wheels

Rico > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 19:21

What kind of brakes do you have? If stock go after market.

jkm7680 > Rico
02/19/2014 at 19:24

Stock brakes, I might just get easier to clean wheels, or better pads

Rico > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 19:41

Definitely go after market for brakes, the stock brakes are the problem. Easier to clean wheels won't make that much of a difference because it's the pads that are producing all the dust, save yourself time by not having to clean and get better stopping power.

gabdere > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 20:25

Looks like my dad's A6... he has the wheels with so many spokes, it's a bitch to clean. And when he cleans it, he does not clean the wheels lol

jkm7680 > gabdere
02/19/2014 at 20:27

Haha, cleaning these wheels is a terrible, daunting task

liquid1036 > jkm7680
02/19/2014 at 21:15

I have the same issue with my Audi A4

jkm7680 > liquid1036
02/20/2014 at 15:03

Welcome to the club! How do you control it?

AlexOsadzinski > jkm7680
02/20/2014 at 15:09

Griot's Garage wheel cleaners seem to work (if you RTFM) and Top Of The Line's wheel cleaner works really well, but the fumes make you cough, which makes me wonder what the wheels think of it.

The best feature of ceramic brakes is that this problem goes away completely. The worst feature is that either cost a small fortune, or the car that they're attached to costs a large fortune.

liquid1036 > jkm7680
02/23/2014 at 11:46

I don't, I usually let it get to the point where it looks black and from far away it like i have black rims which looks great.

DiggerM > jkm7680
02/23/2014 at 23:13

German cars mit German OE brake pads seem to have a lot more brake dust to deal with. I run Hawk HPS or HP+ brakes on my Legacy. I find those pads are not bad for dust. I was using a Simoniz product for a while, but guys in my club, especially those who have German cars, swear by Sonax tire care products . They're not cheap, but results are excellent. I've been using Sonax Rim Cleaner Gel for a couple of years now. It goes on green and turns dark purple as it works. The only negative comment I have about this stuff is that the Germans have a strange idea of what "lemon scent" is. A good rim brush is recommended if you have a lot of small open spaces like the Audi's rim above.

jkm7680 > DiggerM
02/24/2014 at 18:49

Good suggestions, I will try those. Thanks!

DiggerM > jkm7680
02/26/2014 at 15:14

Hawk HP+ pads will dust more than the HPS ("Street") ones will. I autoslalom/autocross and some odd lapping days, so I run HP+ pads on the front from spring to fall, HPSs all around in the winter. When HP+s are not warmed up, they're prone to squealing. People think you have brake problems. I get asked. "No, they're working perfectly, thank you!"

jkm7680 > DiggerM
02/26/2014 at 15:59

Thanks! I'll definitely look into Hps, street pads, at least for now.

DiggerM > jkm7680
02/28/2014 at 18:03

I bought my last set of brake pads on Amazon.com! Friends: "You're kidding." "No."

jkm7680 > DiggerM
02/28/2014 at 18:09

Haha, same, I bought a shift boot off of Amazon, and my friends thought I went mad, I don't even want to know what they would do, if I bought pads!