how do I keep brake dust off wheels ?

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dano126

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I have a regular customer with a porshe cayenne and a Mercedes sedan. They complain brake dust appears quickly after I clean they're cars and if there is anything thing I can put on the wheels to keep the brake dust from accumulating. Any suggestions or does anyone have a product they use that really works ?
 
Simple thing would be to clay it and seal it.
Altho I haven't used it, I heard Meg's Hot Rims Brake Dust Barrier works well.
 
Are you saying use a paint sealer, like Menzerna ?
 
You could try opticoat but you just have to let them know brake dust is part of having a performance car. If they don't want brake dust, their next car should be a Prius ;)
 
ihaveacamaro said:
You could try opticoat but you just have to let them know brake dust is part of having a performance car. If they don't want brake dust, their next car should be a Prius ;)
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I was going to say...tell them not to drive.
 
well that's not going to happen.
any coating will only help when you wash it.
Dirt will still collect but wont stick to it

I use D156 on all my customers cars and this works great.
I charge to use Meg's Bread Dust Barrier and this product works great too.
I have it on my bare Aluminum rims to help protect the BA.
 
IMO if anything, the real benefit to wheel sealant or coating is to protect the wheel from brake dust from eating into its finish. Protected wheels might only reduce brake dust build up at best. Perhaps it's not even noticeable.
The best solution is using different brake pads.
 
Tesla: High Carbon Footprint, High Environmental Compromise? Just kidding!

I use Menzerna Power Lock and it helps (a little) to repel brake dust and clean up. I'll be trying Opti-Coat next.
 
Brake dust is a way of life with german cars. You can switch to ceramic pads which will help a lot. I put zimmerman rotors and akebono pads on the S6 and dusting has improved dramatically. Coupled with opti-coat and they pretty much clean themselves in the rain. It's not cheap though - front and rear pads on the S6 cost almost as much as standard rotors, pads, hoses & rebuilt calipers for the rear of my A6.

If this is after a routine wash, there are probablya couple culprits:

1. The rotors got wet and have a light coat of rust that will dust off and cover the wheels the first time you hit the brakes. Drying the rotors immediately with compressed air would help with this.

2. The cleaner you are using contains a compound that attracts and holds on to dirt, and that compound is still on the wheels after you finish rinsing them, which will (as the name implies) attract and hold the dust. You could try a different cleaner, or IPA wipedown after to avoid or remove aforementioned compounds.
 
I was never too picky about wheel waxes until two German cars were added to the family stable- a BMW and an Audi. Very quickly I learned that keeping them coated with the most bulletproof sealant is paramount to a detailer's sanity. A periodic app of either Collinite 476 or FK1000 is now part of my regimen. Based on positive reviews I read here at AGO, I bought a bottle of GG HD Wheel Cleaner, but haven't had to open it yet.

Bill
 
ihaveacamaro said:
you just have to let them know brake dust is part of having a performance car.
Circa40 said:
The best solution is using different brake pads

^^^Excellent advice from these two AGO forum members!! ^^^:props:.
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dano126 said:
I have a regular customer with a porshe cayenne and a Mercedes sedan.
They complain brake dust appears quickly after I clean they're cars
Click to expand...
I'm sure the wheels are spotless after you clean them.
Applying a sealant or coating to them is a good idea...
But brake dust will still accumulate:
The amount determined by these folks driving style.

:idea:

Ask them to allow you, during the next 'detailing-session', to not clean these wheels until the next time the
detailing-session is scheduled.

An easy way to prove to these good folks that brake dust will always accumulate, seemingly:
Exponentially over a very short time period...IMHO.

NOTE:
The LSP you applied to these wheels should make for a fairly easy clean-up...("the next time")...
even though time has marched on a little more than usual for them.

:)

Bob
 
I didnt read Everyones post completly so sorry if its a repeat.
Change your pads? Ebc makes good ceramic pads that cut the dust to 20% of what the factory pads were for my golf r.
While chnaging the pads clean the wheels with apc, then iron x spray to chemically remove and then lastly clay.
Seal with opticoat.


Sent from my SGH-T889 using AG Online
 
I have had an SUV and a sports car, both accumulated brake dust (especially the sports car if you drive the right way. A.K.A. the way they should be driven.)

On my Porsche 911 and my dad's Aston Martin Vanquish, I have sealed the wheels with Opti-Coat 2.0. Now, and here is the hard pill to swallow, it does not prevent the brake dust from accumulating. Sorry if advertised differently. On performance cars brake dust happens (watch any race, Formula 1, IndyCar, ALMS, Grand Am, etc. and when they change tires (or should I say tyres for your F1 types :p) and you will see loads of brake dust come off, and these guys are using ceramic rotors and pads).

Where the Opti-Coat 2.0, or any other sealant, permanent or otherwise, comes in handy is during the maintenance cleanings. It just makes them easier to clean and prevents the dust from etching into the wheel. I Opti-Coated just for the insurance policy of not having brake dust scratches, not necessarily to make cleaning any easier.

Personally, I think that rather than worry so much about keeping brake dust off of your customer's wheels, I would try to explain to them why it is accumulating and manage their expectations a little more. If they brake, especially hard, it will accumulate. If they don't drive, it won't.
 
If the wheels are not trashed yet. Pick up some Trix, Sonax wheel cleaner or Brown Royal. Take each wheel off the car. Spray well following directions, agitate and power wash off. Once you have them clean as you can get them clay them wash with car shampoo dry well seal and wax. Do this twice a year. Once in late fall and once in early spring. It will help keep your rims easier to clean. Car shampoo, agitate power wash off and another coat of sealant and wax.
 
as radaryan said, and i should have included in my post. opticoat will not cut down on accumulation; i was trying to get at the fact that they will become much much easier to wash off... with weekly washes i can get away with a light APC spray and a quick once over with a daytona and paint brush. Definetly should have included that. good catch radaryan.
 
Isn't there a company that makes a plastic wheel shield that fits between your wheels and your brakes? I mean if someone really wants to protect their wheels, this seems like a good first start and it would also make cleaning the wheels faster and any "protection product" applied last longer.

Of course with this option you won't be able to see the pretty brake calipers.


:)
 
Poorboy's Wheel Sealant has been my best friend for a while now, German cars, Japanese, you name it. Works wonders.
 
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