I Can’t Get the Brake Dust off the Wheels – HELP!

jebfour

jebfour

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Recently, we purchased a Lexus 2015 IS250 F Sport for my wife to drive. It’s a great car and everything is in nice condition. However, it is clear that the brake dust is stuck to the wheels (somewhat bad on the front wheels). I have scrubbed with car wash and a wheel brush, and this afternoon, I used Blackfire Eclipse Tire and Wheel cleaner. While it did a great job cleaning, it didn’t remove the “embedded” brake dust.

Later, I used a little Pinnacle XMT 360 on a section of one of the wheels and there was a wonderful difference. This being said, pulling off the wheels and going to that extent on each wheel may be a bit of an undertaking. What are my other options? I have some Iron-X but I’m not sure that this is the right approach.

Please help! Any and all suggestions appreciated!
 
jebfour said:
Recently, we purchased a Lexus 2015 IS250 F Sport for my wife to drive. It’s a great car and everything is in nice condition. However, it is clear that the brake dust is stuck to the wheels (somewhat bad on the front wheels). I have scrubbed with car wash and a wheel brush, and this afternoon, I used Blackfire Eclipse Tire and Wheel cleaner. While it did a great job cleaning, it didn’t remove the “embedded” brake dust.

Later, I used a little Pinnacle XMT 360 on a section of one of the wheels and there was a wonderful difference. This being said, pulling off the wheels and going to that extent on each wheel may be a bit of an undertaking. What are my other options? I have some Iron-X but I’m not sure that this is the right approach.

Please help! Any and all suggestions appreciated!
Click to expand...

IronX and a little agitation should remove the imbedded brake dust.
 
Pics would be nice, but the big gun is usually Meguiar's Wheel Brightener. As others will mention, wear a respirator, gloves and other protective gear when using. Don't quote me on this, but on a retail level, I believe Meguiar's Hot Wheels for Chrome wheels is similar (Red Bottle)
 
Agreed - I should have posted some pics. Now that it's a bit dark out it's hard to see. I can do this tomorrow though if needed.

Thanks!
 
Make it easy on yourself and save the busted knuckles: take the wheels off. You can use a pressure washer better, some Tarminator, an iron decon product, a degreaser, and then clay and polish. Remove polish oils with IPA or WipeOut surface cleaner. Coat them with Opti and be done with them. Some TufSHine tire cleaner and tire coating while youre at it and all you will need to do is rinse them from then on.
 
Mothers Tire and Wheel Cleaner. It is acid based and pretty deadly stuff but just spray it on, wait a couple of minutes and hose it off.
 
Get some of this.

018f916d139e7bacf7949e4e805fec2b.jpg


Or like the Waxmaster suggested, Meguiars Hot Wheels Chrome Wheel Cleaner.
 
Thanks to all that replied. Now I have a game plan to get this taken care of! It looks like Autogeek will be getting another order this morning.
 
Jumping to a ammonium blflouride or hydroflouric acid cleaner is an option. If you use one please use out outside, wear protective gear (gloves), and do whatever you can to not inhale it. And flush with water far more than you think is necessary. This is bad stuff.

You could try IronX, but in my limited experience iron is only a small fraction of the grime covering wheels. I would try Sonax or 3D BDX if you want a wheel cleaner with iron remover. You could also try a strong APC and see if it makes a dent, then IronX after that. Could be an ABF or HF based cleaner would work well enough without polishing.

However you clean them, I agree with protecting them with something. Coatings can work well but obviously need some cure time. I have had good success with Sonax Rim Shield. I usually reapply every 4 months or so.
 
jebfour said:
Recently, we purchased a Lexus 2015
IS250 F Sport for my wife to drive.
It’s a great car and everything is in
nice condition.

However, it is clear that the brake dust
is stuck to the wheels.
Click to expand...
RippyD said:
Jumping to a ammonium blflouride or
hydroflouric acid cleaner is an option.

If you use one please use out outside,
wear protective gear (gloves), and do
whatever you can to not inhale it. And
flush with water far more than you think
is necessary. This is bad stuff.
Click to expand...
Besides the ultra important concern and
regards for personal health and safety...

If your F-Sport has the upgraded braking
components package, then: a similar con-
cern/cautiousness should also be exercised
if products containing ammonium biflouride
or hydroflouric acid are going to be used as
wheel cleaners, IMO.



Bob
 
FUNX650 said:
Besides the ultra important concern and
regards for personal health and safety...

If your F-Sport has the upgraded braking
components package, then: a similar con-
cern/cautiousness should also be exercised
if products containing ammonium biflouride
or hydroflouric acid are going to be used as
wheel cleaners, IMO.



Bob
Click to expand...

What will happen?
 
Eldorado2k said:
Nothing...

Nothing except a clean wheel.

50a20dc5dcf2af48912bea060fa44724.jpg


+ Super Degreaser =

afe9324c6b3a89d091a896ed723099eb.jpg


Clean wheel & tire w/o scrubbing.

3505583fa54871b34727c20355397311.jpg
Click to expand...

:iagree:You need to take precaution when using Wheel Brightener, but you don't need a full body suit, after all you are not spraying nerve gas on your wheels.
 
I've used Meguiars Hot Wheels Cleaner to help me clean the barrels of my factory wheels . Just sprayed it on , 30 second wait time , full rinse and then used a wheel brush (I bought here) with soapy water and that worked for me .
Since many factory wheels have a clear coat on them , it sounds like the brake dust has penetrated the clear coat !?! JMO
 
How does Megs WB affect a coating like CQ?

Our wheels don't get that dirty ever so if I can save time by not needing to agitate each wheel by hand that would be awesome. Plus being touch less reduces the chance of me marring them. Both have gloss black windows.
 
evo77 said:
How does Megs WB affect a coating like CQ?

Our wheels don't get that dirty ever so if I can save time by not needing to agitate each wheel by hand that would be awesome. Plus being touch less reduces the chance of me marring them. Both have gloss black windows.
Click to expand...

I don't know for sure how it affects a coating since I've never coated my wheels.

I just bought this gallon of Wheel Brightener to replace D143 Non Acid Wheel & Tire Cleaner for the vehicles here at home because I'm tired of agitating wheels + I think I'm done agitating tires as well so I've got a diluted gallon of Super Degreaser @4:1 to pair up with the Wheel Brightener to see how it goes... So far so good.

The D143 could usually do the same job on those wheels as I don't really let them get too dirty, but if they do get too dirty I'd have to scrub them + Wheel Brightener rinses cleaner and lives up to its name.

I've also got some BR which I dilute 1:1 for customers cars which works even better than D140 and allows me to do them touch less.

If I feel like using D140 is an actual hazard then I'll just go Brown Royal for everything including the cars here at home since it's non acid and not much of a hazard.

From now on, unless I'm getting payed for a full detail, I ain't in the mood to be scrubbing wheels & tires when I can get nearly the same results without touching them. And that includes that soap & water stuff... You're still down there scrubbing!
 
Megs Mirror Brite is where I would start and of coarse some agitation! If your not happy there I would go straight for the IronX

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
Klasse Act said:
Megs Mirror Brite is where I would start and of coarse some agitation! If your not happy there I would go straight for the IronX

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

IronX isn't a great wheel cleaner though... It does much better on paint than it does cleaning dirty wheels.
 
Klasse Act said:
I don't use an iron removing product on a wheel unless I have to.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

When's the last time you actually had to clean a baked & caked wheel? I guarantee you any color changing, iron removing wheel cleaner wouldn't be able to match these results in 1 try. I wouldn't even think of reaching for IronX...

b7e4eb67e88785468a4aa4ce45e6b00e.jpg


982cbc0a1ef978b194da0f0b871682e3.jpg


Have you ever seen wheels this dirty? Lol.

3afe32c07c58d23c2a3b69941b741829.jpg
 
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