skpyle

Hello Gentlemen,

I need some advice. The Red Witch has chromed manhole cover wheels. The brake pads are 15 year old Metal Master pads, sourced from 928 Specialists. Over the course of a few days of driving, I can see a layer of brake dust on the front rims.

The chrome is in excellent condition, and I want to keep it that way. I am looking for ideas on what to use weekly to wash away the brake dust without harming the chrome.

On that note, what about the proper care and feeding of chromed manhole covers?
Chrome polish?
Wax?
Alien blood?

Thank you for any and all suggestions and insight,

Seth K. Pyle

Speedtoys

Soap & water?

its not raw metal, car wash soap wont hurt it.

Mrmerlin

followed by a good paste wax application ,

GT6ixer

I've had great results from Quick-Glo

http://www.quick-glo.com/

worf928

If you are getting out the wash bucket, normal car soap and water will do the trick for weekly buildup.

For heavier buildup I use P21S Gel wheel cleaner.

But, mostly, I clean my wheels with a quick detail spray and a disposable cotton towel. This is quicker that getting out the hose, bucket, etc., and just as effective for light, dry buildup.

The MM pads - IMO - dust less that other pads but is harder to get off the longer you leave it.

Range Rover

Sonax Full Effect wheel cleaner. By far the best wheel cleaner I've ever used. http://www.autogeek.net/sonax-wheel-cleaner.html

skpyle

Speedtoys: Good point. I wasn't sure if just soap would take off brake dust.


Mrmerlin: Any particular brand/type?


GT6ixer: I will look into that, thanks!


worf928: Good to know about the dust. I did know that you don't want to leave brake dust on wheels. Bad juju.


Range Rover: I will look into that, as well. Thanks!



Excellent, gentlemen, that tells me what I need to know.
I was overthinking it. I was worried about the brake dust scratching the chrome if I wasn't careful.

Off to buy cleaning supplies...!

Thanks!

Seth K. Pyle

Speedtoys

It SHOULD.


Crap pads, the erode the rotor aggressively might be more challenging, especially after the 'dust' gets wet, and it heavy iron content in it corrodes and glues itself to other metals. Think Hawk HP+ as a prime candidate.

BRB-83-911SC

My BMW X5 generates large amounts of brake dust - seemingly while sitting in the driveway. It gets a good hand wash every few weeks, and even in that amount of time there are iron deposits on the wheels that do not come off with soap and water. I use Sonax Full Effect wheel cleaner, which I believe has whatever chemical is contained in Iron-X, and does a great job removing the iron deposits. It sprays on green, and turns purple as it reacts with the iron deposits. A good coat of hand wax on the wheels helps with subsequent cleaning.

I have used the Sonax on my 928 with original factory anodized wheels with good results and no damage to the anodizing. I don't wax the anodized 928 wheels, but coat them with Vaseline periodically.

worf928

Brake dust is corrosive. Leave it on wheels and calipers long enough and it will eat them.

Speedtoys

Depends entirely on the pad material itself.

The corrosive..is really metal from the rotor mostly, and SOME pads, cheap ones, have metal in the pad itself, usually safe metals, like brass, some copper, etc. Rarely anything that oxidizes poorly.

Carbon kevlar pads you can leave dust on for a year, wipe it off with a rag.


Most european sports cars..use VERY aggressive pads that chew down rotors fast..but they feel sporty..never let that **** get wet and stay on your car...ew.

WyattsRide

I have Chrome Manhole cover wheels also.

I use this product to clean the brake dust off. (Mine is pink so Adam's may have changed the formula or just the color)
http://adamspolishes.com/shop/exteri...l-cleaner.html

About once a year I use a cleaner wax (with a small amount of abrasive) to remove any rough imperfections and the rest of the driving season after I (Carnauba no cleaner) wax the paint, I use the the towel that I remove the wax with over the wheels and buff. They stay pretty nice.

worf928

Notice I didn't write 'pad dust' or 'rotor dust' and thus 'brake dust' encompasses all. And as you point out it isn't entirely dependent on the pad material only.

Race pads or dual use pads are often more aggressive than stock pads.

The level of damage done to a wheel if brake dust is left on the wheel varies according to the combination of pad and rotor.

The metal master pads with stock rotors dust less than the stock pads. However, for whatever reason, it is harder to get off than stock pads. PF pads dust a lot with stock rotors but the dust seems easier to get off. But, it will chew on wheels faster than MM pads with stock rotors.

Bottom line is: You have to get the brake dust off the wheels or it will stain or pit the wheels at some point. Once every two weeks is pretty safe for normal DD use. Once per year is way, way, not enough regardless of pad/rotor.

Good to know.

skpyle

Hmmm...very good points. My intent is to clean the wheels around weekly. I do like the chrome shine...

Today, I am going to wash the Red Witch then go show off the newly tinted windows. Soon, I am going to pull the wheels to thoroughly and properly clean them, as well as clean the brakes.

Thanks!

Seth K. Pyle

GuardsTurbo

The best advice here, I just purchased a 5 liter jug of this stuff. It works miracles!