Can anybody tell me what's the brownish looking stuff on my rotors/discs? It's only on the front wheels and not on the back wheels. Also, you can wipe it off, so it's not rust (I guess).

- Is this abnormal?
- Should I clean it, if so with what?
- Anything I can do to prevent this?

Thanks!!

-> First Pic: Front Left Wheel
-> Second Pic: Front Left Wheel - Close-up
-> Third Pic: Front Right Wheel - Cleaned Brownish Spot with a Rag
-> Fourth Pic: Rear Wheel - No Brownish Spots

 

It's normal and is rust, to prevent it drive more often.

 

It's the same as what is on your lug bolt, iron oxide. It forms on iron and steel metal objects that are in a natural and unprotected state and in contact with moist or wet environments. When it rains or you just finished washing your car, you will notice it forms rather quickly on your rotors. Drive your car and apply your brakes and it is quickly removed. It has been there on all your cars but maybe you have not paid attention. It's harmless and will come and go. I would however remove your lug bolts and wire brush them and give them a coat of protective primer and paint.

 

That's the new PCRAB (Porsche Composite Rust Applied Brakes).

Porsche's press release:

"This remarkable technology consists of a lightweight rusted discs with a specially developed composite pad. Each of the front and rear discs has an impressive layer of rust of 0.0911 inches (0.00996 mm). Cross-drilled and internally vented for optimum absorption of moisture, the finished PCRAB disc offers an approximate 50% weight saving over conventional metal equivalents as parts of the disc flake off during driving."

I heard it's good for at least 15 hp.

 

Airport poisoning... I've seen it before. Not only will it turn the rotors orange, but the keyless entry stops working. (grin)

 

Local dog pissing on your wheels?

 

Seriously, do you drive this car? I don't think my calipers looked like that after about 4 days of ownership. The wheels look brand new, and I can still see tire nubbies!

 

I just bought this car (10 days ago)... drove it a thousand miles from Kansas City to Charlotte, so it is being driven. This color showed up after washing it yesterday.

As it relates to the wheels looking brand new... Thanks for the compliment... spent about an hour or so cleaning the rims!

 

Nice! Good luck with the car! All rotors rust like this, but you usually can't see the rotor very well so its not so obvious.

 

the only way to correct the problem is to take the right foot while driving and push it on the small pedal in the middle... the amount of pressure depends on the speed that you are aproaching the object or corner you are cominng to.

the more you use it the less you will notice the brownish discoloration


Happy 4th!

 

If you wash it and leave it parked, you will feel the "clink" when the car has to break the rust bond to roll.
I'm more surprised about your rusted lug . That will be a problem when you have to change a flat.
I think I would take those off, clean the hub, and get new lugs. Was the car stored where there was a lot of acid, or did someone use a multi-stage chemical wheel cleaner and forget to rinse off the chemicals? AS

 

Where can I buy new lugs, or should I just clean them and paint hem. If the latter, what kind of primer and paint should I use?

 

Nice wheels - I have the same ones on my 996.

 

Don't buy new ones, unless of course, you're not the DIY type and money has never been an issue. Any old primer and rattle can paint for metal will do. I had some silver wheel paint lying around and did mine, not a perfect factory match but no one would notice but me. They look brand new now, did 'um in less than an hour and put anti-seize on the threads.

 

what is anti-seize????