PorscheStrong

Any informed views on ArmorAll's brake dust repellent (or similar product from other manufacturers)?

http://www.armorall.com/products/wheel-protectant/

On my 997.1 TT, I have a set of brushed, clear HRE P40's (forged, monoblok wheel). They look great when clean, but the brake dust accumulation, both on face and in barrels, makes for frequent cleanings.

I've used brake dust repellent on my current and previous DD's and it seemed to work fine for a couple weeks without damage to the finish or any other adverse reactions, but I'm concerned about using it on the HRE's, as it is a different finish and could be a costly mistake!

TypeRx

While I can't comment on the ArmorAll brake dust repellent on your specific wheels, I would highly recommend coating your wheels with Opti-Gloss/Coat, C-Quartz, etc. It helps immensely, will be safe for your wheels, and is much better than spraying the AA aerosol stuff after every wash, wiping down overspray, etc.

66mustang

I use that on my black painted wheels with no issues.

p987yow

I coated my HRE P40's with C-QuartzUK a couple of weeks ago. I find the break dust build up to be slightly reduced, however, clean effort is significantly reduced. Wash and dry and good to go.

Francisco_FL

A strong coating helps a lot and nothing is better right now than Modesta Glass Coating BC06. It can only be applied by an authorized installer. Even on brake calipers. The heat resistance is incredible.

SC Detailer

I don't believe they have made a product yet that is repellant to brake dust, but as stated, a good high quality professional coating applied to the wheels will help in the cleaning of them. You can sometimes get by with a high pressure rinse to get a good amount of it off the wheels after coating.

HUMP

Francisco_FL

A good Ph balanced wheel cleaner will still be needed but if prepped and coated well, it should be enough to come right off compared to uncoated wheel.

I highly recommend Sonax Wheel cleaner. It's still the best, not cheap but 5-10K wheel, 20 bux isn't nothing compared to the cost of damaging them with cheap products.

Francisco Santiago

TypeRx

I've found that my coated wheels (OptiCoat), even after tracking and really aggressive pads, wash clean with just car soap and water. I save my Sonax for uncoated wheels or deep cleans only...

Marine Blue

I have been using Armor All Wheel Protectant for a couple of years now and have had no issues. It definitely helps repel brake dust and makes it easier to keep the wheels clean although it does leave a film when applied that isn't as shiny as the clear coat.

I would contact HRE and ask them if they apply a clear coat on the wheels. If they do then you will be fine using the Armor All Protectant. If not I would ask them what they suggest including one of the coatings being suggested.

PorscheStrong

Thanks guys. I'm definitely going to try coating, just a matter of finding the time to dismount and do it right! I appreciate the suggestions on brands - will follow your lead there. Incidentally, I did email HRE to inquire about the Armour All product, but the answer was somewhat half-hearted and a bit unsatisfying (a bit disappointing for HRE, but perhaps I got the wrong person or wrong day).

TypeRx

I pulled my wheels and exhaust tips off this weekend to do a full detail on them. 2007 Turbo with VMRs and Kline Exhaust. Cleaned thoroughly with Sonax wheel cleaner, removed old wheel weight adhesive, touched up any nicks, and then cleaned with 50/50 isopropyl:water and coated with OptiCoat. Took care of the calipers as well.

We'll see how it works on the Porsche but in my prior experience, the barrels and wheel faces rarely require more than a strong stream of water and some car soap to gleam again. Not to mention they resist brake dust in between washes.

The other thing I did..but it does come at a cost...is replaced the Textar pads with Centric ones. The Centrics (again, I've used in multiple prior applications) generate basically no dust and are rotor-friendly, but do not have as much bite at first as the stock pads. They work great for the street though. I got them all around for less than $80 from RockAuto. They are a lifesaver if you hate brake dust. Swapping the front and rear brake pads took about 1 hour but I was taking my time since I was thoroughly cleaning the calipers and learning how to change pads on this car (new to me).

ClintonM3

A couple of years ago, Target had a fire sale on this and they were priced at $1.49 per bottle. I bought out my local Target. Haven't seen that deal since.

Marine Blue

That's exactly what I was able to do earlier this year. I had gone to Advanced Auto in the spring and I didn't see it on the shelf. They looked it up and said that it was on closeout and a few of the stores still had some left. I looked at the guys computer screen and saw the price was $1.49 and I said I'll take eight of them! The kicker was that these were bonus sized cans which had nearly double the product in them! I just finished my first can and started into the second one.

Make sure you store them indoors during the winter, they don't store well in the cold. I learned that the hard way with a ful can of product that wouldn't work.

sweet victory

Give poor boy's wheel sealant a try.

http://www.autogeek.net/pbws.html