Hi folks, using this site as my son is a regular visitor here and it comes highly recommended!
I recently got a new car and wanting to protect the Alloys I applied some Turtle wax Brake dust barrier. That was two weeks ago. Last week i washed the car and the wheels, and they looked ok Today when i washed the car the wheels had quite bad black stains on them, presumably from brake dust. the only way i could get it of was to use ColourBack, not something i want to do very often!
Has anybody else used the Brake dust Barrier and how did it work for you?
Any other products or hints at keeping Alloys clean? Also I have heard not to use Wonderwheels as it is corrosive? Anybody confirm that? Thanks.
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On painted alloys I would never use anything that I wouldn't use on the other painted surfaces of the car. Which means, soap, water and wax/polish and nothing else. A good coat of wax will aid cleaning in the future, but as the wheels can get quite hot and are frequently driven through puddles etc, I wouldn't expect that wax to last as long as it would on other parts of the car.
My last resort would be to install low-dust aftermarket brake pads. EBC "Green" pads are usually highly regarded for performance and significantly reduced dust on the wheels.
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Auto-Glym products are trustworthy across the board IMO.
The wheel polish is the best I have found after much searching.
Not connected to Auto-Glym BTW.
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I do not use a barrier substance on alloys, but have and swear by Wonder wheels - it is superb for getting any amount of burnt on brakedust and other stuff off the alloys. Not overly cheap but good value IMO.
Once wonder wheels has been used and cleaned off I just use a sponge and hot soapy water to finish - always gives excellent results.
One word of warning, do not use on kerb or other damage where the lacquer is missing as it reacts badly.
Paul
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I agree - Wonder Wheels is superb. I wont use anything else.
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I just use Halford's own brand. It's pretty good, provided you don't leave the wheels for weeks on end to get messed up. Also seems mild enough not to do any damage to the lacquer. I spray it on, agitate gently with a soft brush, then wash it off with clean water from the hose (fine garden spray on end).If the wheels are very bad, I sometimes rub with a soft cloth before washing off.
Mind you, I've never tried Wonder Wheels. Someone did say in a previous thread that it can be a bit harsh if used too often.
Graeme
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I always use fairy liquid and hot water for the wheels (we have both alloy and hubcaps in our house) as opposed to the wash and wax I use for the bodywork. The fairy cuts through the brake dust far better than a wash and wax (which is obviously waxy)
Always wash your wheels weekly whether you wash the rest of the car or not as this stops the build up of brake dust and the burnt on effect. Combined with cleaning the windows it's the ultimate cheat wash anyway
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Not overly cheap but good value IMO.
WonderWheels is about £8 for 5 litres at Costco if you know anybody who is a member. Just a tad cheaper than a certain highstreet retailer.
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I used to have a BMW 320i with cross spoke alloys: wonderful looking wheels when clean but absolute PIGS to clean due to the small holes where the spokes met. WonderWheels was very good in cleaning them.. but tended to corrode the brake disks..
Now I use warm water with any washing wax shampoo and a plastic washing brush. Provided you wash carefully and REGULARLY they are easy to clean (and it's a lot cheaper than Wonder Wheels). Time to clean 1 wheel: about 1 minute.. each week.
madf
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Prevention is better than cure.
As suggested above, EBC Green Stuff pads will stop dust forming. They are made from Kevlar, so I was told. I put them on the Omega many months back and Hey Presto! Clean wheels!
I am still amazed that I can wash the alloys with just a wipe with a wet sponge, just to get street dust off.
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