Cleaning Severe Brake Dust from Wheels

[Brian Minkin]

My Kinesis wheels are anodized silver and the brake dust blows or washes right off.

[Darren]

Brian Minkin wrote:

You do not want to powder coat aluminum wheels. Powder coating requires an oven bake after it is applied and this changes the characteristics of the aluminum and could cause premature failure. Aluminum most be anodized to have color added.

Enough people do it and I've never personally saw an aluminum wheel fail because of that. The issue is that they heat treat the wheels and the temp of powder coating (400 degrees or so) comes close to the same temp.

Regardless, a company that does very nice work with wheels is the Wheel Collision Center in Allentown:

http://www.wheelcollision.com/wccsvcs.html

They will redo a wheel to match factory appearance, or whatever else you want to do to them. They do great great work and if you go through a local shop, shipping is free.

The WRX wheels are cheap enough though, it's probably cheaper to buy a used set.

The best strategy is not letting the dust sit, or not caring about it, either way.

[Brian Minkin]

Darren wrote:

Enough people do it and I've never personally saw an aluminum wheel fail because of that. The issue is that they heat treat the wheels and the temp of powder coating (400 degrees or so) comes close to the same temp.

I had BBS 3pc centers powder coated about 10 years ago and the next season 2 of the wheels developed cracks. Maybe just coincidence due to age but no cracks when they powder coated as they bead blasted and inspected prior to powder coating.

[Darren]

Brian Minkin wrote:

Darren wrote:

Enough people do it and I've never personally saw an aluminum wheel fail because of that. The issue is that they heat treat the wheels and the temp of powder coating (400 degrees or so) comes close to the same temp.

I had BBS 3pc centers powder coated about 10 years ago and the next season 2 of the wheels developed cracks. Maybe just coincidence due to age but no cracks when they powder coated as they bead blasted and inspected prior to powder coating.

Could be, you're right though, esp if powder coated it's important to check your wheels. I cracked one of my CCH inners last year...racing is tough on parts.

[michael lang]

George, there used to be some wheel cleaner that I bought at Walmart, it came in a purple bottle. It was called Castrol All Wheel Cleaner. For some reason they stopped carrying it and I found it again at Pepboys. It does a very good job but you have to apply it when the wheels are cold otherwise it etches the clearcoat finish. Now they have stopped carrying it. I did buy a bottle of that one time from the Pepboys on MacArthur Blvd next to the Lehigh Valley Mall when I was visiting the in-laws.

 

[George3]

Thanks for the tip, Mike !!!!!!!!!!

[Mike Andrews]

George,

 

I'd have to see the wheels to be sure what the problem is.  But if it's just really suborn brake dust then I've have real good success with clay.  The same stuff you use on your paint.  It's a little more tedious than doing the hood but it will remove all of the material.  I use it on the wheels as I swap them out from season to another and what to get them really clean. 

 

Now if it's baked into the finish of the wheel as one would expect hot pad material would with a painted finish you may need to me more aggressive.

 

 

 

[George3]

Mike......... It's BAKED on real good.  Sort-of crusty like when you burn oatmeal & milk in the pan.

[Larry Herman]

Try this:

[George3]

Larry,

I will need your tool after I'm finished with this...........