Brake Dust

[wombat66]

We are still enjoying our new Focus but are getting annoyed about the brake dust on the wheels. Other than washing the car regularly is there a solution to the dirty euro brakes? Are there better pads that we could eventually put on the car when these ones have worn out? Does that void your warranty or affect the braking system in any way. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[rand0mn00b]

Yeah the brake dust on my focus drove me bonkers

I changed over to the QFM HPX and they still have dust, but I believe that it is less noticeable because the dust is a lighter colour so it is only noticeable very close up. from afar the wheels look dust-free

Aside from that the QFM HPX are fairly low noise (a little noisier than stock) but have very good, progressive brake feel and better stopping power

Hopefully they've improved the brakes in the LW from the LT but the stock pads had notoriously soft compound so didn't last very long =\ the QFM HPX should last much longer on the right rotors

As long as the brakes are suited for your car they would not void the warranty (unless fitted incorrectly)

[FOCUSonTHIS]

EBC Greenstuff pads are also another recommended pad for Focus owners.

[rand0mn00b]

Originally Posted by FOCUSonTHIS

EBC Greenstuff pads are also another recommended pad for Focus owners.

These were 2nd on my shortlist, however it seemed that green stuff is a lot pickier with rotor choice so as not to chew through the pad and/or rotor in a short time

[FOCUSonTHIS]

Originally Posted by rand0mn00b

These were 2nd on my shortlist, however it seemed that green stuff is a lot pickier with rotor choice so as not to chew through the pad and/or rotor in a short time

I would use an RDA rotor with a EBC pad

[WILDB]

The reason they dust up so easily is because of the graphite in the standard pad compound.

A wheel cleaner such as P21s wheel cleaner gel will make short work of any buildup. I was in the same boat with my XR5, also with the Brembos on my XR6T.

[Micksxboxmods]

waxing after washing will also help, I do this on mine as the brembo pads are dusty as hell! Probably worse than focus pads.

[wombat66]

OK. So the plan is to use a good wheel cleaner, give them a wax and maybe put some better pads on at a later date. Thanks.

[totallysour]

Originally Posted by wombat66

OK. So the plan is to use a good wheel cleaner, give them a wax and maybe put some better pads on at a later date. Thanks.

I had some seriously nasty brake dust to deal with in the first few weeks of owning my Focus Sport. Since applying nanolex rim sealant it's been a very quick spray, scrub, spray and they are back to their sparkling glory!

Before this it took some serious elbow grease every wash...

[some_cs_student]

Originally Posted by totallysour

I had some seriously nasty brake dust to deal with in the first few weeks of owning my Focus Sport. Since applying nanolex rim sealant it's been a very quick spray, scrub, spray and they are back to their sparkling glory!

Before this it took some serious elbow grease every wash...

Like this?
http://www.carcareproducts.com.au/pr...im_sealant_kit

Does it make a lot of difference when removing the brake dust?

[totallysour]

Originally Posted by some_cs_student

Like this?
http://www.carcareproducts.com.au/pr...im_sealant_kit

Does it make a lot of difference when removing the brake dust?

The majority of brake dust now comes off with a burst from a high pressure water hose. I'll take some photos of before hose, after hose and after scrub next time I wash.

Lately I've only been scrubbing the alloys every second wash but TBH they look pretty good just with a high pressure spray.

[brydie76]

Know somebody who got a mechanic mate to fit asbestos pads. Apparently that fixed the dust.

Note I do not guarantee the accuracy of this story, nor do I condone doing that. Very much so an "at your own risk" thing!!!

[Yellow_Festiva]

I saw black plastic disks available once that you placed behind the wheel as a barrier for the dust. This may effect cooling but under regular driving conditions I doubt it will pose a problem.

Cheap and easy way out???

[marg99]

I think the old falcons had those on their mag wheels but they seemed to not stop the dust just may be stopped the rain rusting the disc rotor if the car was parked.

[4.0i OHC]

Originally Posted by marg99

I think the old falcons had those on their mag wheels but they seemed to not stop the dust just may be stopped the rain rusting the disc rotor if the car was parked.

Up to AU. I always loved the way they looked.

[mik]

Originally Posted by marg99

I think the old falcons had those on their mag wheels but they seemed to not stop the dust just may be stopped the rain rusting the disc rotor if the car was parked.

they stopped the dust beautifully on my xr6, pulled them off and gave them to my mate kicking myself now.

[totallysour]

Gave the rims a wash this weekend. Here's the results. Probably difficult to see but first image is before, second after high pressure spray, third after a shampoo and scrub.

The rims have been applied with the nanolex rim sealant. Effect probably most noticable on the last pic.

[4.0i OHC]

Iron-X was able to remove half a decade worth of brake dust from the wheels of an AU Falcon. Works brilliantly on the Mondeo and Passat alloys (both cars are very prone to brake dust).

[DeKa]

Originally Posted by 4.0i OHC

Iron-X was able to remove half a decade worth of brake dust from the wheels of an AU Falcon. Works brilliantly on the Mondeo and Passat alloys (both cars are very prone to brake dust).

Where did you buy this Iron-X?

[some_cs_student]

Originally Posted by 4.0i OHC

Iron-X was able to remove half a decade worth of brake dust from the wheels of an AU Falcon. Works brilliantly on the Mondeo and Passat alloys (both cars are very prone to brake dust).

Is iron-x a removal or a sealant for the rims? Or both?

[blatchie]

That would fix the 2 hours to remove,wash,dry and refit all 4 wheels

[Franco Cozzo]

I used Iron-X, works really well on heavily dusted wheels. You can get it from our sponsor waxit.com.au

[ernie1]

the "brake pad dust" is mostly comprised of iron from the rotor.

[rand0mn00b]

Originally Posted by ernie1

the "brake pad dust" is mostly comprised of iron from the rotor.

really?

while I'm sure there is an element of brake rotor involved. changing brake pads has made an enormous difference to the dust levels on my car...

[Russ]

Originally Posted by ernie1

the "brake pad dust" is mostly comprised of iron from the rotor.

According to the article at the link below, the above statement appears to be correct I was always under the impression that it was the pads that caused the vast majority of brake dust but apparently not :( After seeing the amount of brake dust on some wheels they must be wearing rotors down pretty quickly

http://www.ebcbrakes.com/automotive_...kes_dust.shtml

[blatchie]

Originally Posted by ernie1

the "brake pad dust" is mostly comprised of iron from the rotor.

by this school of thought my rotors must be paper thin by now

[Dave_Obsession]

Wheels are always an area that require constant supervision in order to keep them looking good. Every car will put out different amounts of brake dust - remember it's also got to do with driving style and how hard you're using that brake pedal!

Firstly give the rims a good cleaning - any high quality wheel cleaner will do the job...you may find it advantageous to agitate the cleaning solution with a soft/old paintbrush on stubborn areas. On very heavily contaminated wheels, you may need to apply wheel cleaner a couple of times - also try leaving the solution to work it's way through the muck for around 30-60 seconds (but don't let it dry completely, especially if your wheels are aftermarket - no clearcoat like the OEM ones).

Once you've used the wheel cleaner solution, wash your wheels again with regular car wash solution (make sure you're using a separate bucket and wash mitt for this!) This will help to wash away and neutralise any leftover solution; even the pH neutral cleaners shouldn't be allowed to sit on the surface and dry...

IronX is NOT a wheel cleaner, it's an iron and ferrous metals remover than can be used on wheels. So yes it's great for removing any and all embedded bits of brake pad/rotor filings that have attached themselves to the inside of your wheels. For optimum results, clean your wheels first THEN use the IronX - you don't want it wasting it's time removing above-surface dirt, you want it to dig out all the tough stuff that the wheel cleaner can't touch!

Be sure to rinse VERY THOROUGHLY after IronX, spend a good couple of minutes or more if necessary - until you can no longer see any purple streaks running out of your wheel.

Once it's as clean as you can make it, dry the wheel off and then apply your wheel sealant - this will make things a lot easier to maintain moving forward with just a regular wash - the brake filings won't stick very well to a sealed surface.

Sealants perform much better when bonded to a clean surface, so if you seal wheels that still have contamination in/on them, then you won't get much durability from them...otherwise (depending on the car/use of brakes/amount of heat the brakes give out) you should see at least 8 weeks out of a good sealant, through to around 5-6 months....potentially longer if you're maintaining the finish more regularly through washing and keeping the surface contaminant-free.

I'm not going to recommend specific products unless asked, because IMO a lot of it is subjective, so what I say to people is when you find a product that you like, keep using it!

[PridenJoy]

Can you please recommend a good wheel cleaner and also a sealant?

[Dave_Obsession]

Originally Posted by PridenJoy

Can you please recommend a good wheel cleaner and also a sealant?

Wheel Cleaners:
From auto retail outlets (Aurobarn, Repco, Supercheap) - Meguiar's All Wheel Cleaner, Turtle Wax Rim Clean

Otherwise I'd look at Final Inspection Power Wheel Cleaner 2.0 or Chemical Guys Diablo Gel if you're prepared to buy online and pay an extra $10 for postage...

Sealant:
For wheels, you can use any conventional car wax. Ideally however you'd use something that is more resistant to the higher temps that brakes can generate - in saying that, for daily use brakes don't really emit THAT much heat, not like we see the V8 Supercars with glowing discs etc...

But if you're looking for something a bit stronger, Finish Kare 1000p Hi-Temp Paste Sealant is the best value - it's cheap, the tin is HUGE, it is VERY DURABLE...it can be a bit tricky to remove though, especially if you put it on too thick...and it doesn't smell the greatest either.

Originally Posted by DeKa

I've ordered some Iron-X and it arrived today. I'll aim to take the wheels off my (LV) Focus Zetec on the weekend and clean them inside and out and report back.

My car was a fleet car before I bought it and the wheels just don't clean up properly with soap and elbow grease as they've been allowed to have the brake dust bake on I'd say. Hopefully this works.

You should be fine, give it a good clean first with your regular stuff to get rid of all the loose dirt etc...then allow the IronX to sit for a few minutes, then agitate with a brush! Make sure to rinse very thoroughly as well.

[DeKa]

I've ordered some Iron-X and it arrived today. I'll aim to take the wheels off my (LV) Focus Zetec on the weekend and clean them inside and out and report back.

My car was a fleet car before I bought it and the wheels just don't clean up properly with soap and elbow grease as they've been allowed to have the brake dust bake on I'd say. Hopefully this works.