Hardened brake dust deposits

[JHZR2]

I don't think the clear is bubbled up. The dust in the corner may have melted/intertwined with the clear, can't say, but all of the spots I can feel are discrete vs the smooth clear surface.

That's also why I'm hesitant to use any chemicals. At least without having the time and energy to wax the wheels right after.

Wonder if silicone oil would be good on wheels for long term water and dirt resistance.

 

[qwertydude]

Those wheels are painted. Best hting to do after cleaning and polishing would be to use a long lasting wax. I use Collinite 915 on mine and it usually holds up 2-3 months, same as the paint on my car panels.

 

[Picky1]

Critic you are right Sonax is sometimes not strong enough and the small bottle can get used up quickly...making this a not so cost effective product.

Any thoughts on something as good as Sonax which is more cost effective.

 

[JHZR2]

I went over my wheels again today, first with zaino soap and a wheel woolie, and then using iron-x. They look a little better but still some slight embedded bits.

Interestingly, the iron-x didn't change color at all!

Wondering if the acid-based or magic eraser approach is the next best step.

They look great unless I'm scrutinizing like this. The car is my almost-dd in the summer so dirt is to be expected. So perhaps I'm best off leaving slone from here until something really bad shows up.

I'm sure this was entirely preventable had I cleaned a little more often.

 

[qwertydude]

I think you need to invest in a 10x loupe. If you're trying to restore these wheels to factory which were neglected to begin with you may not be able to achieve that, when brake dust embeds itself it literally will eat a hole in the clear coat of the wheel.

Think of it like your teeth. If you eat lots of candy and never brush your teeth, no amount of cleaning and chemicals will fix that cavity.

Just throwing stuff at the problem likely won't solve anything and might make things worse. A 10x loupe will show you if anything you're thinking of doing will help. If you can see a pit in the paint nothing will help, the damage is done. You might be able to remove the stubborn bit of brake dust with an acid cleaner but I can guarantee you it will return. And worst case scenario, this is an alloy wheel, if that bit of brake dust is dissolved by the acid and some of it remains after rinsing, it'll bubble up the paint surrounding it over time as the acid definitely will corrode the aluminum casting alloy a lot faster than the bit of brake dust you're trying to remove.

http://www.amazon.com/SE-Triplet-Profess...words=10x+loupe

And really test that Magic Eraser out on a painted surface, I think you'll find it's harsher than wet sanding, it's about the equivalent to 3000 grit sandpaper but not as controllable.

 

[JHZR2]

I have a loupe. I'm not sure I'd call it neglected, they get cleaned with every wash. They get dirty from the first stop. Different beast than a standard pad.

Yes, if embedded, it is a good question of getting it out vs leaving it. Seems the residue is all organic (why I tried the iron x, given that it worked after more standard stuff didn't).

Keep in mind that these are already absolutely tiny specks. I like to keep my car looking new within the constraints of available time, which often is not much. It's probably a stupid idea to refinish the wheels over such tiny spots, but I do want to minimize the potential for damage down the line.

No implement is going to mechanically remove the specks without doing further damage. I may just wax the wheels or coat them with rejex after another good washing.