Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Brakes How can I remove "burned on" brake dust from wheel

Like the title says... A friend of mine drove her Sebring with one of the corners having some serious brake issues, which she has since corrected. The problem is, there was so much heat created, that the brake dust which was on the wheel seems like it is melded to the wheel. I tried Meguiars wheel cleaner and a plastic brush, with some limited success, but want to know if there is a more "powerful" cleaner that might get this off with less effort involved. Any ideas? Would Simple Green work a little better? I think I'm looking for something as strong as possible without damaging the finish of the wheels. They are the two-tone gold and silver wheels on the JXi model, which look great when clean. Thanks in advance...

Whatever you use, use it carefully. If you use something that is too strong, you may damage the wheels. Avoid acid cleaners such as "wheel brite".

Simple Green usually works well, as does most any high quality degreaser. My personal favorite is a citrus cleaner called "Big Orange" that I buy in concentrated form at Smart and Final, a bulk grocery and restuarant supply chain here in California. Castrol makes both a degreaser and a wheel cleaner that work well.

Some special hints. Do not work in direct sunlight. Find a shady spot. Make sure the wheel is cool, not hot because you have just been driving with heavy braking or just moved out of the sun. Use lots of water as you clean, rinsing often. Only work on one wheel at a time.

Wet the wheel first. Spray on the cleaner, scrub with a cloth, rinse, spray on cleaner, scrub some more etc.

Try this and see what happens. If the build up is especially bad, you may have to try stronger (riskier) products. With some patience you should be able to get the build up to break up and to release from the wheels.

If you still can't get it to clean up, post again and I'll explain some of the riskier products and how to use them with the least likelyhood of damage.

Are the wheels clearcoated? My wheel cleaner of choice is Eagle One A2Z. Make sure you use it in the shade on cool wheels. Also, S100 Gel Wheel Cleaner (from a Harley shop) may be good because it kinda clings to the wheel. You can let it sit for an hour or so to really let it work. Completely safe for the wheels. You could also try a claybar. Maybe a good paint cleaner/polish.

Believe it or not, I've read that NuFinish can serve as a good dust cleaner because of the strong cleaners it contains. Perhaps the only good use for it

You can also try brake parts cleaner. Spray some on a soft rag, not directly on to the wheel. Make sure you rinse it well.

If the brake dust has been on for a while, it is possible that the clearcoat has been pitted.

If the wheels aren't clearcoated, I can probably recommend a few products to try. I'm not too keen on the idea of using Simple Green on the wheels. Especially on bare aluminum wheels.

I think the wheels are clear coated, but not sure. Thanks for the advice.

Why don't you like Simple Green?

It can stain uncoated metal.. It left my valve cover looking pretty bad. Imagine it would do the same to wheels.

I've read several reports of damaged clearcoat from Simple Green on autopia.org, but there are a few people that use it successfully. But a few problems is enough to steer me away from it when there are other cleaners out there that are safer.

I used it all the time on my E1's, and still use it on my Dad's Sequoia wheels, those wonderful Buick Century POS, heck every wheel I've ever cleaned except the Crono Evo's. Also use it on every engine bay I've cleaned including the bare metal intake equipped Buick. Never had a problem with any of them but from now on I'll make sure everything gets a thorough rinse.

Perry, a friend recommended a Crest Spin Brush to clean wheels, think they'd work on those Century wheels that are such a PITA?

First thing I'd try is letting the wheel cleaner sit for a while, then spray on some more and get yourself an old tooth brush and get out the "elbow grease" I detailed a 94' Cougar a couple weeks ago and those rims were horrible, kinda of a yellowish color mixed with the "burned on" look your talking about. I first tried the tooth brush, but that wasn't enough, so I grabbed my nylon brush and although it worked better, I had to reach for something I thought I'd never have to use, a BRASS BRUSH! Yes, a metal brush that was pretty worn, but it worked. The guy was trying to sell the car, so I tried a small spot first because I didn't want to ruin the wheel and it worked great, everything came off of it. I don't suggest trying this unless you can try it out on an inconspicious spot first or have painted wheels that are pretty old. Another idea is to try this out on someone elses car that could give a rats ass about his or her rims Good luck to you!

pressure washer!!!


My pressure washer cleared much brake dust off my friend's Plymouth Acclaim, appearently the brake caliper wouldnt release or something.... so lots of brake dust, I put the nozzle on the fine line one, sprayed it, came out brand new