Good day Fellow Enthusiast,
As summer is coming to an end in a few weeks, I found myself cleaning the brake dust off my BMW wheels, again. As I was sweating in the warm muggy air I was amazed how well a new tool and cleaner that I had just purchased from the parts counter at BMW of Fairfax worked and the precious time it was saving me. So this month I thought I would share my thoughts about this dirty, nasty, unappealing, wonder-if-I-would-turn-into-a-pillar-of-salt if I looked at it too long turn-off: brake dust coated wheels. I thought I would share the yin and yang (positive and negative) effects of brake dust, some do’s and don’ts, and some fun information regarding the tools that are available to you to keep your BMW wheels clean and some simple investments that will make it even easier.
The reason BMWs have this brake dust issue and other vehicles don’t is due to the soft material that the brake pads are made out of. The positive function of this soft material is that you get robust braking with no brake fade (when the brakes are hot and you are applying them, but cannot stop completely or have the same braking effect). The negative is that you get all this nasty black brake dust covering up your expensive and cool wheels. What most people don’t know is how corrosive brake dust actually is. With a little moisture and some sun, brake dust will start eating at the finish on your wheels, and left alone long enough it will eat though the clear coat and paint, ending up at the base metal of the wheel, making your wheels look even uglier than the brake dust itself. If you have waited until the clear coat and paint is popping off the wheel, then there is only one of two options for you. Either have the wheel refinished for $150.00 to $250.00, or replace the wheel, which can start at $400.00 and quickly go up.
I have also seen people make a bad decision and go out and purchase brake dust shields. While this may reduce the amount of brake dust getting onto your wheels, there are a whole lot of negatives going on behind them. First there are the obvious things; rattles and strange noise because the shield is squeezed between the wheel and hub, it can also move out of position or bend. The second issue is that the shield holds in the heat from the braking system, and can cause over heating damage to the caliper, hub bearing, and even break down the brake fluid.
At the end of the day there is only one thing to do; clean the brake dust off your wheels on a regular interval and apply wheel wax to protect them.
In the past I would have to pull the wheels off of my BMW to clean the inner and outer part of the wheel thoroughly (what a pain). There is hope though; with a little elbow grease and the right tools you can keep your wheels clean and your paint damage free. Now I know there are a few of you saying “I will just pay some yahoo to clean my wheels” and if you are of that mind set, then more power to you. If you want it done it right though, I’d suggest you do it yourself. First rinse the wheels down with water, and then apply a small amount of wheel cleaner over the entire wheel. After letting the wheel cleaner sit for just a few moments add a little water and start cleaning the wheel with the wheel brush. I started with the outer part of the wheel, again adding a little water, then I started reaching into the inner part of the wheel. The wheel brush allows you to reach into the inner wheel area without having to remove it. This great tool comes with a handle and three different brushes so you can use it effectively regardless of the type of wheel.
When you are done cleaning your wheels I would highly recommend that you rinse the wheels thoroughly and then wash yourself. The wheel cleaner is something you do not want sitting on your wheels or your skin for long periods of time. The next step in cleaning your wheels is the application of wheel wax; please keep in mind that your BMW’s wheels are painted and clear coated just like the paint on the body of your BMW. Basically you want to perform what I call the Mr. Miyagi (young grasshopper, wax on wax off). By waxing your wheel you will make it easier to clean your wheels next time, and will be protecting them at the same time. You will need to apply the wheel wax every six months, because the brake dust will wear down the wax over a period of time. I recommend taking care of this in the early fall and again in the spring.
If you would like to take control of your own destiny and be involved in taking great personal care of your BMW, then there is just a short list of inexpensive tools and materials that you will need to invest in. You can buy them from any BMW dealer retail parts counter, or you can go on-line and order them at www.bmwoffairfax.com: on the home page click on parts and service, then click on parts on-line ordering, then click on ‘Got accessories’, then search accessory catalog to input the part numbers I have provided below, then click and add to cart. To order the wheel wax, you will need to add it in the comment section when you are almost done checking out. Just indicate (please send wheel wax also), and the great associates in the BMW of Fairfax parts department will take care of everything else.
The tools and products you will need:
- Wheel cleaning brush part number 83-19-0-395-819 $40.75
- Wheel cleaner part number 83-12-0-405-177 $8.16.
- Wheel wax $12.60
I hope this helps you with managing that aggravating brake dust problem and keeping your wheels looking great without having to spend a lot of money paying someone else to do it for you.
Have a Great Day!
William
