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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Wash, Wax, Detailing and Cosmetic protection/repairs > Brake dust - won't come off



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      11-22-2011, 12:04 PM   #1
Pinarello Rider
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Brake dust - won't come off

I bought my 328i CPO. Previous owner was not as careful with the rim washing as I would have been. Does anyone have an idea about how to get the cooked on brake dust off. Lost cause? I've heard oven cleaner will do it, but I'm skeptical.

Thanks!
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      11-22-2011, 12:41 PM   #2
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Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner should do the trick.
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      11-22-2011, 01:32 PM   #3
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meguiars wheel brightener, sonax full effect, chemical guys diablo
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      11-22-2011, 07:10 PM   #4
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Sonax or P21s
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      11-22-2011, 09:02 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Envious Eric View Post
meguiars wheel brightener, sonax full effect, chemical guys diablo
use all 3 with a wheel cleaning brush. good luck.
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      11-22-2011, 10:22 PM   #6
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Try claying
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      11-23-2011, 01:28 AM   #7
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Sonax did a good job on an old set of rims I have, might take a few passes.

Saw on the DI site they use a steamer to clean the rims, you can get a small steam gun from Costco called a 'euroflex monster steam cleaner'
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      11-23-2011, 07:35 AM   #8
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I'll try some of those things. I have a brush, and I've tried a couple of the Eagle 1 and Maguires (can't remember the name) to no avail. This stuff has been baked on for years in some of the corners of the rims.
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      11-23-2011, 09:17 AM   #9
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Definitely give it a try with Sonax or similar and agitate. And if that doesn't get rid of everything completely then take some clay to the wheels, that should eliminate the rest of the dust with some elbow grease.
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      11-23-2011, 12:14 PM   #10
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The first time I took the rims off and did the full Turkey weekend cleaning. I spent at least 2 hours per wheel with clay. I thought for sure I needed to have the rims blasted and re-painted, but I'm glad I was wrong. Now every turkey and Easter I pull the wheels, clean/clay both sides, then put 2-3 coats of Poor Boys Wheel Wax on them. In between I just wash with a bit of regualr cleaner and wipe them clean.
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      11-23-2011, 02:34 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinarello Rider View Post
I bought my 328i CPO. Previous owner was not as careful with the rim washing as I would have been. Does anyone have an idea about how to get the cooked on brake dust off. Lost cause? I've heard oven cleaner will do it, but I'm skeptical.

Thanks!
I've tried a lot of wheel cleaners and Sonax works the best at removing caked on brake dust IME.
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      11-28-2011, 01:13 PM   #12
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If the spray on stuff's not working, try a chemical polish like Klasse All in One and a bunch of elbow grease.
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      11-28-2011, 06:21 PM   #13
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Agreed...Sonax Full Effect, then medium grade clay with lube for the leftovers, apply 2 coats of Poor Boy's World Wheel Sealant and you should be golden.
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      02-28-2012, 09:56 AM   #14
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Resurrecting a long dead thread with updates...

I bought the Sonax Extreme and finally got time/weather/inclination to do the work. I have a set of winter rims/tires so I was able to put the stockies flat on the ground.

HOLY COW this stuff works. Amazing. It takes a while, though, for the chemical to start breaking down the solids. I sprayed it, let it sit for 3-4 minutes, then went after the caked on stuff with a cotton buffing pad and elbow grease. I'll have to do it again, the results so far are better than I could have imagined with a consumer grade product. Stuff is damn expensive, though...
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      02-28-2012, 09:57 AM   #15
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acid + brush
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      02-28-2012, 11:28 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinarello Rider View Post
Resurrecting a long dead thread with updates...

I bought the Sonax Extreme and finally got time/weather/inclination to do the work. I have a set of winter rims/tires so I was able to put the stockies flat on the ground.

HOLY COW this stuff works. Amazing. It takes a while, though, for the chemical to start breaking down the solids. I sprayed it, let it sit for 3-4 minutes, then went after the caked on stuff with a cotton buffing pad and elbow grease. I'll have to do it again, the results so far are better than I could have imagined with a consumer grade product. Stuff is damn expensive, though...
COOL! That stuff is amazing.
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      02-28-2012, 01:29 PM   #17
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As a former car wash operator, having nasty rims is antithetical to everything I stand for (when it comes to car care). I am very pleased.
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      02-28-2012, 02:19 PM   #18
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I used some Purple Power at full strength and that seemed to work pretty damn good. Spray it on, let it sit, agitate with brush, and rinse repeat as needed.
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      02-28-2012, 07:24 PM   #19
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Love Sonax!
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      03-07-2012, 08:16 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinarello Rider View Post
I bought my 328i CPO. Previous owner was not as careful with the rim washing as I would have been. Does anyone have an idea about how to get the cooked on brake dust off. Lost cause? I've heard oven cleaner will do it, but I'm skeptical.

Thanks!
I had the same problem when I first purchased my car. I wouldnt use oven cleaner unless you want to damage/stain your rims.

I had very good results with a regular car polish. I used Meguiars Ultimate Compound and a bit of hard work and they came up brand new. You could use a cleaner polish aswell or any car polish without any risk of harming the finish and bringing them back to their new appearance. If I had to chose Id start with Meguiars paint cleaner .
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      03-07-2012, 08:19 AM   #21
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Sonax ftw! Great stuff.
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      03-07-2012, 10:36 AM   #22
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before you polish/compound, use the less-aggressive clay. You may still need a light polish after claying.

"What's wrong with a kiss boy? You don't have to go diving straight for the clit"
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