Rim Question

[Barry]

After a long day at the track, using Hawk Blue pads in front, my rims are coated with caked-on brake dust. It's REALLY caked on and lots of cleaning is not making much of a dent.

Anyone got a suggestion for something that works to remove caked-on brake dust??
TIA,
Barry

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

No. Hawk Blue dust does not come off once it gets wet. I strongly recommend using a different pad.

Just hope it's not on your paint, because the only way I've ever heard of to get it off is to strip the car and repaint.

[AlfaEric]

Have you tried Eagle One A2Z? I've found it to be one of the stronger wheel cleaners.

---Eric

[Barry]

Have you tried Eagle One A2Z? I've found it to be one of the stronger wheel cleaners.

---Eric

Eric,
Thanks for the tip.
Where do you get it??
I looked at www.eagleone.com and saw other wheel-cleaner products, but not A2Z.
TIA,
Barry

[1996 328ti]

Track Auto sells the stuff. Or maybe Auto Zone.

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

Eric,
Thanks for the tip.
Where do you get it??
I looked at www.eagleone.com and saw other wheel-cleaner products, but not A2Z.
TIA,
Barry

A2Z doesn't do crap. I've used it. I can't even cut through the dust of OE pads.

If scrubbing won't do it, nothing will.

[AlfaEric]

A2Z doesn't do crap. I've used it. I can't even cut through the dust of OE pads.

If scrubbing won't do it, nothing will.

I used A2Z on some old E30 wheels I bought. These wheels looked like they hadn't been washed in years. I tried several different products and even tried using a pressure washer. A2Z (with a little scrubbing) was the only product that seemed to work.

---Eric

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

I used A2Z on some old E30 wheels I bought. These wheels looked like they hadn't been washed in years. I tried several different products and even tried using a pressure washer. A2Z (with a little scrubbing) was the only product that seemed to work.

---Eric

*shrug* Hawk Blues are famous for their corrosiveness. Even among all the other corrosive track pads out there, Hawk Blues are almost universally reviled for their ability to ruin wheels and destroy paint jobs. If the dust got wet, it's pretty much too late.

[AlfaEric]

*shrug* Hawk Blues are famous for their corrosiveness. Even among all the other corrosive track pads out there, Hawk Blues are almost universally reviled for their ability to ruin wheels and destroy paint jobs. If the dust got wet, it's pretty much too late.

Ouch, that sucks. There isn't much you can do about corrosiveness other than maybe waxing your wheels before an event and cleaning them immediately after but if you are just trying to get baked on dust, I've found A2Z to be very effective - just be careful, it's pretty strong.

---Eric

[Barry]

No. Hawk Blue dust does not come off once it gets wet. I strongly recommend using a different pad.
Just hope it's not on your paint, because the only way I've ever heard of to get it off is to strip the car and repaint.

The brake dust was only on my rims. I spent a lot of time cleaning them and I got them 90 to 95% clean. The residual brake dust will come off, but it's taking a lot of elbow grease. I've used soaps, paint thinner, brake cleaner and several wheel cleaners. None of this stuff has harmed the rims. It's just been a lot of work.
I think I'm going to try an oven cleaner next.
Barry

[SharkD]

It sounds funny, but I use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser pads to get the Hawk Blue dust off of my TD Pro-Race 1 wheels. (My basketweaves are a lost cause.)

[AlfaEric]

The brake dust was only on my rims. I spent a lot of time cleaning them and I got them 90 to 95% clean. The residual brake dust will come off, but it's taking a lot of elbow grease. I've used soaps, paint thinner, brake cleaner and several wheel cleaners. None of this stuff has harmed the rims. It's just been a lot of work.
I think I'm going to try an oven cleaner next.
Barry

Try using an old piece of claybar. It should pull some of the embedded stuff out.

---Eric

[Marcplante]

Depending on how much you like the wheels, you can go to Oven cleaner to get the crud off. If you're using Hawks you're probably also using dedicated track wheels Performance Friction pads are similar. I've had good luck with Carbotech pads as an easier to clean alternative.

MarcPlante

[white_2kgt]

NOXON from Home Depot, it is in a green bottle, it is a Stainless Steel cleaner for sinks and such. It has some fine abrassives in it. Works wonders on wheels. I had the same Hawk Blue dust in my wheels, never again.

http://www.carbotecheng.com

[Barry]

NOXON from Home Depot, it is in a green bottle, it is a Stainless Steel cleaner for sinks and such. It has some fine abrassives in it. Works wonders on wheels. I had the same Hawk Blue dust in my wheels, never again.
http://www.carbotecheng.com

This sounds promising.
I'll get some today and try it.
Thanks,
Barry