Not the yellow side

 

I'm talking something like a Scotch Brite Doby, not the green or blue ones that are for heavy scrubbing. I use them for pans and then use the old ones for the car to get bugs and brake dust off These seem to work OK and you can get them at most supermarkets. Won't really work on their own, you'll still need something like Sonax for caked brake dust.

 

Been wondering for ages how to get rid of that brake dust. Going out tomorrow to pick me up some Sonax!

 

post them before and after pictures yo!

 

Will do sometime next week

 

Yes - this. For me, I would basically get the brake dust areas all soaked/wet with cleaner and try to go at it with a very stiff-bristle nylon brush to try to take the most/larger chunks off, and then go for it with those thingies to get the rest. The hardest spots are tight corners where the spokes meet the rim, and in the center of course. My wheels are caked with brake dust to the point of probably creating balance issues. If they were not all bent, I might fix that. Haaaaaaaaa.

 

Sonax....good stuff makes everything easier

 

So i tried sonax with magic eraser and still no success. I tried applying and scrubbing off twice but the grime and brake dust won't come off. I think I'm going to go to a professional wheel cleaning and repair shop (since there are a few small scuffs, rock chips, and curbages). Any recommendations on shops on the peninsula?

 

Sonax WCFE isn't all that magnificent, IMHO. It is formulated slightly different than the rest (because it changes colors when it reacts) and fights a slightly harder fight on grime, but not enough to justify the price. The performance and visual properties is what you are paying for, and it does make for a good regimen cleaner.

But you can get the same results, effectiveness and more value with lower cost alternatives.

There is a difference between caked on brake dust and embedded iron brake particles.

The options really hasn't ended for you there, if you are willing to buy more products and keep trying at your own hand with it, as the process just started.

Aside from what has already been tried;

You still have the option to get some bug and tar remover such as Stoners Tarminator (about 6 bucks a can at your local auto store) to help break down stubborn high raised chunks. If there are any chunks on the surface, it is most likely a compound mixture of things from rocks, dirt, to brake dust covered debris attached to the wheels by tar.

I would continue with the solvent mixture bug and tar remover with the combination of wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaner alone will not be able to break down tar and road grime.

By then, it should be fairly leveled and smooth on the surface. After that, if there is still surface contaminants hindering, Then I would try some hard grade clay bar over the effected surface areas and see what you pick up.

Lastly, I would move on to a dish washing sponge (mentioned above) or some microfiber towels, a microfiber polishing pad, or foam pad and use some rubbing compound to abrade and resurface those areas.

By then, you should be able to get it back to a very healthy and decontaminated condition.

If the wheels are un-painted and bare aluminum alloy, there are very hard acidic cleaners that will remove the toughest gunk. Make sure you wear the correct safety gear (glasses and breather mask in a well ventilated area).

This all takes a long time, but is well worth it if you want to work on your wheels yourself with product left over for the future, and to gain some experience.

 

wow internet is f'd up. Double post lag

 

Pics of this contamination? Sounds a lot more significant than just caked brake dust.

 

Update here:

I asked a local roaming wheel cleaning professional to clean my wheels for me - a few days after picking them up he says the brake dust is too deep and I would need to take it to a shop to sand blast them. Thankfully he didn't charge me anything.

Which leaves me with the question - anyone have recommendations on good wheel repair places in the Bay Area? I hear Wheels America is good in hayward but they are only open during hours I can't go (8-5 m-f). I'm in south SF.

Also, any recommendations on easy ways to post pics? Haven't done t before.