is it just me, or are audi wheels impossible to keep clean!

[Bllzll]

god damnit! i was my car almost every week and EVERYTIME my wheels are FILTHY!!!.. is it just the car that gives off a lot of break dust or something?? or maybe my wheels are really dirty in back, and it gets thrown around onto the front from driving..

but little baby jesus christ they continue to get filthy.. i never had such bad of a problem with others cars

i mean i obviously still love this car, and its not that big of a deal, but its just frustrating that i cant even keep them clean for a week


does anyone know of any good products that i can put on the wheels that will deter break dust and other crap?

i also have one wheels that looks almost stained.. its like turning brown.. it almost looks like dirt was swirled into it.. and no matter how hard i scrub it doesnt seem to come off.


(all the more reason for some new 19's)

[J-jizzle]

you will have to get some new brake pads that dust less or paint you wheels black.

[toothysaw2]

brake dust is a huge issue with our cars i think. i've had the same problem with my stock and aftermarket wheels. i have used DP wheel cleaner and glaze. it seems to do a good job of reducing brake dust build up when used regularly, and it makes the wheels look real nice!

[Latin Audi]

Mine get dirty the first cruise after washing my car. Frustrating at first but just something I deal with.

[Bllzll]

well thats it... theres only one logical thing to do.. i must sell this car immediately! and buy myself a chevy HHR LOL.. i hear they are top class when it comes to minimal break dust

[Tgr_Clw]

The amount of brake dust depends on the brake pads you're running.
Try some dustless pads like Hawk HPS or Carbotech Bobcat. About 95% less dust than OEM.

[VanAudi]

I have the same issue....the dust comes off easy enough, but the wheels get dusty within a couple of miles from a good washing. Thanks for the insight TGR. Where can I get some new pads and who can put them on (I am not mechanical in any lifetime)

[CardNation]

well Thats It... Theres Only One Logical Thing To Do.. I Must Sell This Car Immediately! And Buy Myself A Chevy Hhr Lol.. I Hear They Are Top Class When It Comes To Minimal Break Dust

Lmao!

[CardNation]

I have the same issue....the dust comes off easy enough, but the wheels get dusty within a couple of miles from a good washing. Thanks for the insight TGR. Where can I get some new pads and who can put them on (I am not mechanical in any lifetime)

Where in KY are you from?

[DrewBo]

i hate the squealing that accompanies the brake dust.. every time my wheels get dirty and i apply the brakes, there's a squeal. clean them up and the squeal is no longer present

[Silverstreak98]

I feel like this is a problem that encompasses most of the Audi line, my B5 had horrendous break dust.

I just recently changed the pads to PBR Ultimate Ceramic pads, and that has helped the problem significantly.

[speedydragon]

Hawk HPS are great pads with low dust :]

[delta]

With the dustless pads (Hawk hps, etc.), does it have the same initial bite as the OEM pads on this car? On my last car (3er which also had a horrendous amount of brake dust) I had Hawk HPS pads and the bite wasn't the same.

[Bllzll]

i hate the squealing that accompanies the brake dust.. every time my wheels get dirty and i apply the brakes, there's a squeal. clean them up and the squeal is no longer present

OMG i get the SAME thing!! it drives me nuts!! the squeal only happens sometimes and other times not at all.. if i break hard i dont hear anything, but when i break reallllly lightly, i hear it... i thought maybe my pads were getting low but the dealer said they were just fine


its really embarrasing to be rolling up in an audi, and your breaks are squeeking like your in '98 taurus

[Tgr_Clw]

With the dustless pads (Hawk hps, etc.), does it have the same initial bite as the OEM pads on this car? On my last car (3er which also had a horrendous amount of brake dust) I had Hawk HPS pads and the bite wasn't the same.

You're sure you were using Hawk HPS and not the Ceramics? HPS bite better than OEM.

[Louis J.]

As said before, it's the compound of OEM pads. If you think Audi is bad, you'd hate BMW or MB. +1 on Carbotec Bobcats.

[72mako]

As said before, it's the compound of OEM pads. If you think Audi is bad, you'd hate BMW or MB. +1 on Carbotec Bobcats.

Or try a Touareg...the wheels on that would be far worse than the Audi wheels are, fortunately they were five spokes and easier to clean ;) My car gets washed every few days so it doesn't ever get too bad.

[Sanjman]

Where in KY are you from?

next time try not to jack someone elses thread... that is why PMs were made so you can have a conversation... i had to learn that too so don't beat yourself up for it.

my wheels sometimes are so dirty that it looks like I have gunmetal 17's... kind of looks dope... but agreed that it's way too much brakedust... best way is different pads... ecstuning.com sells them. I've been told to wax the wheels and it will make it much easier to wash the dust off.

[tooleyfooley]

when you replace the pads should you also replace the rotors?

[Tgr_Clw]

when you replace the pads should you also replace the rotors?

Depends on how old (how many miles) your rotors are.

[Noffy]

Here is my solution. I wash my wheels twice a week and dust them twice a week. It ain't glamorous but its the price we pay from good performance-ike brakes. Then again I wash my car twice a week, once a week in the summer. But I enjoy every minute of it. When i am washing my car I am not thinking about the stresses of work and family.

[toothysaw2]

OMG i get the SAME thing!! it drives me nuts!! the squeal only happens sometimes and other times not at all.. if i break hard i dont hear anything, but when i break reallllly lightly, i hear it... i thought maybe my pads were getting low but the dealer said they were just fine


its really embarrasing to be rolling up in an audi, and your breaks are squeeking like your in '98 taurus

haha, roger that. when i brought it to the dealer that is exactly what i told them. my car sounded like... a '98 taurus. my service adviser told me my brakes weren't broken in yet and that i should go somewhere and drive up to 80 then slam the brakes to break them in. solid advice. 20k miles later still the same issue.

[davis449]

I see this same exact post on EVERY European car forum. Yes, Euro's and Jap cars prduce a lot of brake dust. It's the price you pay for good stock brakes.

[atop]

I see this same exact post on EVERY European car forum. Yes, Eruo's and Jap cars prduce a lot of brake dust. It's the price you pay for good stock brakes.

true, and it shouldnt be something to worry about. wash ur car on fridays for the weekend thats it...lol

[Tgr_Clw]

It's the price you pay for good stock brakes.

Heh. Guess you never drove a B6 A4.

[quattro.it]

Mine are a PITA to keep clean. I power wash them once a week and blast as much dust off the calipers and pads as possible. They look good and it reduces the squeel.

[saleen93-11]

just wait for your wheels to cool off.
then take a dry towel and wipe the clean.
It is so hard to do them while they are wet.
do this every couple of days to keep it from building up.
It takes a couple of seconds and the results are instant.
if you want put on a pair or gloves because the dust is a b*tch
to clean when you wash you hands.

[davis449]

Heh. Guess you never drove a B6 A4.

Guess you've never driven a Ford or GM car!

[Sanjman]

Here is my solution. I wash my wheels twice a week and dust them twice a week. It ain't glamorous but its the price we pay from good performance-ike brakes. Then again I wash my car twice a week, once a week in the summer. But I enjoy every minute of it. When i am washing my car I am not thinking about the stresses of work and family.

you are lucky to get that much time just to wash your car twice... I wish i had time to wash my car/wheels that often... either way midwest weather sucks.