# Removing baked on brake dust/dirt



## X-Type_Bobstar (Jul 16, 2012)

Hi,

My 2012 Jag XFS has lovely 20" rims, however the inside barrel is caked in baked on dirt which I am guessing is brake dust, dirt and residue from wheel weights. I have tackled the wheels with Iron fallout removers like CSPs Iron gel and Korrosol and washed wheels with Bilberry wheel cleaner, scrubbed with an EZ wheel brush, I even used neat Bilberry on the inner wheel but still cannot get the wheels looking good as new. I was tempted to de-iron, wash and clay the inside of the wheel. What would you guys suggest? Its nice having sparkly clean wheel faces but I want the inside rims to look good too.

Cheers,
Bob


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## cleslie (Feb 19, 2006)

It may be nasty stuff that you don't want to use on a regular basis but when nothing else shifts it, I find Wonder Wheels does the job. It's not exactly PH neutral though!


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## shine247 (Mar 1, 2010)

cleslie said:


> It may be nasty stuff that you don't want to use on a regular basis but when nothing else shifts it, I find Wonder Wheels does the job. It's not exactly PH neutral though!


He is absolutely right. If I have to clean any really dirty wheels, which are never my own, I get out the 7 year old 5L wonder wheels, still with about 4.5L left. :lol:


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

The blue thick acid based wheel cleaner from Valetpro is pretty effective...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VALETPRO-...165914?hash=item27ec899c1a:g:lBgAAOSwyQtVspD3

although i'd say you've given them a pretty good going over already with fallout remover etc

Have the wheels been refurbed at some point ? often they just do the faces leaving overspray on the inners or worse still layer over the dirty surfaces. I used wet n dry on one Audi wheel to finally sort it (going back to Audi's finish under the refurb !)


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## X-Type_Bobstar (Jul 16, 2012)

cheers guys appreciate the input. Percymon you may have a point about the wheel refurbs, the wheels were not marked when I viewed the car but thats not to say its hasn't had a mobile refurb at any point. I know a place that could properly strip, dip and powder coat them and get them back to looking like new again but that's going to cost around £300.


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## lawrenceSA (Jul 17, 2012)

Have you tried a tar remover at all? Often what appears to be 'dirt/brake dust' is actually tar deposits


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## X-Type_Bobstar (Jul 16, 2012)

Got some Tardis, can try that out.


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## Sun_King (May 2, 2016)

X-Type_Bobstar said:


> Got some Tardis, can try that out.


Won't really help with brake bust, I dont think?


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

XFS? Nice car! When cleaning really dirty wheels, you need three products in your arsenal. Firstly, a good strong alloy cleaner, like Autosmart Smart Wheels or treble x. The guys above have mentioned Wonder wheels, and it's years since I last used it, but I'd say it'd do too. 

Secondly, a tar remover; Autosmart Tardis is a good shout, as it's very effective. 

Finally, an iron fallout remover as you've said. 

I bought a car a few years back, and the faces of the wheels had been refurbed, trapping a load of dirt under the lacquer on the barrel. Bizarre, but I know most folk don't clean the wheel barrels like we do lol. 

Personally, I'd get a few products and give it a try. It'll be about 40 quid, and we'll worth having, even if you do need to get them refurbed. 

Hope you get sorted chum.

Cooks 

Sent from my D6603


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## Harry_p (Mar 18, 2015)

A lot of refurbs are done by dealers as a quick tidy up. Often the wheels don't even get removed, they'll feed a plastic bag through the spokes to cover the brakes and spray them where they are.

Like you say, 99% of people will never notice or care, they just want wheels which don't look like they've been ground along curbs.


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## X-Type_Bobstar (Jul 16, 2012)

Cheers Harry and Cookies. Thanks for the compliments on the motor Cookies! I do have autosmart smart wheels and tardis, they have served me pretty well, got them in 5 litre tubs! I shall give it a go again when its dry and keep working on one wheel at a time. Does look like a someone refurbed the faces once upon a time.


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## X-Type_Bobstar (Jul 16, 2012)

Given the wheels another going over this weekend with jet wash, bilberry wheel cleaner neat on the inner rim, tardis, CSP Reactive Iron gel and my EZ care wheel brush and although they are clean and lovely on the surface they are still ingrained with dirt on the inside. Will try next weekend with smart wheels neat and clay just for laughs. £312 for all four wheels to be properly refurb'd...I'm thinking if I have the money to do this and then I can crack out my C5 wheel armour on them!


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

At what ratio would you use smart wheels on a very dirty wheel please


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## Demetrios72 (Jun 27, 2011)

camerashy said:


> At what ratio would you use smart wheels on a very dirty wheel please


1:5 = Product to water if that don't shift it try 1:3 :thumb:


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Smart wheels neat is actually weaker than smart wheels knocked down at 3/1. 
Don't ask me why I never could understand it. Maybe a chemist can jump in and explain IT.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Wash with a gentle wheel cleaner then hit with a good bleeding fallout. If it's bleeding at least you know it is indeed fallout. Agitate and rinse then visually check them. If it isn't shifting it then you need an acidic wheel cleaner like the grey bottled wonder wheels or KKD devils juice.


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## Chubbz (Jul 20, 2016)

Move to an acidic wheel cleaner, no problem if used as directed and not very often. Try Megs Wheel Brightener or KKD Devils Juice. The last can be purchased in smaller volumes so will be cheaper.


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## X-Type_Bobstar (Jul 16, 2012)

Got some KKD devils juice on order. See what it can do.


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## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

I think you are wasting time, chemical and money to be honest - if you are going to buy anything else a coarse clay bar might be in order, but really it seems to be dirt within the refurb paint, so nothing bar abrading/polishing through the refurb overspray is going to work


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## X-Type_Bobstar (Jul 16, 2012)

I think you're right percymon, this is the last resort now, if this and clay dont work then it aint coming off.


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## Marcwithac (Jul 29, 2015)

I've just done the wheels on my puma- 16 ish years of grime on the barrels. Used wheel cleaner, Tardis and fallout remover. The stubborn stuff that remained was resisting so bought some wonder wheels, even this wouldn't remove everything. Was recommended Devils Juice by KKD. My god this stuff is impressive. Highly recommended.


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