Brake dust and chrome rims

[sjones]

I have a set of Hawk HPS pads on my nsx and the braking is great, my only complaint is there is alot more brake dust compared to the stock oem pads. Usually after a good drive, i always rinse my wheels and clean them off because the brake dust is so thick. I've tried the wheel/dust repellent sprays (michellin, armor all, etc) and none of them have made a difference. I'm wondering if allowing brake dust to sit on stock oem chrome rims will cause any damage to the chrome finish over a period of time?

 

[Alan C.]

If the surface is dry and remains dry odds are that you won't have an issue. How long do you plan to let the dust sit? Since I don't drive my car that much and not in the rain I will let it sit for a week in the garage before cleaning the wheels with no problems.

I drove my 996 on the track in the wet with Hawk Blues and let the car sit overnight in the garage at Mid-Ohio. Next day I had a major mess. The brake dust was even stuck to the lower side of the car.

 

[HELIJOE]

Not so bad as long as it stays dry, but still not too good for the chrome in the long haul. Once the rimgets wet its a different story. The mixture becomes acidic and wiull eventualy etch your rims. You can try putting something like wheel wax to help protect the rim and it makes cleaning them a little easier.

 

[sjones]

Thanks for the info guys. I usually wash my car once a week and pretty much have to wash the rims after every drive due to the brake dust, even if its just a 10 minute drive. I went out of town and when I got back, I parked the car and haven't had time to clean it just yet. I'll be sure to wash it as soon as i get off work.