Cleaning wheels with drilled rotors

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Apr 7, 2004
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How do you clean wheels with drilled rotors? After I wash them there is rust on the rotor which as soon as I drive the car and use the brakes the barrels of the wheel are covered in rust/dirt. I tried blowing water out of holes in the rotor with limited success. I tried wiping the rotors today but there is still some rust on the rotor. Here is a picture before I wiped rotor down. Wheels are open wheel design.
 

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Is the problem the rust from the rotors or the dust from the pads?

A grocery sack tucked over the rotors will help with the rust, changing to a low-dust set of pads will also help. Could also ceramic coat the wheels so the brake dust won't stick as easily.
 
You get over it. Seriously, you just have to get over it as it comes with the territory unless you want to change your brake performance with different pads but even then it's no guarantee with drilled rotors Black rims would help as well.
 
Get a carbon-ceramic brake upgrade. Those drilled rotors will never rust, unlike plebian rotors made from grey iron alloy.
LOL..I know right... Can you imagine that conversation.

Friend - Nice brakes, Why did you change?

OP - Hated brake dust.

Friend- Oh I see. Aren't they like $16k?

OP - Ya

Friend - Oh.
 
Compressed air to dry, as much as you can, the rotor as soon as you can. Don't let vehicle sit overnight w/ wet rotors. Minimizes but won't eliminate the rusting.

First world problem;)
 
I am not obsessed about this, just was curious if there was a simple solution. Looks like there isnt. Not a big deal.
 
I am not obsessed about this, just was curious if there was a simple solution. Looks like there isnt. Not a big deal.

Nope, just surface rust. It'll happen all the time after you wash it until you drive around and use the brakes once or twice.
 
When you get these drilled rotors for the "LOOKS" there are some sacrifices you must make. On all my rotors they do exactly what you say when I wash them. What I do is drive around the block a couple of times lightly applying the brakes and re-wipe the wheels. Simple.

I would not recommend applying anything to them .i.e rust inhibitors
 
I might add that the back of wheels is often cleaned by us car enthusiasts but not really treated and detailed. On all my wheels I either polish or wet sand with 1000 and then clearcoat. This way brake dust for the most part will not accumulate as much and in some case never (depends on the pads) and when you wash your wheels comes off with little effort.
 
When you get these drilled rotors for the "LOOKS" there are some sacrifices you must make. On all my rotors they do exactly what you say when I wash them. What I do is drive around the block a couple of times lightly applying the brakes and re-wipe the wheels. Simple.

I would not recommend applying anything to them .i.e rust inhibitors
Since its a porsche there may-be more than looks involved with the cross drilled rotors.
 
Since its a porsche there may-be more than looks involved with the cross drilled rotors.
Not really.
At least for street use. On ROAD TRACK either drill, slotted or drilled and slotted has advantages and not advantages. The best braking is still with a none drilled or slotted rotor.

I know ...this is a debate ... let me just say I engineered and marketed BBKs front and rear on a couple platforms. I also machine and assemble my own rotor assembly. Yes I said assemblies. That means they are more then just a single part rotor . LOL
On most of my street driven cars or the ones that occasionally see track time I go for look and drill and slot the rotors. LOL
 
I go through this with my Atlas. The wheels are gloss black and ceramic coated. The first drive sees rust dust from the rotor settle on the black wheels.

I give them a quick wipe down after that first drive.
 
Another vote for Hyde's Serum Rust Stopper. I won't wash my cars without it anymore.

1. After giving the wheel a final rinse, wait a few seconds until residual water stops streaming off the bottom of the rotor.
2. Hold the nozzle just inside the spokes of the wheels and give the rotor a mist about every 90 degrees around the circumference (3-4 sprays).

The leftover moisture on the rotor will dry as a haze rather than rust.
 
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