I'm using some performance brake pads on my DD/back up autocross civic. I've been running the fronts for a few months, switched to the same pads on the rear this weekend.
I'm very happy with the brakes and I haven't had problems with using them on the street. They're not silent but very close to it, but they dust like an Oklahoma windstorm. This is only an issue with the civic, I have regular street pads on the Miata.
To clean them, I've used Dawn dish soap and Greased Lightning with a small scrub brush, water, and a whole lot of elbow grease and time with moderate results.
I then picked up some wheel cleaner and found that I could get the wheels far cleaner with a fraction of the time and effort.
My concern is whether the cleaner will affect my autocross tires. I'm chasing fractions of seconds and my budget is very tight so I take care to extend the time that the tires are at their best. For example, I remove the tires after each event and store them in heavy plastic bags on a tire rack.
I'm concerned that the cleaner could harden the tires prematurely.
Any comments, advice, anecdotes or speculation would be welcome.
I've been using a strong, citrusy wheel cleaner for several years for my car with heavy brake dust. I generally pull the wheels off the car so that the cleaner isn't contaminating the pads. I had never considered that the stuff may affect the tires and I'm fairly certain that it has not. My 2 year old Falken RT660s were sticking just as good as ever during my laps at Sebring last week. Of curse I have no real data to back anything up.
Here's what I'm talking about. There was a couple of heavy rain storms since I drove on these, it's usually much worse.
84FSP
UberDork
5/22/23 2:52 p.m.
Honestly, there is an amazing amount you can do with a toilet brush and water, no chemicals harsher than the water.
This is what I picked up at the flaps. It foamed when it hit the brake dust and a bit of agitation with a brush was all it needed.
84FSP said:
Sonax Wheel Cleaner is my jam. Not terribly cheap but silly effective. I typically do the wheels twice a year off the car and give them a ceramic coating after a cleanup with Sonax.
https://www.amazon.com/Sonax-230200-755-Wheel-Cleaner-Effect/dp/B003UT3S6Q/ref=asc_df_B003UT3S6Q/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198093981731&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13092425192208998527&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015734&hvtargid=pla-384225091090&th=1
This stuff is very good. It doesn't seem to matter how long the crap has been baked on, this stuff gets it off.
Toyman! said:
84FSP said:
Sonax Wheel Cleaner is my jam. Not terribly cheap but silly effective. I typically do the wheels twice a year off the car and give them a ceramic coating after a cleanup with Sonax.
https://www.amazon.com/Sonax-230200-755-Wheel-Cleaner-Effect/dp/B003UT3S6Q/ref=asc_df_B003UT3S6Q/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198093981731&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13092425192208998527&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015734&hvtargid=pla-384225091090&th=1
This stuff is very good. It doesn't seem to matter how long the crap has been baked on, this stuff gets it off.
I wonder if its safe for ceramic coating?
