MINI2

Shep · Sep 21st, 2002, 10:43 PM

My nice alloy colored wheels (Cooper, standard 15" 8-spoke wheel option) get filthy in no time, from the brake pads I assume. They are surprisingly tedious to clean, and get dirty again right away.

Will this be the case for the life of the brakes, or is it just at the start (I've driven 1300 miles so far)?

Looks like we need either:

1) a less messy brake pad material, or
2) an option of BLACK wheels instead of white ones?

NEMINI · Sep 21st, 2002, 10:54 PM

common problem with all brake pads

JimMini · Sep 21st, 2002, 10:58 PM

Once the brakes "wear in" the dusting is less severe, but will always be there. As a solution I wax my wheels (I have the 15" 8 spokes)and then dust them with an old tee shirt each day when I put the MINI in the barn. It only takes a couple of minutes and the the wheels stay nice and clean. I use the same cloth over and over, you may want to wear gloves because it gets pretty nasty. The only thing you want to be aware of in this dusting process is that once water gets introduced to the brake dust then you will have to wash the wheels to get the brake dust off. With the little amount of rain we have had this summer I have been able to go days with out washing and the dusting keeps the wheels looking great.

Basil · Sep 22nd, 2002, 04:16 AM

Hello, another thread on this subject.

All BMW's suffer this problem, it may reduce, but will not go away in time. The price we pay, for good brakes with no asbestos.

xplode · Sep 22nd, 2002, 04:38 AM

i'm still waiting for the ebc kevlar brakepads to become available for the mini, they're called greenstuff and should help solve this problem. check www.greatbrakes.com or tirerack. as of a couple weeks ago when i asked they had no introduction date.

you will see this problem on almost any car, just walk around a parking lot and check people's front wheels. it seems bmw suffers worst from it however.

Basil · Sep 22nd, 2002, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by xplode
i'm still waiting for the ebc kevlar brakepads to become available for the mini

Good link, thanks for that.

swamos · Sep 22nd, 2002, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by xplode
i'm still waiting for the ebc kevlar brakepads to become available for the mini, they're called greenstuff and should help solve this problem. check www.greatbrakes.com or tirerack. as of a couple weeks ago when i asked they had no introduction date.

you will see this problem on almost any car, just walk around a parking lot and check people's front wheels. it seems bmw suffers worst from it however.

I use Greenstuff on my Lotus, and they still generate dust. Mind you, you can get further than the shop and back before they look messy, unlike the MINI

EBMCS03 · Sep 22nd, 2002, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JimMini
As a solution I wax my wheels

OH... i never thought of taht!! the wax wont hurt the wheels?

JimMini · Sep 22nd, 2002, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by UCSDxB0i

OH... i never thought of taht!! the wax wont hurt the wheels?

The wheels have a clear coat like finish on them and waxing them gives the same result as waxing your cars painted finish, they look very shiny and are very smooth and slippery, which is why the brake dust comes off with a simple "dusting" motion.

warp · Sep 22nd, 2002, 05:33 PM

I wax mine also. I swear they shine more than the car itself, & really helps to keep them clean.

MiniWinnie · Sep 22nd, 2002, 05:59 PM

Do you guys use any special type of wax?

warp · Sep 22nd, 2002, 06:34 PM

On my wheels I used Meguiar's Cleaner-Wax.

JimMini · Sep 22nd, 2002, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by warp
On my wheels I used Meguiar's Cleaner-Wax.

Me too !

, but any car wax will do the same thing

Sep 21st, 2002, 10:43 PM	#1
Shep MINI2 Regular Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Princeton, NJ, USA Local Time: 09:34 PM Posts: 209 Offline	Black gunk messing up my alloy wheels--is this really necessary? My nice alloy colored wheels (Cooper, standard 15" 8-spoke wheel option) get filthy in no time, from the brake pads I assume. They are surprisingly tedious to clean, and get dirty again right away. Will this be the case for the life of the brakes, or is it just at the start (I've driven 1300 miles so far)? Looks like we need either: 1) a less messy brake pad material, or 2) an option of BLACK wheels instead of white ones? Chili red Cooper/white roof/CVT/sunroof/DSC "Max" arrived on 19th August 2002 License plate: OURMINI

Sep 21st, 2002, 10:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
NEMINI NEMINI.org Join Date: Sep 2002 Local Time: 08:34 PM Posts: 7,866 Offline	common problem with all brake pads NEMINI.org, NEMINI.us, NEMINI.info, NYMINI.org

Sep 21st, 2002, 10:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
JimMini MINI2 Regular Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Endicott, NY Local Time: 09:34 PM Posts: 118 Offline	Once the brakes "wear in" the dusting is less severe, but will always be there. As a solution I wax my wheels (I have the 15" 8 spokes)and then dust them with an old tee shirt each day when I put the MINI in the barn. It only takes a couple of minutes and the the wheels stay nice and clean. I use the same cloth over and over, you may want to wear gloves because it gets pretty nasty. The only thing you want to be aware of in this dusting process is that once water gets introduced to the brake dust then you will have to wash the wheels to get the brake dust off. With the little amount of rain we have had this summer I have been able to go days with out washing and the dusting keeps the wheels looking great. 2006 Solar Red/Silver Cooper

Sep 22nd, 2002, 04:38 AM	#5 (permalink)
xplode minimalist Join Date: May 2002 Location: here Local Time: 09:34 PM Posts: 585 Offline	i'm still waiting for the ebc kevlar brakepads to become available for the mini, they're called greenstuff and should help solve this problem. check www.greatbrakes.com or tirerack. as of a couple weeks ago when i asked they had no introduction date. you will see this problem on almost any car, just walk around a parking lot and check people's front wheels. it seems bmw suffers worst from it however. cooper s '05 x brg/white/chrome, cordoba/anthracite/chrome, flik wasp 17x7 x delivered july 26th 2005 cooper '02 replaced x brg/white, R83 white, chrome, cordoba x built june 21st, arrived july 15th on the traviata, delivered july 26th 2002

Sep 22nd, 2002, 11:00 AM	#9 (permalink)
JimMini MINI2 Regular Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Endicott, NY Local Time: 09:34 PM Posts: 118 Offline	Quote: Originally posted by UCSDxB0i OH... i never thought of taht!! the wax wont hurt the wheels? The wheels have a clear coat like finish on them and waxing them gives the same result as waxing your cars painted finish, they look very shiny and are very smooth and slippery, which is why the brake dust comes off with a simple "dusting" motion. 2006 Solar Red/Silver Cooper

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Sep 22nd, 2002, 04:16 AM	#4 (permalink)
Basil MINI2 Master Join Date: Nov 2001 Local Time: 11:34 AM Posts: 5,956 Offline	Hello, another thread on this subject. All BMW's suffer this problem, it may reduce, but will not go away in time. The price we pay, for good brakes with no asbestos.

Sep 22nd, 2002, 05:02 AM	#6 (permalink)
Basil MINI2 Master Join Date: Nov 2001 Local Time: 11:34 AM Posts: 5,956 Offline	Quote: Originally posted by xplode i'm still waiting for the ebc kevlar brakepads to become available for the mini Good link, thanks for that.

Sep 22nd, 2002, 05:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
swamos MINI Traitor Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Brisbane, Australia Local Time: 11:34 AM Posts: 4,985 Offline	Quote: Originally posted by xplode i'm still waiting for the ebc kevlar brakepads to become available for the mini, they're called greenstuff and should help solve this problem. check www.greatbrakes.com or tirerack. as of a couple weeks ago when i asked they had no introduction date. you will see this problem on almost any car, just walk around a parking lot and check people's front wheels. it seems bmw suffers worst from it however. I use Greenstuff on my Lotus, and they still generate dust. Mind you, you can get further than the shop and back before they look messy, unlike the MINI

Sep 22nd, 2002, 05:35 AM	#8 (permalink)
EBMCS03 M5 Extraordinare! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: So Cal Local Time: 06:34 PM Posts: 6,768 Offline	Quote: Originally posted by JimMini As a solution I wax my wheels OH... i never thought of taht!! the wax wont hurt the wheels?

Sep 22nd, 2002, 05:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
warp MINI2 Regular Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: USA (Georgia) Local Time: 08:34 PM Posts: 112 Offline	I wax mine also. I swear they shine more than the car itself, & really helps to keep them clean. Chili Red Cooper IT'S ALL GOOD!!!!!!

Sep 22nd, 2002, 05:59 PM	#11 (permalink)
MiniWinnie MINI2 Regular Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Local Time: 08:34 PM Posts: 103 Offline	Do you guys use any special type of wax? BRG/black top CVT with nav system named Winnie. I'm a GUY! Wave if you see me in the North Hills of Pittsburgh!

Sep 22nd, 2002, 06:34 PM	#12 (permalink)
warp MINI2 Regular Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: USA (Georgia) Local Time: 08:34 PM Posts: 112 Offline	On my wheels I used Meguiar's Cleaner-Wax. Chili Red Cooper IT'S ALL GOOD!!!!!!

Sep 22nd, 2002, 08:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
JimMini MINI2 Regular Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Endicott, NY Local Time: 09:34 PM Posts: 118 Offline	Quote: Originally posted by warp On my wheels I used Meguiar's Cleaner-Wax. Me too ! , but any car wax will do the same thing 2006 Solar Red/Silver Cooper

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