# Cleaning brake dust behind rims (\*PICS\*)
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343
**Category:** SON240sx Automotive
**Created:** [December 7, 2003, 9:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343 "2003-12-07T09:15:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2003, 9:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/1 "2003-12-07T09:15:51Z")
Ok, so my new rims have some severe accumulation of brakedust (and/or
rust as someone told me)…
I’m talking about the back of the rims not the front face. The back is just
machined aluminum so ther’s no coating there or anything now.
Anywho, I tried using Meguiars wheel cleaner and then using a wire
bristle toothbrush to clean it, and it did an ok job but it’s stuck on there
pretty good.
I resorted to buying a wire cup brush (see pic below) and used it
with a drill and lightly used it against the rear and it seemed to clean it up
pretty well, however, I want to make sure this is safe and not damaging to
my rims. I would guess that if I went with this technique, I would have to
re-coat the wheel with something to prevent rust.
Comments:
Wirebrush:
Wheel after using a wire bristle toothbrush (not the one above) and Meguiars wheel cleaner:
[/quote]
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### Author:  [@Titan](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Titan)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2003, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/2 "2003-12-07T10:13:44Z")
Rays Engineering? What kind of rims are those? Volk?
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### Author:  [@Sweet\_N\_SourSauce](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sweet_N_SourSauce)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2003, 11:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/3 "2003-12-07T11:46:04Z")
if it’s aluminum, it doesn’t ‘rust’, it oxides but in a different way,it just goes dull. Just be carful with that wire wheel, aluminum is VERY soft an scratches very easily, but it’s on the back, so i guess that doesn’t matter much.
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### Author:  [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2003, 11:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/4 "2003-12-07T11:54:33Z")
Well for those that are interested in seeing the wheels, they’re the ones
Jarret had F/S a while ago. Pics here: [http://240sx.cubicdesign.com/picpage12.php](http://240sx.cubicdesign.com/picpage12.php)
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### Author:  [@Axlerod](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Axlerod)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/5 "2003-12-07T13:13:27Z")
It’s good to see you got some better taste in wheels… 😉
those Enkei’s are for FWD.
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### Author:  [@polex](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/polex)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2003, 2:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/6 "2003-12-07T14:04:53Z")
Nice wheels.
Pressure washers do a very good job of cleaning the dirt out of the textured surface of the inside.
It begs the question - why do it in the first place? Are you going to mount them inside-out? Eat out of them?
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### Author:  [@\_M\_aurice](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/_M_aurice)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2003, 10:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/7 "2003-12-10T10:55:27Z")
Sandblaster. That is the best way to do anything. Although it isn’t always easy to get to one…
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### Author:  [@\_M\_aurice](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/_M_aurice)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2003, 11:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/8 "2003-12-10T11:11:15Z")
Yes, good point. Little glass beads, right? Thats what I have used.
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### Author:  [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2003, 11:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/9 "2003-12-10T11:30:20Z")
Well, any recommendations of shops that would do it? I don’t exactly
wanna spend a few hundred. I can live with $100; any more and I won’t
consider. 🙂
I just want the rear cleaned; nothing more. And I’m still hesitant to use
that wirebrush.
Maybe I should just leave it alone? What you think? I’ve already cleaned
1/2 of one of the wheels, so…
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### Author:  [@Original\_Nutta](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Original_Nutta)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2003, 11:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/10 "2003-12-10T11:34:34Z")
I’m taking the BBS rims here come springtime. [http://www.carcone.com/](http://www.carcone.com/) Might be more than your budget of $100 though. But they will polish and clean up the entire rim.
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### Author:  [@\_M\_aurice](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/_M_aurice)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2003, 11:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/11 "2003-12-10T11:42:02Z")
I might be able to hook you up with my former co-op… if you are willing to come up here
I’ll give them a call later an then message you
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### Author:  [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2003, 11:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-brake-dust-behind-rims-pics/80343/12 "2003-12-10T11:55:36Z")
Well, I e-mailed CarCone with the pictures of the wheels so hopefully
I can get some sorta quote.
I still wanna just grind away at them with my wirebrush but I so don’t
wanna mess them up. ☹
I need like a wheels expert’s guarantee that wirebrush just to grind away
at the dirt/oxidization will not harm the wheel… ☹