Stock Rim cleaner?
 

Couple of questions:

1. What are some good heavy duty cleaners? (aside from the regular soap, good brush, etc.)

I actually got lazy since snowboarding season. finally got around washing the car, but now there's this crispy stuck on black stuff (brake dust?) that's on the rim. majority i can get off, but some of it is on it like burnt eggs on teflon.


2. how to avoid this? (obviously wash more often), but i'm talking about maybe a wax/spray? kind of like a spray on 3M protector for rims? that's an idea....

Eagle 7 wheel cleaner will definitely do the job. I have recently used it on my rims and was surprised how easy and fast the layers of dirt came off.

P21S is good stuff.

Acid-free Cleaners -- These are mild solutions of alkaline solvent, usually ethylene glycol, with a wetting agent. These solutions creep under the dirt and brake dust, loosening and lifting surface grime. Non-acidic cleaners usually require some surface agitation (brush or sponge) but are safer to use and will not etch the wheel's finish. P21S is the best known 100% acid-free wheel cleaner. Acid-free wheel cleaners range in strength from mild (P21S), to moderate (P21S Gel), to professional strength (Eimann Fabrik Hi-Intensity).

Acid-based Cleaners -- These are widely used by detailers, car dealers and car washes who need to clean wheels in the shortest possible time or with the least amount of effort. Acid-based cleaners are typically 2% solutions of oxalic, phosphoric, and hydrochloric acid. Eagle One All Finish Wheel Cleaner is an example of an acid-based cleaner. While acid-based cleaners pack the greatest cleaning punch they can easily etch the surface of your wheel if allowed to dry. Care must be taken not to use acid cleaners on wheels with pitted or chipped surfaces. The acid will migrate into any fissures and accentuate flaking and peeling of surface coatings.

once my wheels are clean, i wax them, especially the vette wheels, and it makes cleaning the next time a lot easier.

For the caked on stuff...
 

... use a clay bar (only for the wheels, a seperate one for the body) or Wheel Wax .

so just like any ol' car wax/polish? i guess it has a thin layer of grease/wax that will not let dirt sink in, huh? great idea.

Meguiars (pink stuff). It dissolves most all of the brake dust in one treat. If it is really bad, a second treat won't hurt. It is spray on, soak, hose off - no scrubbing!

On another note, Kleen Wheels keep the dust off quite nicely. Your dealer will snivel though when you take your X5 in for service.

Any decent wheel cleaner spray, put on as bottle directs, let soak a min or two, (not 10"), use a new real sheep's wool mitt, some sudsy warm car wash soap mix, a lil' light pressure w/that sudsy mitt and careful towel or microfiber drying. Repeat if nec. IF you have a painted/clear coated wheel, nothing beats a coat of Ziano and Z6 to keep the dust down and allow "easy release" of the crud, next time.

Wheel cleaning methods are like "our wives": we all think we have the best version, :D ! GL,md

just revisiting this thread. like any other lazy bum, i still havent done it yet, now for sure there is brake/road dust residue stuck like tartar on my rim. any updates to a good over the counter product i can purchase to take the crust off, or am i in deep sh!t (no pun intended)?

something easy to use, cheap, and available for purchase.

thanks!

BMW dealer sells a spray on solution that is excellent. Then wash away the brake dust.
Then switch to Axis pads delux and you can go months before you see any brake dust:wow: