Brake dust on Front wheels
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From: Mississippi
Brake dust on Front wheels
Auughh, the brake dust on the front wheels is driving me crA-Zee! I have about 480 miles on my truck and I have cleaned the front wheels twice and they need it again. Does the amount of dust decrease as the brakes "break-in" ?? The fronts are A LOT worse than the rear. I am looking into Kleen Wheels, but they are not available for our '04's yet.
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From: OC, CA
UGH ! Yes, this is a problem for me too. I have about 1400 miles on my truck and have cleaned the wheels (front) a lot. I wash the truck once a week, including cleaning the wheels, and usually have to wipe them off an additional 2 times per week. I do hope it subsides.
What are KLEEN WHEELS?
What are KLEEN WHEELS?
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From: Columbus, Ohio
wingn8ive-
Kleen wheels are black metal discs that fits inside your wheel and just about eliminates brake dust. You remove your wheel, fit the proper Kleen wheel inside of your wheel, then reinstall the wheel. The kleen wheels have holes that your wheel studs go over to keep them in place and have vents in them to help cool your brakes. You can no longer see your rotors or calipres. After their on for a while you don't notice their appearance. You buy them for your car or truck and sometimes have to have an OEM number off of the wheel to get the proper Kleen wheel.
Kleen wheels are black metal discs that fits inside your wheel and just about eliminates brake dust. You remove your wheel, fit the proper Kleen wheel inside of your wheel, then reinstall the wheel. The kleen wheels have holes that your wheel studs go over to keep them in place and have vents in them to help cool your brakes. You can no longer see your rotors or calipres. After their on for a while you don't notice their appearance. You buy them for your car or truck and sometimes have to have an OEM number off of the wheel to get the proper Kleen wheel.
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From: Mississippi
What he said.... LOL.
What is nice is that they are not an expensive mod. I think a set of four is like $72.00 or so. www.kleenwheels.com
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Dust is the result of the contact between the two friction surfaces on your brakes. Since the factory uses "cheaper" friction material on their pads (cost and all-around use reasons), the dust carbonizes (because of high heat and temperature) as it is displaced whenever you step on your brakes pedal.
The reason why the fronts generate more dust is because the front brakes carry heavier brake loads when stopping (brake distribution). It is set at the factory so your lighter rear end will not lock up during braking every time the brakes are applied.
Dust Carbonization happens when the dust burns off from the heat generated by the conversion of kinetic energy in order to stop your vehicle.
You can replace your brake pads with Kevlar (Aramid) Racing pads, by Mintex or Porterfield. These pad materials have higher heat tolerance, so it does not carbonize during the braking process.
You end up with virtually no visible dust.
The reason why the fronts generate more dust is because the front brakes carry heavier brake loads when stopping (brake distribution). It is set at the factory so your lighter rear end will not lock up during braking every time the brakes are applied.
Dust Carbonization happens when the dust burns off from the heat generated by the conversion of kinetic energy in order to stop your vehicle.
You can replace your brake pads with Kevlar (Aramid) Racing pads, by Mintex or Porterfield. These pad materials have higher heat tolerance, so it does not carbonize during the braking process.
You end up with virtually no visible dust.
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From: Rio Grande Valley, Tx and the United Kingdom.
red 04.....
A very useful and informed reply for everyone....
Well done !!
Just a couple of additional points......
The Kleen Wheels CAN cause problems too !
On some vehicles they generate additional heat when braking hard and performance can deteriorate (Albeit only slightly).
You are quite correct about the front wheels always generating the most dust.
The problem will lessen with age but it will always be there to an extent.
This particular problem has actually determined which style wheels I have on my vehicles.
My Bentley has a very complicated alloy wheel pattern and is an absolute pain....it takes as long to clean the wheels (With an old toothbrush) as the rest of the car.
My Aston Martin has a much simpler and easy to clean design but the dust is always more pronounced at the front....mind you the temptation to drive at upwards of 120 mph on our motorway network in the UK DOES mean heavier braking !!
My new 04 Lariat in the States does have the dust problem but to my mind not nearly as badly as some vehicles.
Perhaps it's an arguement for returning to steel wheels and hubcaps.....much easier to clean !!
A very useful and informed reply for everyone....
Well done !!
Just a couple of additional points......
The Kleen Wheels CAN cause problems too !
On some vehicles they generate additional heat when braking hard and performance can deteriorate (Albeit only slightly).
You are quite correct about the front wheels always generating the most dust.
The problem will lessen with age but it will always be there to an extent.
This particular problem has actually determined which style wheels I have on my vehicles.
My Bentley has a very complicated alloy wheel pattern and is an absolute pain....it takes as long to clean the wheels (With an old toothbrush) as the rest of the car.
My Aston Martin has a much simpler and easy to clean design but the dust is always more pronounced at the front....mind you the temptation to drive at upwards of 120 mph on our motorway network in the UK DOES mean heavier braking !!
My new 04 Lariat in the States does have the dust problem but to my mind not nearly as badly as some vehicles.
Perhaps it's an arguement for returning to steel wheels and hubcaps.....much easier to clean !!
Last edited by Lenticular; Oct 23, 2003 at 01:21 PM.
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From: Plymouth
I have the best solution -- move onto a dirt road (Like me) the mud and road dust will cleanly out wieght the brake dust and keep your truck looking used --- 
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From: Rio Grande Valley, Tx and the United Kingdom.
Well at least 2 are Ford.....even if the other is now VW !!!
Trouble is my daily driver is a Volvo Estate (Station Wagon).....but...eeerrr...that's now a Ford too !!!
Trouble is my daily driver is a Volvo Estate (Station Wagon).....but...eeerrr...that's now a Ford too !!!
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From: The Bluegrass State
Careful with the Kleenwheels...
I thought about them very seriously for my 2001 King Ranch but then scrapped them from my 'want' list because of some comments that I heard mainly about warped rotors. It appears that sometimes, the Kleenwheels don't allow enough air into the rotors to allow them to cool and thus, they warp. $72 is a cheap mod but, replacing rotors will run you CONSIDERABLY more than that.
Just FYI.
RP
I thought about them very seriously for my 2001 King Ranch but then scrapped them from my 'want' list because of some comments that I heard mainly about warped rotors. It appears that sometimes, the Kleenwheels don't allow enough air into the rotors to allow them to cool and thus, they warp. $72 is a cheap mod but, replacing rotors will run you CONSIDERABLY more than that.
Just FYI.
RP
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From: Mississippi
I emailed www.Kleenwheels.com and got this reply.
"we are presently working on the 18" wheels. should be available next 30 days. thank you."
This from their site.
WHAT ARE KLEEN WHEELS?
Kleen Wheels is the well recognized trade name for a patented brake dust shield. A dust shield is nothing more than an INSIDE HUBCAP which fits into the inside of the wheel preventing the unsightly black brake dust from flowing outward onto the outside surface of an alloy or steel wheel. Installation is simple, no special tools needed.
Kleen Wheels are not to be confused with another type of product, since discontinued, a dust cover which completely covered the rotor and caliper. It was kind of a half a rubber football type of affair which really did a good job of keeping in the dust...and also the heat. Kleen Wheels are not to be confused with this earlier type of product! Kleen Wheels are not in any way to be considered a brake product, but merely a wheel accessory because it fits inside the wheel.
ARE DUST SHIELDS STANDARD OE EQUIPMENT ON NEW CARS?
Yes, dust shields are standard factory OE Equipment on certain models. Kleen Wheels has been on the market for over fifteen years - in excess of three million pair on the road.
DO THEY EFFECT THE BRAKES?
Customers often question whether Kleen Wheels have an effect upon the braking system.
Consider a Mercedes-Benz as factory delivered in Germany, usually delivered with a steel wheel and a stainless steel hubcap as standard equipment. Does this wheel/hubcap design allow for any passage of air through the wheel? If an American customer were to buy the same vehicle in the United States, where we usually find the vehicles come standard loaded with alloy wheels, and the customer installs a pair of Kleen Wheels (an inside hubcap) into the alloy wheels - would there be any more or less air circulating through the wheels than the vehicle was originally designed for with a steel wheel and an outside hubcap? The same amount, of course.
"we are presently working on the 18" wheels. should be available next 30 days. thank you."
This from their site.
WHAT ARE KLEEN WHEELS?
Kleen Wheels is the well recognized trade name for a patented brake dust shield. A dust shield is nothing more than an INSIDE HUBCAP which fits into the inside of the wheel preventing the unsightly black brake dust from flowing outward onto the outside surface of an alloy or steel wheel. Installation is simple, no special tools needed.
Kleen Wheels are not to be confused with another type of product, since discontinued, a dust cover which completely covered the rotor and caliper. It was kind of a half a rubber football type of affair which really did a good job of keeping in the dust...and also the heat. Kleen Wheels are not to be confused with this earlier type of product! Kleen Wheels are not in any way to be considered a brake product, but merely a wheel accessory because it fits inside the wheel.
ARE DUST SHIELDS STANDARD OE EQUIPMENT ON NEW CARS?
Yes, dust shields are standard factory OE Equipment on certain models. Kleen Wheels has been on the market for over fifteen years - in excess of three million pair on the road.
DO THEY EFFECT THE BRAKES?
Customers often question whether Kleen Wheels have an effect upon the braking system.
Consider a Mercedes-Benz as factory delivered in Germany, usually delivered with a steel wheel and a stainless steel hubcap as standard equipment. Does this wheel/hubcap design allow for any passage of air through the wheel? If an American customer were to buy the same vehicle in the United States, where we usually find the vehicles come standard loaded with alloy wheels, and the customer installs a pair of Kleen Wheels (an inside hubcap) into the alloy wheels - would there be any more or less air circulating through the wheels than the vehicle was originally designed for with a steel wheel and an outside hubcap? The same amount, of course.
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From: Michigan
I personally would stay away from anything that could reduce the cooling tempertures around your brake system.
When your disc pads wear out, go with a high quality ceramic pad. Racing pads and rotors are a complete waste of money unless your autocrossing your truck. They can actually reduce your braking capability until they heat up- something you'll never reach during typical street driving, and racing pads increase rotor/pad wear and noise.
On my vehicles I simply use a high quality carnuba paste wax on the wheels every couple of months. This makes it easier to hose off the dust- I never have to use a scrub brush. Sometimes, if my car doesn't need to be washed, but it has brake dust- I use the Meguairs Quick Detailer on the wheels and their shiny in minutes.
I also never use any chemical cleaners on my wheels. I only use car soap or diluted Simply Green (before I wax). If you read the labels on some of the wheel cleaners it states not to get it on the rotors- how are you going to do that?
Unless a chemists tells me some of these products are completely safe on the finish and everything around the wheels that could get oversprayed- I'm sticking with my safe and simple method.
When your disc pads wear out, go with a high quality ceramic pad. Racing pads and rotors are a complete waste of money unless your autocrossing your truck. They can actually reduce your braking capability until they heat up- something you'll never reach during typical street driving, and racing pads increase rotor/pad wear and noise.
On my vehicles I simply use a high quality carnuba paste wax on the wheels every couple of months. This makes it easier to hose off the dust- I never have to use a scrub brush. Sometimes, if my car doesn't need to be washed, but it has brake dust- I use the Meguairs Quick Detailer on the wheels and their shiny in minutes.
I also never use any chemical cleaners on my wheels. I only use car soap or diluted Simply Green (before I wax). If you read the labels on some of the wheel cleaners it states not to get it on the rotors- how are you going to do that?
Unless a chemists tells me some of these products are completely safe on the finish and everything around the wheels that could get oversprayed- I'm sticking with my safe and simple method.
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From: Palm Springs
Originally posted by Toyota Sucks
I personally would stay away from anything that could reduce the cooling tempertures around your brake system.
Unless a chemists tells me some of these products are completely safe on the finish and everything around the wheels that could get oversprayed- I'm sticking with my safe and simple method.
I personally would stay away from anything that could reduce the cooling tempertures around your brake system.
Unless a chemists tells me some of these products are completely safe on the finish and everything around the wheels that could get oversprayed- I'm sticking with my safe and simple method.
Thanks for the great info.
As for the chemist telling you something.....BREWMASTERRRRR!!!!!
Last edited by green21; Oct 24, 2003 at 12:34 AM.
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From: Commerce Twp, MI
Why would you consider $72 for Kleen Wheels when you can buy better brake pades that don't leave as much dust in the first place for less? Actually, I don't know how many aftermarket pads are availible yet for 2004 F-150's but I would rather spend money on better pads to fix the problem, not mask it. And with potential other side effects?
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Pads that are "low dust" are better brake pads that provide "better" braking power and efficiency.
Kleen Wheels is a band-aid solution that causes less cooling which can result to less braking efficiency, earlier brake fade, and perhaps warped rotors.
Kleen Wheels is a band-aid solution that causes less cooling which can result to less braking efficiency, earlier brake fade, and perhaps warped rotors.