Brake dust or road dirt?
Thread Starter
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From: Left Coast, USA
'05 C230K SS
Brake dust or road dirt?
My car is about 3 weeks old now and I just dusted off my chromed 5-spoke stock wheels for the first time today.
I noticed the front wheels had a lot more black coating on them than the rear wheels. Is this stuff what's called "brake dust" I read about in other threads, or is this stuff coming up off the asphalt in the roads?
I was thinking it was road dirt because the front wheels do the turning (kicking up more dirt?) and are therefore dirtier? Or maybe it is brake dust because the front brakes are drilled and have more friction?
Can somebody set me straight? I want to know because if it is brake dust, and not road dirt, I guess there's something I can do about it (get lower-dust brake pads).
Thanks!
I noticed the front wheels had a lot more black coating on them than the rear wheels. Is this stuff what's called "brake dust" I read about in other threads, or is this stuff coming up off the asphalt in the roads?
I was thinking it was road dirt because the front wheels do the turning (kicking up more dirt?) and are therefore dirtier? Or maybe it is brake dust because the front brakes are drilled and have more friction?
Can somebody set me straight? I want to know because if it is brake dust, and not road dirt, I guess there's something I can do about it (get lower-dust brake pads).
Thanks!
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
Do you have a coupe or sedan? My 2004.5 sedan hardly dusts at all, the coupe dusts like crazy in comparison. I switched to Porterfield pads on the coupe and it dusts way less, about equal to the sedan.
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From: Boston
2005 C230 SS
I also found that applying a coat of wax to the rims will help with the removal of dirt and dust later on. (That is, apply when your wheels are clean and dust free as you would the rest of the car)
Last edited by Aurora; Sep 2, 2004 at 03:59 PM.
Thread Starter
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From: Left Coast, USA
'05 C230K SS
Originally Posted by amdeutsch
Its brake dust.
It's a pretty big difference, the rear wheels hardly got any dust at all, but the front had quite a bit after 550 mi.
Thread Starter
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From: Left Coast, USA
'05 C230K SS
Originally Posted by Buellwinkle
Do you have a coupe or sedan?
Check my profile on the left, it says 2005 C230 Sedan.
Originally Posted by Buellwinkle
My 2004.5 sedan hardly dusts at all, the coupe dusts like crazy in comparison. I switched to Porterfield pads on the coupe and it dusts way less, about equal to the sedan.
How dusty do your sedan wheels get after 500 mi? If you answer "not at all", then maybe the '05 OEM brake pads aren't as dust-free as the '04.5?
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
I don't think you would benefit from Porterfield pads as much as I did on the coupe. Acutally, I think the Porterfields dust more than the sport sedan brakes which are excellent when it comes to brake dust. Your only real solution is to get brake dust shields or deal with it. Beverly Hills Motoring has been selling a set, pretty cheap. Used it on both W201's I've had for many years, no problems.
The reason the front dusts more than the rear is physics, when you apply your brakes the weight transfers to the front so the front has much more work to do than the rear brakes, hence the front brakes wear out much quicker than the rears as well as dust more (unless you leave the parking brake on when you drive).
The reason the front dusts more than the rear is physics, when you apply your brakes the weight transfers to the front so the front has much more work to do than the rear brakes, hence the front brakes wear out much quicker than the rears as well as dust more (unless you leave the parking brake on when you drive).
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From: Left Coast, USA
'05 C230K SS
Originally Posted by Buellwinkle
The reason the front dusts more than the rear is physics, when you apply your brakes the weight transfers to the front so the front has much more work to do than the rear brakes, hence the front brakes wear out much quicker than the rears as well as dust more (unless you leave the parking brake on when you drive).
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From: Left Coast, USA
'05 C230K SS
Originally Posted by AlBoston
please dont be wiping your dirty wheels with a dry towel.
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From: Puerto Rico
................ Bell Helicopter & '05 C230 SS
Originally Posted by Buellwinkle
....Your only real solution is to get brake dust shields or deal with it. Beverly Hills Motoring has been selling a set, pretty cheap. Used it on both W201's I've had for many years, no problems...
Carlos
