Alloy wheel shields, any good?

[jkeith]

Having spent lots of time cleaning my W126 flatface alloys to a good standard, it didn't take many miles to see all four wheels covered with a generous coating of brake dust.

Has anyone used the wheel shields (Mountney (£10 a pair) or similar) to prevent the brake dust getting on the wheels?

Do they work? Is there any disadvantage? Comments welcome.

 

[GordonTarling]

Would definitely reduce airflow over the discs, so probably not a good idea. If brake dust is a bugbear, then low dust pads, such as EBC are probably a better investment.

 

[nigel cross]

There was an issue were brakes were overheating

 

[GP801]

Have used something similar on previous cars. Worked very well. No obvious probs with brakes getting hot but I am very gentle on the brakes. They were german TUV approved. I think called Kleen wheel discs or something similar

 

[moonloops]

They sound like a silly idea to me.

I just use wheel wax and brake dust simply wipes off.

 

[flango]

Having spent lots of time cleaning my W126 flatface alloys to a good standard, it didn't take many miles to see all four wheels covered with a generous coating of brake dust.

Has anyone used the wheel shields (Mountney (£10 a pair) or similar) to prevent the brake dust getting on the wheels?

Do they work? Is there any disadvantage? Comments welcome.

I'v used them in the past but they warped due to the heat and made an horrendous noise, so ditched them. I now use pads that don't dust problem solved.

 

[A140driver]

I'd much rather just clean my wheels properly and use a couple of coats of a good quality wax to make them easy to clean.

 

[jkeith]

Thanks guys, the concensus seems fairly clear and I will consider the low dust pads when it is time to change.

I suppose this also confirms my OCD for cleanliness but the flat face alloys do seem to be a good design for trapping as much dust in akward nooks as it is possible to do. Even with generous waxing, baby wipes and clean cloth after every drive is not practical. They do look great when they are clean though.

 

[corned]

I used them to great effect years ago on my XJS pepperpots. The wheels were such a b'stard to clean that I thought I'd give these a try. They worked perfectly as advertised, and there were no noticeable issues with the brakes.

The wheel-to-caliper clearance was very tight, so I took my time and made sure they were a very careful and close fit to the wheel, and they never rubbed or made any noise.

They were completely unnoticeable on the pepperpots, but I would never use them on my current wheels because there is a lot of 'empty space' in the wheel and I'm sure they would look much too conspicuous.

 

[billywhiz]

get yourself armed with some ValetPro Bilberry wheel cleaner - the seal the wheels with poorboys wheel sealant.

bilberry is non acidic and should help sove the problem - it's what I use on the Monoblocks

 

[ianrandom]

I was tempted, but got warned off them very firmly because of the heat issue. I'm gentle on my brakes too but didnt want to risk it. I found different brake pads bad such a huge difference. I used Black Diamond Predator pads, they are great, stop nicely and low dust. Also use paint sealant, couple coats. Its a faff but stops the permanent staining and sometimes the brake dust almost flows off with water. Aaah

yes its so annoying cleaning them after every drive isnt it! And they do look great when they are clean, still very elegant even now i think.

 

[jkeith]

Thanks for your advice Ian, I'm gradually getting to know some of the tips to maximise the enjoyment of the W126.

Inevitably money will have a bearing on when I can renew the pads. The car is in today with a local independandant (Staithes, as tipped on a previous thread) and I'm expecting the cylinder head will need to come off to remedy the oil leaks. Interestingly, the garage floor is clean of oil. I assume it only leaks when it gets hot.

I think the discs will need changing but am waiting for Phil at Staithes to give me his opinion on what needs doing first.

Thanks again.

 

[jkeith]

Thanks Billywhiz, I read on other threads that Bilberry is the product to use. Your tips are very helpful thanks.

At this stage I'm still using various test methods to get the wheels as clean as I can. This includes the insides and I am gradually increasing the grade of abrasive to remove the worst parts of ingrained dust. Careful light pressure with an old Brillo pad is doing well but I have really only just started to address this problem. Have not dare to use the Brillo pad on the face of the wheels though, for obvious reasons.

Thanks again.

 

[billywhiz]

If you are having trouble removing brake deposits then one course of action is to get something called Iron X - it works by removing iron deposits ( primarily used on new vehicles to get rid of transporter / dust contamination ) a sideline is that it works very well on getting all the muck and stubborn deposits from Alloys.

I would spray it on, let it work for a min, slight agitation then make sure full rinse off - you can even bilberry afterwards etc.

Another course of action is 'Wonder Wheels' from Ha;fords etc - bear in mind that this is acidic so only leave on for no more than 3 mins and do not spray on centre caps etc - same as above, make sure you rinse off fully, then prep the wheels as normal.

P.S IronX stinks of rotten eggs ( sulphur ) :O)

 

[Koolvin]

Bilberry Valet Pro Bilberry Safe Wheel Cleaner 1L by Valet Pro - Elite Detailer Ltd - Bilt Hamber, Nanolex, is highly reccomended especially as it can be diluted

 

[219]

I used items called D-Dusters years ago when I had the old 'mexican hat' alloys on my 280E . They were rubber discs which fitted inside the wheels thus blocking the holes .

They kept the outside surfaces of the wheels clean , but caused such a build up of dust and dirt on the inside and all over the calipers that I took them back off .

It was easy enough to 'jet wash' wheels in the garage on a weekly basis to keep them clean , then later with the advent of domestic pressure washers they can be done as and when required .

 

[Robgm]

Once the alloys are sealed, then it's just a case of washing them weekly with some ph neutral car shampoo.

 

[jkeith]

Thanks guys, excellent advice!

I now know what I need to buy to do the job properly. The shopping list will include a nose peg for the Iron X.

The main area for the deposits that have built up over time are the triangular shaped deposits in front area of the recessed blocks around the perimeter. I know from my neighbours reactions that the wheels already look good but I guess it's the same as the air bubble in the wallpaper. I know it's there and must remove it!

Thanks again.

 

[Elite Detailer]

Hi

Nanolex all day long, after which you will only need to wash your wheels with normal car wash shampoo.

Nanolex Premium Alloy Wheel Sealant by Nanolex - Elite Detailer Ltd - Bilt Hamber, Nanolex, Zaino,

Regards
Elite Detailer Team

 

[jkeith]

Thanks Elite Detailer. The Nanolex shown is a 50 ml bottle, is one bottle sufficient for all 4 wheels?

The spare wheel is not as good as the others so will always be kept as the spare, hence 4 wheels not 5.