'94 Tbird. Ran Raybestos metallic pads on front for years, had a hulluva time keeping wheels clean.
Old pads wore down, I had Monroe Ceramic pads installed, hoped to see less wheel-crud. Right front doesn't look too bad, but the left front wheel is spotted/crudded and it won't come off (with wheel cleaner, Westleys):
Thx, P
"Law Without Equity Is No Law At All. It Is A Form Of Jungle Rule."
Those type of silver wheels attract crud. Get them clean and coat them with some type of clear lacquer. Make them impervious. I've had those wheels, but switched to Chrome wheels.
Wheels are aluminum. "Cast Aluminum wheel, 7-spoke" per Ford.
They do attract crud, I've been cleaning them for the last 14 years. They normally clean up with some scrubbing. Pretty sure there is a factory coating of some sort.
This one doesn't clean. As if someone etched it with acid or other corrosive substance.
Brake fluid wouldn't do this, would it?
P"Law Without Equity Is No Law At All. It Is A Form Of Jungle Rule."
No, brake fluid won't, but the brake pad and rotor dust will. My '02 Escape has similar wheels, and the front ones did the same thing. It seemed in my case once they got dusty, then got wet and dried, the dust would come off, but the wheels were stained. I changed the pads and rotors a long time ago to some that weren't near as dusty, and eventually, through washing and just time, the spots are barely noticeable. But it's been about 7 years since I got rid of the original rotors and pads. I didn't find anything at the parts places or wallyworld that would clean them up totally :-(
Maybe this stuff would work. I've used some of their other cleaning products, and they're top quality. I haven't tried the wheel cleaner, though.
These would clean up with ordinary detergent solution if one just scrubbed and scrubbed for a couple minutes. A PITA, but it worked for 14 years.
I just tried brake-parts cleaner, alcohol, and mineral spirits. Nothing, Nada, and Zilch. Nothing touches these stains.
Either there's a difference between the metallic and ceramic pad dust or I somehow managed to run thru some really strange stuff. Latter is not likely as I've only put 20-30 (city) miles on it since replacing pads.
What kind (metallic vs ceramic) of pads did you start with? Change to?
P"Law Without Equity Is No Law At All. It Is A Form Of Jungle Rule."
I started with whatever came from the factory. Those, plus the fact that the early Escapes had really soft rotors, had my rims stained like yours in no time. I changed to Wagner semi-metallic ThermoQuiet pads and Wagner rotors. I've had them on for probably 50-55,000 miles, and they still look good, stop well, and leave virtually no dust on my rims. I rotate my tires occasionally (not near as much as recommended), and all of my rims look about the same- not brand new, but not stained either.
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