No car I've ever encountered shows more hellish brake dust than my 2010 XKR. Brutal. Even a few days of modest driving leaves hideous black/gray grime all over the matte aluminum rims.

Obviously bigger brakes leave more dust, and I love the clamping power of the XKR's binders. But good god is it impossible to keep them presentable, even if the car has been recently cleaned and kept covered. I never noticed even close to this much ugliness on anything I've owned.

Are any of these coatings worth bothering with? Seem like glorified waxes for the rims, I just don't know if any of them work of if they are snake oil and the dust sticking to the rims is inevitable. If you've coated your rims with something and noticed a difference, let me know what you use.

If coatings don't help, maybe having the rims chromed would minimize the amount of dust that would stick, or maybe show it less than the aluminum rims with the normal finish that I currently have. Maybe the chrome surface would be more smooth and the dust would have a harder time sticking? Wishful thinking probably...

I hear that switching to different brake pads helps also, curious if anyone has that all figured out for these cars and has a brake pad brand/material that stops the car as well as the factory pads but cuts down on the mess.

I read the post about using the 'Swisher' or similar to wipe the dust off with a minimum of fuss, but I'd be burning through them like crazy given that the rims look filthy after a few days, and getting blackened wiping all that dust off all four rims 2X a week would get old fast.

From past threads, looks like suggestions range from ceramic pads to armor all protectant. As far as ceramics go, a few questions... How many miles do we usually get out of a 2010 XKR brake pad? Do they last over 15k miles (assume spirited but not crazy driving)? What brand of ceramic pads are best? Looks like considerable range in quality and that not all ceramic pads are all ceramic... Would love to know what specific manfucaturer is rec'd.

Gotta be something I can do... Any help? Really this is the #1 issue with keeping the car looking tip top. Even a little dirty, the liquid silver shows well. But those rims, awful! Really wondering if it'd show less on chrome also, you guys with chrome wheels, what's your impression?

Help me out here. Thanks,

Skeeter

 

I like to add as little effort as possible so I started using a capful of Optimum No Rinse wash to my Meguiars Gold Class car wash. This way when I'm done wasing the car I just hit the wheels with the same wash water (separate sponge of course) and brake dust has stopped accumulating for at least 7-10 days. It was a big improvement for me with minimal effort and with ONR it seems less dust/pollen clings to the body as well. I've also gotten similar results with plain Optimum Car Wash but I want to use up the 1 gallon bottle of Gold Class I had already bought, hence the additive method.

 

Skeet;

Red Stuff Ceramic low dust and Akebono Ceramic pads both get high marks.

Like you I will be looking for those when mine need replacing.

For now just as always I wax the wheels after a wash with regular wax whatever is handy but have been using Klasse acrylic polish makes the paint look wet and reflects like a mirror first and then something Consumer Reports found to be the best years ago Nu Finish polish over the Klasse....to give it depth.

They sell Nu Finish at Target and Klasse you have to order on line....but since my Chemistry Professor Mate swore by it I have to agree he was right it works.

Rarely have to rewax/coat a car more than once every six-nine months with those....two.

Otherwise it is pure elbow grease.

I thought chroming wheels made them more brittle and prone to breaking.

Last time I thought about the expense of those I realized I would only ever see them as I walked towards the car....

cheers,

jj

 

Chrome wheels are much harder to clean. Stuff seems to stick to chrome wheels.

 

I've noticed a hell of a lot of brake dust as well. I've been running Axxis ceramics on my other car, and am pretty happy with them. Not a lot of dust, good life. Mind you, they can be squeaky at times, so choose your poison. Personally, I'll take the squeak over the mess!

 

I've had good luck with both ArmorAll "Wheel" Protectant and Eagle One Keep Clean Wheel. Eagle One is cheaper and just as good if you can find it. Be sure to let either product throughly dry.

One guy I recommended this ArmorAll to came back raising hell after he sprayed regular ArmorAll on his wheels. It's wheel protectant you want.

Both products work well for me in between washes, once per week, and I apply it again after each 3rd wash. I drive less than 8000 miles per year. Good luck. Fancy brake pads will IMHO hoover up your bank account and degrade brake performance for normal driving.

 

The reason I won't buy chrome wheels is because stuff happens. Even the most careful driver (like me) will eventually curb a rim, or worse. Unlike painted wheels, genuine chrome or the newer technology Permachrome (PVD) wheels can't be touched-up by the do-it-yourselfer - you have to spend $$$ to have the wheel professionally refinished.

I did some minor curb rash touchup myself at a cost of less than $5 for the can of spray paint and it turned out virtually unnoticeable. If my Selena wheel was chromed, it would have cost hundreds to refinish it.

As for brake dust, keep the wheels waxed and use a Swiffer duster to quickly clean them every couple of days. If you allow the dust to accumulate, it is harder to keep them clean. It takes me less than 5 minutes to clean my wheels. No big deal.

.

 

JJ,
FYI it's Chrome wire wheel spokes that suffer from Hydrogen embrittlement. They should be baked after plating...........Don't know of any problem with the rims, just the spokes.
When I was an SCCA race official ('70s) we would not allow Chrome wire wheels on the track only painted ones; XK140, XK150 & XKE's., XK120 did not come with chromes from Jaguar.
I will try Ceramic Pads on my 2007 XK soon; my wifes 2000 XK8 has Chrome wheels and much easier to clean; However,lost JCNA Concourse points because not factory equip. on 2000's but still won class!

Adrian

 

So what's the deal with ceramic pads? Less or no dust, but it sounds like performance and squeaks are issues. Anyone chase this down and have the overall picture? I'd go crazy if the brakes were squeaky and I love the mega-clamping that the stock XKR brakes offer.

But the dust! Awful. Let me know what the deal with ceramic pads is, never researched them...

Thanks,

Skeeter

 

Actually, in most situations ceramics perform better than others. They're just squeaky. Frankly, it'll be what I replace the stockers with when they need it.

I use Axxis Ceramics on my track car. Haven't looked to see if they make them for the XK/Rs yet.

 

Detailer’s Pro Series Wheel Glaze is a cleaner and a polymer sealant that blocks out dirt and brake dust with a shiny protective coating. Cleaning agents remove dirt, brake dust, tar, sap, and bugs while improving fine scratches. Detailer’s Pro Series Wheel Glaze creates an anti-static finish that inhibits brake dust and keeps wheels cleaner. I bought this and it works great!!

 

I really can't add much, pro or con, to the ceramic vs standard brake argument as I've never had ceramic brake pads. The thing that always gets my attention, however, is the fact that Jag does not use them on regular production cars - not even Rs to my knowledge. For a $90,000 + car you know the reason is not cost. What could it be?

 

I've tried the spray on stuff like Armor All and it didn't work for me. I have painted Senta's and finally swapped over to ceramic pads. No dust and stopping power just the same. But I have the squeak but only when first driven.

 

You can't argue with what works.

 

When we say squeak, are we talking slight high pitch that can't be heard with the windows shut and radio on, or major squeak that is intrusive and can be heard by pedestrians? Goes away after 5 minutes when they warm up, or pretty much all the time?

I'm on of those people that rattles and squeaks drive crazy, but if it is low key on warmup only I'd make the sacrifice. Got the car cleaned today, drove it 5 minutes home, and the rims were already dirty when I parked! What's with these stock pads? The price for the performance, I guess Never before...

Maybe I should get the wheels painted brake dust color...

Skeeter

 

No, the dust is the price you pay for NOT squeaking. The typical customer understands a brake squeak as something wrong. So there's been a lot of time and effort into making sure they don't.

The ceramics are often noisy at startup, and don't have as much bite until they get a little heat into them. Typically one or two stops. The squeak is noticeable and sounds like... well... a squeaky brake. Usually goes away with heat in the pad as long as it's been shimmed correctly. And good brake pads are shimmed from the factory. Jag probably doesn't supply them as standard equipment because of who buys their cars -- and those of us here in THIS subforum I don't think are their target market!

 

Rahtok,

You've sold me! If it is just a matter of a few stops till the squeaks stop, I'm cool. It they scrape loud unless you are really heating them up (like a day @ the track), then I'll deal with the dust.

But as you've described it, my next pads will be ceramic. Axxis it shall be.

Thanks,

Skeeter

 

I use Akebonos on my STR and they are great. NO DUST and quick stopping.

 

I'm new to the XK having recently come over from an 05 XJR. The XJR brake dust was manageable with ArmorAll Wheel Protectant using OEM spec pads.

This XK is a whole nother story. I don't really know what kind of pads are on it but, to paraphrase Skeeeter, any short trip will screw up the detail on the wheels. I feel like somethings got to be done but I don't think I can tolerate ceramic squealing. Perhaps there is a middle ground?

These EBC Red Stuff pads? Are they Ceramic or some sort of blend?

I see that Wagner Brand offers brake pads in various blended formulations. Not sure they make pads for XKs. Maybe there is a middle ground for us XK pilots.

 

You want to keep your wheels looking great and still have great stopping power ?
Get Akebono pads! You won't seen any more brake dust! Just google Akebono