Cleaning Break Discs - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

deliriousga · 08-22-2005, 06:20 PM

I use plain brake cleaner, but only with the wheels off. Spray it on and let it drip into a pan below. That's about all you can do for the discs.

PhilBH · 08-23-2005, 02:02 AM

I've probably driven it every day for the past week, I just love it. Never been a big car fan, but I just love the boxster. I've even had my hair cut so that I can travel with the top down more often.

Do I have to take the wheels off to clean them? Taking the wheels off is a bit advanced for me (I can just about manage to put the oil in).

deliriousga · 08-23-2005, 06:27 AM

Cleaners for the brake system will eat the finish on your wheels so you do need to take them off or just use a regular wheel cleaner that's safe for painted wheels.

Btw, never use wheel cleaner on the wheels when they're hot after driving. It can streak them permanantly.

Perfectlap · 08-23-2005, 06:45 AM

avoid washing wheels or brakes when they ar hot in general. This means letting your car cool off completely if you choose to take it to a car wash.
Wax your wheels regularly. Brake dust is like razor blades to the paint.

Ronzi · 08-23-2005, 08:49 AM

"Cleaning" the brake discs?
That's a new one on me, and I thought I had been over every millimeter of my car with everything from a toothpick and a Q-tip to an electric polisher in pursuit of the two concours blue ribbons I have won with it.
If you are talking about the discoloration that you sometimes see on the surface of the rotors, step on the brakes once (with the car in motion) and it will disappear immediately. The brake pads do a lot better job of "cleaning" the rotors than you will ever do with any kind of cleaning agent.
Maybe I'm not understanding what it is you are trying to accomplish.

Brucelee · 08-23-2005, 09:11 AM

I don't either. The brake rotor surface is cleaned by the pads each time you stop. If you are talking about the hub that the rotar sits on, that should be handled by whatever wheel cleaner you use.

Also, a pressure washer does a nice job on the innards of the brake system.

PhilBH · 08-23-2005, 03:44 PM

I mean the drilled discs that you can see through the spokes in the wheels. They have started to rust slightly in only a week, and I'd like to know how I can keep them looking good.