What Do I Do About Excessive Brake Dust?

First Things First: Err on the Side of Caution

There are many things that can cause excessive buildup of nasty, black brake dust on wheels and down the side of your car. Some of the causes are minor with no real reason for concern. There are, however, some causes that may need immediate attention. Often there is no way for an untrained individual to determine what causes the brake dust in your respective situation. It’s best to err on the side of caution when dealing with any potential brake issue.

What Most Commonly Causes Brake Dust?

Excess brake dust is usually due to improper caliper retraction. A brake caliper has a square-cut seal that is designed to keep the fluid inside the caliper. The seal also “rolls over” when the brakes are applied, kind of like winding up a rubber band. When the brakes are released, this seal unwinds and retracts the caliper piston, moving the pads away from the rotor. A worn seal will allow the pads to lie against the rotor, resulting in rapid rotor and pad wear and that ugly dust.

Most Likely Solution for Build of Brake Dust

If the calipers are corroded or have high mileage on them (especially on a vehicle that does not receive regular brake fluid changes), chances are the square-cut seal is fatigued. Replace the calipers with either new or high-quality re-manufactured calipers.

Remove Brake Dust from Vehicles Quickly

Nothing can ruin the look of a beautiful car, SUV, truck or van than a dirty wheels or rims! Your wheels get punished by a barrage of brake dust and road grime which is often difficult to remove. A professional grade car wash cleaning agent is the best way to clean your wheels safely & effectively. As Spiffy’s Car Wash has explained, the minimum for frequency of car washes is about every two weeks. But, if you want to really take care of your car then a trip to Spiffy’s Car Wash is in order about every 7-10 days. This should be sufficient for keeping your wheels clean, but you may want to wipe off any excessive brake dust in between washes.

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