OK.. then you're just "Standard Ghetto" rims ( I like this laughing emoticon.. been using it all today hee hee )

You know those wheel cleaners are bad for your brakes? My dad told me one day when I was using on my Bonne.

Really?? how or why? they eat the brake shoes up and soften it I guess?? ( since after all it'* made to remove brake dust )

need more info please

Hmm, I need more information, but those rim cleaners clean off brake residue, how could they eat away at a pad?

Yeah, I don't think I'd worry about that... mine seem to be fine...

I also wouldn't call them ghetto rims if they're factory accessories. There'* certainly plenty of aftermarket gold-anodized trash out there, though...

Anyhow, I have those on mine, and when I need to clean them I squirt some Westley'* Bleche-Wite or some do-it-yourself-car-wash tire cleaner on them, then go at them with the sudsing brush (this is all done _at_ the do-it-yourself car wash), and they're usually fine after that.

My bigger problem is some old brake dust buildup, I guess from the previous owner, that seems to have damaged the clearcoat on the aluminum (silver) rim portions. Any hope of polishing that up again? I have a can of Mother'* wheel polish but was hoping for a solution that requires less elbow grease. Eagle 1 doesn't seem to work on that, either...

I think if it sat on the pads it wouldnt be good or they would soften up or something, but if it'* being washed off i wouldn't worry about it...

He just said that one day, I'll ask him though.

Any chance he might have been thinking about those add-on brake covers instead? Those are supposed to install between the rotor and wheel, and basically cover the rotor to prevent brake dust from blowing outwards through the wheel. I've heard nasty things about how they block cooling air from getting in, though. (Certainly you'd think the factory would be putting those on if they didn't have a down side of some sort...)

I got your ghetto gold right here.

I've tried a few different spray-on cleaners before I go thru the car wash. The biggest problem is trying to hit all of the different surfaces with the cleaner.

The best job was when I took it to the Turtle Wax car wash and they had their own wheel cleaner. They put something on it and then ran it through the spinning wheel brushes. Nice!

After washing the front of the wheels, I found it most effective to take a t-shirt and go into each space with wrapped on my finger

it took so long, but it got rid of almost all of the dust