Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

cleaning brake dust with compressed air

321 views
Skip to first unread message

Michael LaChance

unread,
May 21, 2003, 7:57:20 PM5/21/03
to
I'm thinking of getting an air compressor to clean brake dust. I'm wondering
what size air compressor (PSI?) to buy and whether a quick (will it be
quick?) daily blast of air would eliminate the weekly scrubbing of tires on
two BMWs

thoughts anyone?


marlinspike

unread,
May 21, 2003, 10:17:14 PM5/21/03
to
Ummm, this doesn't sound like a good idea to me. First, I assume by
"scrubbing of tires" you mean wheels. This sounds like a good way to push
brake dust and small abrasives against the finish of your wheels.
Richard
"Michael LaChance" <lach...@starband.net> wrote in message
news:AnUya.770$bO6.6...@news1.news.adelphia.net...

Tom Allen

unread,
May 22, 2003, 12:21:41 AM5/22/03
to
I'm sure someone is going to yell at me and tell me it was a stupid
thing to do, but a couple of weeks ago, after I mowed the lawn, I got
out my leaf blower to clean up the sidewalk and driveway. Use it all
the time to do this.

Some grass clippings went into the garage and under the car. I blew
them out and accidently/mistakenly blew the air from the leaf blower on
the back of my car. Whooooooosh, there went all the dust that was on
the back bumper. "Cool", I thought, "almost as cool as driving with
your fog lights on"...(but I guess that's another whole topic, eh?).
Leaf Blower'd the whole car. Got all the dust off. Looked a lot
better, not clean, but not dusty.

Okay, I'm done now.....go ahead and yell......tell me how I have
permanently damaged my clear coat, caused irreparable scratching on the
paint surface......but it was a nice, quick way to get rid of a lot of
dust. And I'll never tell how I've used my power washer to clean the
car....but it does a GREAT job, too.

And for Michael LaChance, get a leaf blower before you get an air
compressor.....cheap as dirt at Wal-Mart.

Let the yelling begin.

Tom Allen

Grim Joker

unread,
May 22, 2003, 2:31:49 AM5/22/03
to
"marlinspike" <marli...@erols.com.nospam> wrote in message news:<bahbv9$jk5$1...@bob.news.rcn.net>...

> "Michael LaChance" <lach...@starband.net> wrote in message
> news:AnUya.770$bO6.6...@news1.news.adelphia.net...
> > I'm thinking of getting an air compressor to clean brake dust. I'm
> > wondering what size air compressor (PSI?) to buy and whether a quick (will
> > it be quick?) daily blast of air would eliminate the weekly scrubbing of
> > tires on two BMWs
> >
> > thoughts anyone?
>
> Ummm, this doesn't sound like a good idea to me. First, I assume by
> "scrubbing of tires" you mean wheels. This sounds like a good way to push
> brake dust and small abrasives against the finish of your wheels.
> Richard

Not to mention the fact that the dust that you will lift in the air
will get into your lungs and do very bad things to them. Take a look
at the warning message at any brake cleaning spray - it tells you
exactly what is there in the dust. Used to be asbestos, not sure what
is it now.

marlinspike

unread,
May 22, 2003, 8:47:58 AM5/22/03
to
I'm not gonna scold you for what you did to your car, but I must know why? I
don't get why people don't enjoy washing their car. Don't you people see it
as a great way to relax? Don't you people have fun doing it? I spend hours
every weekend washing my car, cleaning it inside and out, and I really could
do it much faster, but I rather take my time with it. I guess maybe I'm just
wierd, I dunno.
Richard
"Tom Allen" <to...@allencg.com> wrote in message
news:3ECC4F...@allencg.com...

Tom Allen

unread,
May 22, 2003, 9:35:51 AM5/22/03
to
Do you ever watch Seinfeld?

Remember that episode when Jerry was shaving?

He shaved his neck, shaved his upper chest, and eventually shaved his entire
chest and stomach......."I just got carried away", he said.

Well, that's what happened to me with the leaf blower.......I just got
carried away.

I love to wash my car, check that, I love to have my car clean. The
actual process of
washing it is a means to an end. And by the way, we native
mid-westerners refer to it
as 'warshing' --- we include an 'r' as part of that word.

I've thought about buying one of those California Duster things just to
clean off the dust and
pollen but have not yet done so.

So, no, you're not weird, you just love your toy, like it to look great
all the time, enjoy the
time you spend warshing it and think your car looks so coooool when it's
perfectly clean.

I see nothing wrong with that at all......normal behavior.

And if you really want to look cool, drive your nice clean car with your
fog lights on
(sorry, couldn't resist).

Tom Allen

Scott M

unread,
May 22, 2003, 10:14:19 AM5/22/03
to
marlinspike wrote:

> I'm not gonna scold you for what you did to your car, but I must know why? I
> don't get why people don't enjoy washing their car. Don't you people see it
> as a great way to relax? Don't you people have fun doing it? I spend hours
> every weekend washing my car, cleaning it inside and out, and I really could
> do it much faster, but I rather take my time with it. I guess maybe I'm just
> wierd, I dunno.

Hey, you want to come do mine??? The only time I ever find to do it is
when I get in from work and then it's a rush to get it done before it's
too dark to see. Nothing worse than buffing off polish/wax only to come
out the next morning to see the bits you missed!!!!

Scott

C.R. Krieger

unread,
May 22, 2003, 12:02:23 PM5/22/03
to
Tom Allen <to...@allencg.com> wrote in message news:<3ECC4F...@allencg.com>...
>
> And for Michael LaChance, get a leaf blower before you get an air
> compressor.....cheap as dirt at Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart *sells dirt*?

Oh yeah; that's right. Never mind.
--
C.R. Krieger

Bob Kegel

unread,
May 22, 2003, 2:54:32 PM5/22/03
to
"Grim Joker" <jo...@freehold.crocodile.org> wrote in message
news:ac84486a.0305...@posting.google.com...

> Not to mention the fact that the dust that you will lift in the air
> will get into your lungs and do very bad things to them. Take a look
> at the warning message at any brake cleaning spray - it tells you
> exactly what is there in the dust. Used to be asbestos, not sure what
> is it now.

Apparently it's still asbestos:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/uncivilaction/brks16.shtml
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/uncivilaction/vcts16.shtml

I have an air compressor and use it for lots of things, but not blowing
brake dust off my wheels. It's just not the best tool for the job. Soap,
water, and elbow grease is the way to go.


Michael LaChance

unread,
May 22, 2003, 4:55:56 PM5/22/03
to
thanks for all the replies, but I thought a *DAILY* blast of air would be
best. It seems to me that hardly enough dust accumulates in one day's
driving (about 70 miles mostly highway for me) to be even visible and
shouldn't be enough to damage to clear coat or my lungs.

Dave Plowman

unread,
May 22, 2003, 2:46:51 PM5/22/03
to
In article <AnUya.770$bO6.6...@news1.news.adelphia.net>,

If compressed air would shift the dust, wouldn't it simply blow off as you
drive? IMHO, the dust consists of hot particles which melt (slightly) into
the paint, which is why they're so hard to remove.

--
*If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

Dave Plowman dave....@argonet.co.uk London SW 12
RIP Acorn

dizzy

unread,
May 22, 2003, 8:14:56 PM5/22/03
to
On Thu, 22 May 2003 08:47:58 -0400, "marlinspike"
<marli...@erols.com.nospam> wrote:

>I'm not gonna scold you for what you did to your car, but I must know why? I
>don't get why people don't enjoy washing their car. Don't you people see it
>as a great way to relax? Don't you people have fun doing it? I spend hours
>every weekend washing my car, cleaning it inside and out, and I really could
>do it much faster, but I rather take my time with it. I guess maybe I'm just
>wierd, I dunno.

You're weird.

dizzy

unread,
May 22, 2003, 8:15:52 PM5/22/03
to

Well, I use the high-pressue hose at the car wash on 'em... Air
can't be any worse then that...

dizzy

unread,
May 22, 2003, 8:17:19 PM5/22/03
to
On Thu, 22 May 2003 19:46:51 +0100, Dave Plowman
<dave....@argonet.co.uk> wrote:

>If compressed air would shift the dust, wouldn't it simply blow off as you
>drive? IMHO, the dust consists of hot particles which melt (slightly) into
>the paint, which is why they're so hard to remove.

I highly doubt that. Dust that fine wouldn't carry enough heat to
melt anything.

Dave Plowman

unread,
May 23, 2003, 3:59:33 AM5/23/03
to
In article <h1qqcvstck2olfd81...@4ax.com>,

dizzy <di...@nospan.com> wrote:
> >If compressed air would shift the dust, wouldn't it simply blow off as
> >you drive? IMHO, the dust consists of hot particles which melt
> >(slightly) into the paint, which is why they're so hard to remove.

> I highly doubt that. Dust that fine wouldn't carry enough heat to
> melt anything

It contains metal particles which certainly can.

Try cutting some steel with an angle grinder close to glass - the same
sort of distance as the pads are from the wheel. The sparks from the
cutting wheel will embed themselves in the glass.

If it was simply cold dust, it would be easy to remove, but its not and
discolours the paint on the wheel eventually. So there's some form of
chemical reaction going on. I'd welcome any other explanation, though.

--
*Learn from your parents' mistakes - use birth control.

Fred W.

unread,
May 23, 2003, 11:43:53 AM5/23/03
to

"Michael LaChance" <lach...@starband.net> wrote in message
news:AnUya.770$bO6.6...@news1.news.adelphia.net...
You want a pressure washer not an air compressor.


Michael LaChance

unread,
May 23, 2003, 3:50:48 PM5/23/03
to
I have electricity but no water in the garage

dizzy

unread,
May 23, 2003, 7:10:45 PM5/23/03
to
On Fri, 23 May 2003 08:59:33 +0100, Dave Plowman
<dave....@argonet.co.uk> wrote:

>In article <h1qqcvstck2olfd81...@4ax.com>,
> dizzy <di...@nospan.com> wrote:
>> >If compressed air would shift the dust, wouldn't it simply blow off as
>> >you drive? IMHO, the dust consists of hot particles which melt
>> >(slightly) into the paint, which is why they're so hard to remove.
>
>> I highly doubt that. Dust that fine wouldn't carry enough heat to
>> melt anything
>
>It contains metal particles which certainly can.
>
> Try cutting some steel with an angle grinder close to glass - the same
>sort of distance as the pads are from the wheel.

But how large are those particles? I contend that they are MUCH
larger than brake dust particles.

Dave Plowman

unread,
May 23, 2003, 7:38:13 PM5/23/03
to
In article <jgatcvsmkrtr6jfmd...@4ax.com>,

dizzy <di...@nospan.com> wrote:
> >> I highly doubt that. Dust that fine wouldn't carry enough heat to
> >> melt anything
> >
> >It contains metal particles which certainly can.
> >
> > Try cutting some steel with an angle grinder close to glass - the same
> >sort of distance as the pads are from the wheel.

> But how large are those particles? I contend that they are MUCH
> larger than brake dust particles.

Why does the dust turn the wheel paint brown over time then? Old type
asbestos pads never did this.

--
*Middle age is when work is a lot less fun - and fun a lot more work.

Kathy Shaffer

unread,
May 24, 2003, 10:25:59 AM5/24/03
to

"Tom Allen" <to...@allencg.com> wrote in message
news:3ECCD1A...@allencg.com...

> snip>

> I've thought about buying one of those California Duster things just to
> clean off the dust and
> pollen but have not yet done so.

I use a California Duster for the dust/pollen that settles on the car daily.
I find it works well and doesn't scratch. I have a thing about dust/pollen
on a black car; it bugs the h*** out of me, so I found that the California
Duster is a good solution.
Anyone got a good solution for getting bird doo off easily?

As for "warshing" anything; my parents are from Kansas and they say it that
way.

Kathy
Black '94 525i


dizzy

unread,
May 26, 2003, 10:37:08 PM5/26/03
to
On Sat, 24 May 2003 00:38:13 +0100, Dave Plowman
<dave....@argonet.co.uk> wrote:

>In article <jgatcvsmkrtr6jfmd...@4ax.com>,
> dizzy <di...@nospan.com> wrote:
>> >> I highly doubt that. Dust that fine wouldn't carry enough heat to
>> >> melt anything
>> >
>> >It contains metal particles which certainly can.
>> >
>> > Try cutting some steel with an angle grinder close to glass - the same
>> >sort of distance as the pads are from the wheel.
>
>> But how large are those particles? I contend that they are MUCH
>> larger than brake dust particles.
>
> Why does the dust turn the wheel paint brown over time then? Old type
> asbestos pads never did this.

I've never observed that phenomenon, I guess...

0 new messages