Cleaning products for alloys with CCM brakes?

[lime1]

Was just wondering what this esteemed group thought was a good product for cleaning my DBS alloys? As they have CCM brakes acid based alloy wheel cleaners are an absolute no-no as they destroy the brakes. Not that I'd ever consider an acid based product anyway. I used Bilberry alloy wheel cleaner on the V8V with good effect. Anyone know if this is safe to use with CCMs? Any other recommendations? Where's Paddy when you need him?

[DB9VolanteDriver]

Car wash soap & warm water. Nothing else. And don't trust detailers in general; they are highly unlikely to know anything about the special requirements for CCM rotors. Why do you suppose so many owners complain about squealing brakes? 'Cause so many have been cleaned by unknowing prior owners or car dealers. Once contaminated, it is difficult to cure the problem without spending a few.

A little soap and water with a little elbow grease is all you need. But if you really have an issue with stuff stuck all over your wheels like tar, etc., you can use mineral spirits on a rag to clean it off...but NO spraying!

Edited by DB9VolanteDriver on Tuesday 25th March 02:44

[paddy328]

I beg to differ. I agree that normal wheel cleaners are a no no, but its safe to use a degreaser. That's what I use and I've done a few....

[V8 Animal]

DB9VolanteDriver said:

Car wash soap & warm water. Nothing else. And don't trust detailers in general; they are highly unlikely to know anything about the special requirements for CCM rotors. Why do you suppose so many owners complain about squealing brakes? 'Cause so many have been cleaned by unknowing prior owners or car dealers. Once contaminated, it is difficult to cure the problem without spending a few.

Edited by DB9VolanteDriver on Tuesday 25th March 02:44

I have to disagree with you on this.
CCMs are getting more common on the supercars and I feel detailers are very well informed about these.

[AMDBSNick]

I use this

http://muc-off.com/14-wheels

[DB9VolanteDriver]

paddy328 said:

I beg to differ. I agree that normal wheel cleaners are a no no, but its safe to use a degreaser. That's what I use and I've done a few....

So tell me, where did you read that it is safe to spray a degreaser onto CCM rotors, when ALL the owner's manuals specifically warn you not to spray anything but soap and water on the discs?

[DB9VolanteDriver]

V8 Animal said:

I have to disagree with you on this.
CCMs are getting more common on the supercars and I feel detailers are very well informed about these.

And how many supercars do detailers see? You can trust your detailer to 'know' about this, but I certainly wouldn't. Before I'd let any detailer clean my wheels, I'd make sure that he knows the do's and don'ts.

[Jockman]

DB9VolanteDriver said:

paddy328 said:

I beg to differ. I agree that normal wheel cleaners are a no no, but its safe to use a degreaser. That's what I use and I've done a few....

So tell me, where did you read that it is safe to spray a degreaser onto CCM rotors, when ALL the owner's manuals specifically warn you not to spray anything but soap and water on the discs?

Steve - does a degreaser >have< to be spray applied

[AMDBSNick]

DB9VolanteDriver said:

And how many supercars do detailers see? You can trust your detailer to 'know' about this, but I certainly wouldn't. Before I'd let any detailer clean my wheels, I'd make sure that he knows the do's and don'ts.

Here in the UK some detailers work on nothing but supercars

[Jockman]

AMDBSNick said:

Here in the UK some detailers work on nothing but supercars

Except Paddy.

He works on a heady mix of adrenalin and cocaine

[AMDBSNick]

Jockman said:

Except Paddy.

He works on a heady mix of adrenalin and cocaine and CAKE

EFA

[Jockman]

Oops...you've used A Cockers trigger word....wait for it

[jonby]

DB9VolanteDriver said:

V8 Animal said:

I have to disagree with you on this.
CCMs are getting more common on the supercars and I feel detailers are very well informed about these.

And how many supercars do detailers see? You can trust your detailer to 'know' about this, but I certainly wouldn't. Before I'd let any detailer clean my wheels, I'd make sure that he knows the do's and don'ts.

I often use generalisations but this one just doesn't wash ! (yes, pun intended.....)

My detailer is Richard Tipper (Perfection Valet) - my V12VR is at the lower end of the scale in a typical week for him, which typically includes at least one hypercar and a classic worth 7 (or even 8) figures.

Having said that, whilst of course the likes of Harry Metcalfe don't let Rich near their P&J without having a huge amount of faith in his ability, just because he details a lot of supercars doesn't mean he necessarily knows what he's doing

It's not whether a detailer 'sees' lots of supercars that determines their knowledge and ability. It's the fact that there are some car washers out there who call themselves detailers when in reality, they are not. The real determinant is to establish whether they are indeed justified in calling themselves a detailer. If they are, regardless of whether they regularly see supercars, they will know all about CCM brakes because if they truly deserve to call themselves a detailer, they will make it their business to know such things

[sukh_m]

Jockman said:

Except Paddy.

He works on a heady mix of adrenalin and cocaine

....and KFC

[Jockman]

sukh_m said:

....and KFC

Yup.

When he spends a penny he leaves the loo in pristine condition too

[DB9VolanteDriver]

Jockman said:

DB9VolanteDriver said:

paddy328 said:

I beg to differ. I agree that normal wheel cleaners are a no no, but its safe to use a degreaser. That's what I use and I've done a few....

So tell me, where did you read that it is safe to spray a degreaser onto CCM rotors, when ALL the owner's manuals specifically warn you not to spray anything but soap and water on the discs?

Steve - does a degreaser >have< to be spray applied

Of course not. As long as you don't spray the wheel cleaner then any type is fine to use (there's nothing special about the wheels, after all). It's just that most people spray the cleaner onto the wheels and get it on the rotors as well.

Presumably that was the OP's question regarding safely cleaning the wheels. If the intent is to clean the wheels with a sponge or rag, then any cleaner safe for a wheel will do. Just don't get it on the rotors.

[Jockman]

DB9VolanteDriver said:

...Presumably that was the OP's question regarding safely cleaning the wheels. If the intent is to clean the wheels with a sponge or rag, then any cleaner safe for a wheel will do. Just don't get it on the rotors.

It's just that nobody - OP, Paddy, V8 - has used the word 'spray' in their advice

You are of course correct but I fear you may be having a senior moment here

[DB9VolanteDriver]

Jockman said:

DB9VolanteDriver said:

...Presumably that was the OP's question regarding safely cleaning the wheels. If the intent is to clean the wheels with a sponge or rag, then any cleaner safe for a wheel will do. Just don't get it on the rotors.

It's just that nobody - OP, Paddy, V8 - has used the word 'spray' in their advice

You are of course correct but I fear you may be having a senior moment here

I don't know how else you could interpret this statement by the OP, unless spraying of some sort was involved, so no senior moment on my part.

"As they have CCM brakes acid based alloy wheel cleaners are an absolute no-no as they destroy the brakes."

[Jockman]

DB9VolanteDriver said:

Jockman said:

DB9VolanteDriver said:

...Presumably that was the OP's question regarding safely cleaning the wheels. If the intent is to clean the wheels with a sponge or rag, then any cleaner safe for a wheel will do. Just don't get it on the rotors.

It's just that nobody - OP, Paddy, V8 - has used the word 'spray' in their advice

You are of course correct but I fear you may be having a senior moment here

I don't know how else you could interpret this statement by the OP, unless spraying of some sort was involved, so no senior moment on my part.

"As they have CCM brakes acid based alloy wheel cleaners are an absolute no-no as they destroy the brakes."

Must be lost in interpretation. I understood OP to be asking about a product rather than the methodology / technique for applying that product.

Must be my much younger eyes filtering the data in a different way

[AMDBSNick]

DB9VolanteDriver said:

I don't know how else you could interpret this statement by the OP, unless spraying of some sort was involved, so no senior moment on my part.

"As they have CCM brakes acid based alloy wheel cleaners are an absolute no-no as they destroy the brakes."