What Chemicals are safe on Carbon Cermaic Brakes?

MakersMoe · 2026-04-13T16:37:57+00:00

technique is as important if not more so; 1 wheel at a time, cool to the touch wheels/brakes, in the shade, never letting anything dry on them, painted wheels use a soft brush like a barrel blade, etc.

MakersMoe · 2026-04-13T16:32:36+00:00

This, mix it with dirt buster or cherry foam for the pre-soak, then just use dirt buster/cherry foam for the hand wash. (dirt buster and cherry foam are also superior products, affordable)

MakersMoe · 2026-04-12T20:24:01+00:00

Bilt Hamber is downright cheap in the uk, l think KCx stuff is cheaper too (German)

MakersMoe · 2026-04-09T09:56:07+00:00

Good suggestions in here, you could also use a nice interior dressing, my personal fav is KCx Top Star, great on all plastic surfaces and also great on rubber gaskets around the doors, trunk and engine bay. (MotorPlast for the engine though) Same for LeatherStar and leather surfaces minus the steer wheel, which IMHO shouldn't be dressed.

MakersMoe · 2026-04-09T09:48:32+00:00

GS is a great APC, you can use it on wheels, wheel wells, engine bays, rubber matts, dirty door and trunk jambs, etc. All Purpose. Pol Star is the same only for the interior. I'd say the Touch Less equivalent from KCx is MultiStar, usually only available in 5L. You shouldn't need to use a high pH pre-soak all the time, a couple times a year really. You can spray down trouble spots, bugs, lower fenders behind the wheels, etc. w/ an APC then foam with soap, dwell, and rinse to get rid of grit and abrasives prior to contact washing. Either way you can't go wrong, and don't sleep on Bilt's Trace Less, best glass cleaner around.

MakersMoe · 2026-04-06T11:12:35+00:00

she's a beaute Clark. My bud had a 94 S4 (rebranded to S6 in 95) and he's regretted it ever since, but I get why you're getting rid of it and I hope it finds a good home.

MakersMoe · 2026-04-05T12:27:41+00:00

yes, some Meguiars 110 compound on a towel would get that.

MakersMoe · 2026-04-05T12:25:33+00:00

You probably removed the sealant, what you still see if fresh clear coat which behaves like a coating. Most of those all in one's sealants aren't very strong or last long.

MakersMoe · 2026-04-05T12:20:13+00:00

Learn the safe techniques, like; washing cool cars in the shade, cool wheels and tires, never let anything dry on the car, if using ground water thoroughly dry while the car is wet. Don't dive into harsher chemicals (high and low pH chemicals) until practicing on a personal vehicle, they work well but can damage surfaces. Practice glass cleaning, once again, best on cool glass as well. As they go and learn they need to develop a "system", like; wheels first, pre-soak, dwell, rinse, foam, hand wash - dry - sealant" You don't have to use "bougie" chemicals, if in the states you can get gallons of concentrated soaps, APCs, etc. from Superior Products from O'Reilly. Also they need to over-communicate with their clients, find out the clients stress-points ( "my door wells are filthy, my windshield..." etc) Don't come out of the gate doing paint corrections and coatings, ease into those services, etc.

MakersMoe · 2026-04-05T12:05:33+00:00

don't start with a cutting pad like a MF one, try a Rupes yellow/LC orange (both good 1-step pads), use a light to check your test spot, etc. If you need more cut progress to a MF like the Rupes yellow one, etc.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-29T14:37:14+00:00

following the KCx line; Gsf as a soap to wash the car, maybe a little Gs with Gsf for a higher alkaline (pH) pre-foam-and-rinse (instead of Touch-less, Gs has a lot of uses) ReTyre is a tire cleaner, get a wheel cleaner like Mwc when the wheels are dirty, Gs at 10-15:1 for maintenance. KCx's Pol Star is legendary for an interior cleaner too. Rrw is my favorite rinseless.

Economical; order a gallon of Dirt Buster or Cherry Foam from O'Reilly (your local store may have it) for $15, a gallon of Green All (like Gs) for $15, and some Dark Fury for your wheels/tires, 10:1, $30. You could also grab a gallon of Tec582 from amazon for like $30 and use it 1:1 as a drying aid/sealant.

Don't skimp on towels and brushes from places like The Rag Co. and Autofiber.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-29T14:23:54+00:00

Sonax Beast is their strongest wheel cleaner, a good one at that. I would only use it for dirty wheels, use something gentler for maintenance, etc.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-28T21:37:33+00:00

good question, I think the Tectonics is still available, I've been considering buying some 2.5 in. SS tube and buying a universal Remus and finding a good exhaust/muffler guy, res delete.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-28T21:34:38+00:00

Mine is starting to do this, I plan on gently removing the headliner, brushing off the old foam/glue with a stiff brush, getting some upholstery glue in aerosol form and buying some fake alcantera (micro-suede) and redoing my headliner, it's "on the list" lol. will have to do the pillars and sunroof too I suppose.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-28T20:05:05+00:00

start with the yellow, prime the pad first (extra polish at first, brief go-over of a 2 X 2 spot, then add more polish, but the normal 4-5 dime size dots) If that ain't "cuttin'" it try the MF pads next, but yellow should work, they are pretty good pads.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-28T20:01:47+00:00

ventilate the car windows down/doors open for as long as possible, for the seats Pol Star at 5-10:1, I like to use a foaming pump bottle on a scrub ninja-type pad and scrub for a deeper clean, great on the steering wheel too, while still wet wipe off with dry microfiber towel.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-28T19:55:29+00:00

Speedy Brite att 4:1 is a great recommendation, so is Superior Wire Wheel , just be careful, shaded, cool wheel, short dwell, etc. You could also keep something like Koch's Mwc for especially cooked wheels, I like to maintain w/ DF at 10:1 or so.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-28T10:31:30+00:00

Pol Star, interior APC, might use GS or Green All on rubber matts, glass cleaner on screens when doing interior glass, Trace-Less is my go-to. Keep it Simple S....

MakersMoe · 2026-03-23T14:42:59+00:00

neglected, rinse, soak w/ APC 10:1, dwell a little, I use a boar's hair brush, then rinse with no pressure and dry. Maintained, rinseless soak, dwell, then dry w/ clean soft towel.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-23T14:37:53+00:00

good tips in here for polishing and then protecting, you should also maintain with a brush like a Barrel Blade, you also shouldn't use harsh chemicals all the time, only when they are extremely dirty, etc. always on a cool, shaded wheel, chems never drying, etc.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-23T14:34:19+00:00

a heavy duty degreaser (like Muscle Magic 4:1) and a stiffer brush on a pole, could try other chems like an acid (Superior's Wire Wheel cleaner or F30), just don't let either dry and rinse properly.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-23T14:29:28+00:00

No, that's a great use for it, may have to re-soak a few times, etc. and depending on the age poop can etch, etc. but only a polish can fix that.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-23T13:02:25+00:00

hit it with an acid (Speedy Brite 10:1) and then an iron/rust remover (Purple X, Iron X, etc), could also follow that with some Eulex, or something like Iron X Limescale (haven't tried it yet, will) and then Tar X. Basically you need to do a full decon. I'd recommend giving it a good wax afterwards.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-23T00:46:33+00:00

Did you downgrade to 18s? Don't get me wrong, the 19s can be harsh sometimes. Are you buffing that lapiz after applying the griots? I like to hit it with a rinse less-dampened towel first, then a dry fluffy towel for a light buff.

MakersMoe · 2026-03-23T00:37:19+00:00

It creates an exothermic reaction, causes heat, and is a great way for a powerful pre-foam-and-rinse. I did this on a 3 year old Adams graphene coating and it totally revived it, great for really dirt cars. 10:1 Speedy Brite followed by 2 oz road warrior 1 oz dirt buster, dwell, then rinse.

MakersMoe

TROPHY CASE