Opti-coat 2.0 or alternative on Sport Techno's to help with brake dust
#18
07-21-2014, 09:15 PM
Good eye. Yes. GT Silver.
Just picked it up less than a week ago. See my post on the Sport Design Bumper and Infamous Duck a few threads down!
Just picked it up less than a week ago. See my post on the Sport Design Bumper and Infamous Duck a few threads down!
#19
07-21-2014, 09:16 PM
Wow that's a bargain!
I just hope they're not training the new guy on your car
I just hope they're not training the new guy on your car
#20
07-21-2014, 09:19 PM
Wow awesome, if I get another p-car it very well could be GT silver, such a perfect silver, congrats! I'll go check ur thread
#21
07-21-2014, 09:30 PM
Thanks. Love your black 991 too. Just had a blk/blk Cayenne 957 GTS a yr ago. Gave me nervous breakdowns maintaining it!
#22
07-22-2014, 10:08 AM
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Melbourne, FL
Posts: 1,598
Rep Power: 109 
Been there and done that! Opti-Coat, Zaino, Adams, Meguiars, Wheel Wax, even cheapo NuFinish. In fact I've tested many different heat resistant nano and/or polymer based sealants on wheels. Some were better than others but nothing was a huge stand out. All of them help with brake dust and most allow cleanup with just car wash soap which in itself is a huge benefit. (Many people wax their wheels then clean them with wheel cleaner, most of which take the wax right off.)
Clean wheels are a pet peeve of mine, hence all the testing. I wash my cars and wheels weekly so normally brake dust isn't a huge deal however my '14 991S brake pads have been a real challenge! One day and they are a wreck.
The best thing I have found for my own wheels is to top the sealant with ArmourAll Wheel Protectant. It's a spray-on and walk away coating. For best results it takes about an hour to dry. The full effect lasts a couple weeks. I would say it has reduced my brake dust accumulation on my Sport Techno's by about 70-80%. As time goes by the wheels will accumulate enough so that you will need to wash. But in my case instead of really needing washing several times a week, I can keep them looking darn near perfect the full week. As I said, I wash weekly anyway. I am a geeky perfectionist.
Just yesterday I did another test. I coated the left side wheels with ArmorAll and left the right side ones uncoated. I did a roughly 60 mile PCA drive and then checked the wheels. The coated side still looked fantastic. The uncoated side already had huge amounts of build up, especially in the barrels. Friends at the PCA event were pretty amazed. (Sorry, didn't take pictures and aren't near the car now)
The ArmorAll has been the absolute best thing I've used so far. And as a detailing pro, admitting that is like scratching my fingernails on a chalkboard! But it's true. It's the only ArmorAll product I've purchased in 25 years!
Give it a try. You have nothing to lose but dust!
Clean wheels are a pet peeve of mine, hence all the testing. I wash my cars and wheels weekly so normally brake dust isn't a huge deal however my '14 991S brake pads have been a real challenge! One day and they are a wreck.
The best thing I have found for my own wheels is to top the sealant with ArmourAll Wheel Protectant. It's a spray-on and walk away coating. For best results it takes about an hour to dry. The full effect lasts a couple weeks. I would say it has reduced my brake dust accumulation on my Sport Techno's by about 70-80%. As time goes by the wheels will accumulate enough so that you will need to wash. But in my case instead of really needing washing several times a week, I can keep them looking darn near perfect the full week. As I said, I wash weekly anyway. I am a geeky perfectionist.
Just yesterday I did another test. I coated the left side wheels with ArmorAll and left the right side ones uncoated. I did a roughly 60 mile PCA drive and then checked the wheels. The coated side still looked fantastic. The uncoated side already had huge amounts of build up, especially in the barrels. Friends at the PCA event were pretty amazed. (Sorry, didn't take pictures and aren't near the car now)
The ArmorAll has been the absolute best thing I've used so far. And as a detailing pro, admitting that is like scratching my fingernails on a chalkboard!
But it's true. It's the only ArmorAll product I've purchased in 25 years! Give it a try. You have nothing to lose but dust!
But I suppose I'm really looking for something that is longer term..That was why I was looking at Opti-coat. I typically clean my wheels about every other week, so I'm not sure adding yet another product to my regimen is what I want to do. That said, I suppose it probably makes the cleaning a bit easier.
#23
07-22-2014, 10:52 AM
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Melbourne, FL
Posts: 1,598
Rep Power: 109 Since your wheels are black, it's almost near impossible to have something on them that won't show brake dust after a few miles of driving. You can however, use a spray wax on them to help with the cleanup.
I think you may have p21s gel wheel cleaner. If you do, simply do an initial spray on while the wheels are dry, wash the car as usual, then come back and hit wheels with pressure washer and wash them as usual. Almost 80+% of the dust will rinse off, and what's left over should be easy to get to with ex detail brush and another round of gel wheel cleaner.
I've also heard several people raving about armor all wheel protectant...but as you would have guessed it, I'm very skeptical of the long-term effects of the product on the clear coat of the wheels.
Also, we've got CQuartz Finest and Modesta now...an improved nano coating than what we put on your 991 when we did initial service.
When you're ready, we can apply that and do the wheels at the same time.
If you do decide to do opticoat, make sure to dismount wheels and polish them to remove swirls and scratches. Coatings like that need as flawless of a finish to adhere to.
I think you may have p21s gel wheel cleaner. If you do, simply do an initial spray on while the wheels are dry, wash the car as usual, then come back and hit wheels with pressure washer and wash them as usual. Almost 80+% of the dust will rinse off, and what's left over should be easy to get to with ex detail brush and another round of gel wheel cleaner.
I've also heard several people raving about armor all wheel protectant...but as you would have guessed it, I'm very skeptical of the long-term effects of the product on the clear coat of the wheels.
Also, we've got CQuartz Finest and Modesta now...an improved nano coating than what we put on your 991 when we did initial service.
When you're ready, we can apply that and do the wheels at the same time.
If you do decide to do opticoat, make sure to dismount wheels and polish them to remove swirls and scratches. Coatings like that need as flawless of a finish to adhere to.
Right now I'm using Sonax wheel cleaner, on them which seems to do a pretty good job, especially inside the drum. The face of the wheels I kinda hate to spray cleaner on in fear of degrading the clear coat on them over time.
Actually, it isn't so much the front outside face of the wheel, this cleans up pretty easily just with the normal wash and then wiping with a microfiber. It is the inner drum of the wheel that I'd like to just be able to to hit with the pressure washer, as it is kind of a pain to get it clean mainly because the brake calipers are in the way. (Although the sport techno's are probably the easiest of the standard wheels to get at).
#24
07-22-2014, 11:13 AM
hello from FRANCE
FOR YOUR WHEEL THE BEST IS
http://www.esthauto.com/prima-wheel-armour-t9435.html
and wach whith optimum no rinse
with gloves microfiber and brusch
bye
FOR YOUR WHEEL THE BEST IS
http://www.esthauto.com/prima-wheel-armour-t9435.html
and wach whith optimum no rinse
with gloves microfiber and brusch
bye
#25
07-22-2014, 01:33 PM
I've been using Hyde's for the past 3-4 months, and it does help cut down on the rust accumulation. Still get some light rust build up on the barrels after a day or two, but much less than before.
#26
07-26-2014, 04:01 PM
i can totally vouch for Opti-Coat on wheels. i have used 2.0 and Pro (formerly Opti-Guard). every vehicle i own has coated wheels.
proper prep prior to coating is crucial. it will only stick to a surface that is literally squeaky clean and free of all contaminants, the surface will only be as smooth as what's underneath and remember, it's more or less permanent, so if there is surface marring underneath, it will be visible through the coating.
generally speaking, a nice pre-soak (without letting it all dry) with Optimum Power Clean at 3:1 or full strength, depending on how dirty things get...and a power washer. and then an electric blower. some wheels and brake setups need attention with various brushes (i have large and small EZ Detail brushes, Wheel Woolies, lug brushes, etc.) but regardless, your best bet to making them stay cleaner longer and easier to clean is coating the wheels in and out and also the calipers!
plus coated wheels are super easy to clean in-between traditional washes without marring using a nice waterless wash and some dedicated wheel microfibers. i use Opti-Clean like water around here but there are a lot of options on the market. i'm an OPT fanboi...oh well!
as far as rotor rust dust...Hyde's is cool but it's way too expensive if you use it as prescribed or if you wash vehicles with any regularity. i have a process i use to make sure the post-wash rotor rust dust doesn't end up on the wheels. if anyone is interested in such a nerdy thing, i can expand on it.
proper prep prior to coating is crucial. it will only stick to a surface that is literally squeaky clean and free of all contaminants, the surface will only be as smooth as what's underneath and remember, it's more or less permanent, so if there is surface marring underneath, it will be visible through the coating.
generally speaking, a nice pre-soak (without letting it all dry) with Optimum Power Clean at 3:1 or full strength, depending on how dirty things get...and a power washer. and then an electric blower. some wheels and brake setups need attention with various brushes (i have large and small EZ Detail brushes, Wheel Woolies, lug brushes, etc.) but regardless, your best bet to making them stay cleaner longer and easier to clean is coating the wheels in and out and also the calipers!
plus coated wheels are super easy to clean in-between traditional washes without marring using a nice waterless wash and some dedicated wheel microfibers. i use Opti-Clean like water around here but there are a lot of options on the market. i'm an OPT fanboi...oh well!
as far as rotor rust dust...Hyde's is cool but it's way too expensive if you use it as prescribed or if you wash vehicles with any regularity. i have a process i use to make sure the post-wash rotor rust dust doesn't end up on the wheels. if anyone is interested in such a nerdy thing, i can expand on it.
Last edited by builthatch; 07-26-2014 at 06:25 PM.
#28
07-26-2014, 06:56 PM
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: New Jersey(outside Phila)
Age: 63
Posts: 2,597
Rep Power: 124
I bought and applied the Armorall stuff on my Audi. I think it makes the wheels a little easier to clean but in NO WAY eliminates the need to clean your wheels. It might have reduced the stick of the brake dust a little but that is it.
As far as my 911 is concerned I am lucky enough to have the ceramics and I swear you barely notice any dust at all ever. It is really great.
As far as my 911 is concerned I am lucky enough to have the ceramics and I swear you barely notice any dust at all ever. It is really great.
#29
07-26-2014, 07:17 PM
haha, ok no sweat.
obviously the rust dust is a pet peeve of a lot of people. i've tried many different techniques and this one works the best for me.
i generally wash cars outside on a trap rock driveway then pull it in for drying and any additional work. sometimes i do rinseless and waterless washes inside the garage, but this technique is for traditional "wash and rinse" washes.
i'll wash the vehicle as normal. usually this includes cleaning the inner wheel barrels and stuff with brushes so everything is spotless. again it depends on the car/wheel style because some cars with coated wheels you can get away with just an APC pre-soak and powerwashing. anyway, when i pull it in for drying, i'll take an electric blower and blow off all of the excess water from the brakes/wheel barrels/faces/tires. i'll dry them really well with the blower so every single drop is blown inward off of the wheels. i'll dry the rest of the vehicle and do whatever else i need to do (dry, polish, coat, whatever). when it's ready to go out of the door, i'll run around and blow the wheels off one more time with the e-blower just in case some water snuck out during the other work i was doing. i'll start the car, apply moderate brake pressure and reverse a bit out of the garage so the wheels turn a couple times. then i'll go forward doing the same thing forward into the garage. back and forth a few times. i do this until the rotors are clean. lastly, i'll take my compressed air nozzle and blow all of the dust inward. you'll see after the initial back and forth with the brakes applied that most of it gathers on the pad edge and also falls onto the inner barrel. i use light blasts to knock everything down into the barrel and then stronger blasts to push it all inward off of the wheel. as long as you do a good job drying everything with the e-blower before this, you will notice the rotors will be clean and no dust will be available to fly around when you go drive off.
the only downside to this is that the dust ends up underneath the car on the garage floor. when the residual water on the floor dries, i will vacuum the floor to keep that dust from becoming an issue.
it sounds like a lot of work for something so trivial but it's really easy - the extra work only takes a few minutes and i think it's well worth it - anything to avoid instantly orange wheels and all without spending the money for Hyde's!
obviously the rust dust is a pet peeve of a lot of people. i've tried many different techniques and this one works the best for me.
i generally wash cars outside on a trap rock driveway then pull it in for drying and any additional work. sometimes i do rinseless and waterless washes inside the garage, but this technique is for traditional "wash and rinse" washes.
i'll wash the vehicle as normal. usually this includes cleaning the inner wheel barrels and stuff with brushes so everything is spotless. again it depends on the car/wheel style because some cars with coated wheels you can get away with just an APC pre-soak and powerwashing. anyway, when i pull it in for drying, i'll take an electric blower and blow off all of the excess water from the brakes/wheel barrels/faces/tires. i'll dry them really well with the blower so every single drop is blown inward off of the wheels. i'll dry the rest of the vehicle and do whatever else i need to do (dry, polish, coat, whatever). when it's ready to go out of the door, i'll run around and blow the wheels off one more time with the e-blower just in case some water snuck out during the other work i was doing. i'll start the car, apply moderate brake pressure and reverse a bit out of the garage so the wheels turn a couple times. then i'll go forward doing the same thing forward into the garage. back and forth a few times. i do this until the rotors are clean. lastly, i'll take my compressed air nozzle and blow all of the dust inward. you'll see after the initial back and forth with the brakes applied that most of it gathers on the pad edge and also falls onto the inner barrel. i use light blasts to knock everything down into the barrel and then stronger blasts to push it all inward off of the wheel. as long as you do a good job drying everything with the e-blower before this, you will notice the rotors will be clean and no dust will be available to fly around when you go drive off.
the only downside to this is that the dust ends up underneath the car on the garage floor. when the residual water on the floor dries, i will vacuum the floor to keep that dust from becoming an issue.
it sounds like a lot of work for something so trivial but it's really easy - the extra work only takes a few minutes and i think it's well worth it - anything to avoid instantly orange wheels and all without spending the money for Hyde's!
Last edited by builthatch; 07-26-2014 at 07:21 PM.