# Dirty, Dirty, Atlas....Wheels - Covered in Brake Dust <135 Miles



## 2018_Atlas_SEL (Jun 7, 2017)

So we picked up our Platinum Gray Metallic Atlas SEL w/4Motion 4 days ago. It's been driven 133 miles since. The front wheels are filthy with what I assume is brake dust. Rear wheels look almost as clean as the day we picked it up. This is our first VW. Is this normal? I understand that over time, wheels will get dirty with brake dust, but for ~4 days and <135 miles, they seem TOO dirty. Curious if anyone else has experienced this.


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## edyvw (May 1, 2009)

2018_Atlas_SEL said:


> So we picked up our Platinum Gray Metallic Atlas SEL w/4Motion 4 days ago. It's been driven 133 miles since. The front wheels are filthy with what I assume is brake dust. Rear wheels look almost as clean as the day we picked it up. This is our first VW. Is this normal? I understand that over time, wheels will get dirty with brake dust, but for ~4 days and <135 miles, they seem TOO dirty. Curious if anyone else has experienced this.


I drove Atlas once and brake has much more aggressive feel then in other cars of same class. That means that brakes will dust more. 
If you are bothered by that you can replace later pads with ceramic ones made by Akebono, but you will loose that aggressiveness. When Germans make cars, regardless for which market it is, brakes are top priority, esthetics not so much.


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## jspirate (Jan 15, 2011)

edyvw said:


> I drove Atlas once and brake has much more aggressive feel then in other cars of same class. That means that brakes will dust more.
> If you are bothered by that you can replace later pads with ceramic ones made by Akebono, but you will loose that aggressiveness. When *BMW* make cars, regardless for which market it is, brakes are top priority, esthetics not so much.


FTFY

VW brakes are not typically over dusty. Nothing like BMW's anyway.


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## Don® (Oct 11, 2011)

The softer the brake composite, the better the braking.
To me this is typical of VW, reason why I opted for the black wheels on the R-Line :laugh:
When it's time for brake service, look into getting a set of Hawk ceramic pads. They'll be better with the amount of brake dust; however, you need to get them hot to extract the performance from them.
Downside is, your rotors won't last as long.


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

The mk4 era, it was common for the rear wheels to be dirtier than the front wheels from brake dust

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## 2018_Atlas_SEL (Jun 7, 2017)

Thanks to everyone who has responded so far. I would have liked to have gotten the 20" black wheels, but the wife didn't want to wait any longer and wasn't really sold on the black wheels. It's her car so it was her call. I guess she'll just have to be the one to keep them clean until they wear out and I replace them with something less dusty.
My only experience with dusty wheels on a VW was with a friend's Passat that had a stuck caliper on a rear wheel.


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## Don® (Oct 11, 2011)

2018_Atlas_SEL said:


> Thanks to everyone who has responded so far. I would have liked to have gotten the 20" black wheels, but the wife didn't want to wait any longer and wasn't really sold on the black wheels. It's her car so it was her call. I guess she'll just have to be the one to keep them clean until they wear out and I replace them with something less dusty.
> My only experience with dusty wheels on a VW was with a friend's Passat that had a stuck caliper on a rear wheel.


Keep them waxed, the dust should not stick as bad.


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## edyvw (May 1, 2009)

jspirate said:


> FTFY
> 
> VW brakes are not typically over dusty. Nothing like BMW's anyway.


After owning 13 VW's, I am aware of that. BMW is champion in that compartment, but then there is also thing "BMW braking." 

Now, I would not be surprised if they are more dusty then usual VW. Probably in order to save money they are using single piston calipers so they put more aggressive compound to compensate for response.


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## edyvw (May 1, 2009)

BsickPassat said:


> The mk4 era, it was common for the rear wheels to be dirtier than the front wheels from brake dust
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


That is because rear calipers were POS.


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## ussr1023 (Jan 19, 2017)

2018_Atlas_SEL said:


> So we picked up our Platinum Gray Metallic Atlas SEL w/4Motion 4 days ago. It's been driven 133 miles since. The front wheels are filthy with what I assume is brake dust. Rear wheels look almost as clean as the day we picked it up. This is our first VW. Is this normal? I understand that over time, wheels will get dirty with brake dust, but for ~4 days and <135 miles, they seem TOO dirty. Curious if anyone else has experienced this.


Exact same question I asked myself when I got my GSW last year.


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## Don® (Oct 11, 2011)

edyvw said:


> After owning 13 VW's, I am aware of that. BMW is champion in that compartment, but then there is also thing "BMW braking."
> 
> Now, I would not be surprised if they are more dusty then usual VW. Probably in order to save money they are using single piston calipers so they put more aggressive compound to compensate for response.


They are using single piston calipers which I wasn't too impressed about. The Q7 (4L) has dual piston calipers; however, it's a 1000 lbs heavier with a tow capacity of 7000lbs.
Braking and suspension is superior in the Q7 - can't complain, I should have then gone with the newer Q7 :laugh:
Even the VW Toureg has better suspension and braking - but both don't have the room needed for a growing young family of 5.


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## jspirate (Jan 15, 2011)

Don® said:


> Keep them waxed, the dust should not stick as bad.


^This.

Buying black wheels so you don't see the brake dust isn't really a good solution. Basically it is the "stick your head in the sand" approach. Wheels take a lot of abuse and brake dust with dirty road water is hard on wheel paint. They need periodic attention, not a method to hide the damaging brake dust.

In my opinion, the only reason to buy black wheels is because you like the look of black wheels. If you do get them, they should be maintained just like any other wheel. 

I apologize for my mini rant... I have serious wheel issues. I like them REALLY clean!


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## Don® (Oct 11, 2011)

jspirate said:


> ^This.
> 
> Buying black wheels so you don't see the brake dust isn't really a good solution. Basically it is the "stick your head in the sand" approach. Wheels take a lot of abuse and brake dust with dirty road water is hard on wheel paint. They need periodic attention, not a method to hide the damaging brake dust.
> 
> ...


Your rant is well warranted. I like my wheels clean as well, I opted for the black because it looks sharp with on the White R-Line package.
What I said above involved a bit of sarcasm 

Leaving brake dust on the rim for too long will eventually corrode and erode the rim's clear coat.


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## jspirate (Jan 15, 2011)

Don® said:


> Your rant is well warranted. I like my wheels clean as well, I opted for the black because it looks sharp with on the White R-Line package.
> What I said above involved a bit of sarcasm
> 
> Leaving brake dust on the rim for too long will eventually corrode and erode the rim's clear coat.


Well, for the record... my friends make fun of me!
Hello, my name is jspirate and I have dirty wheel issues:



















Wheel work on a 2000 miata I recently purchased:


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

Don® said:


> They are using single piston calipers which I wasn't too impressed about. The Q7 (4L) has dual piston calipers; however, it's a 1000 lbs heavier with a tow capacity of 7000lbs.
> Braking and suspension is superior in the Q7 - can't complain, I should have then gone with the newer Q7
> Even the VW Toureg has better suspension and braking - but both don't have the room needed for a growing young family of 5.


The mk4 R32 had 2 piston calipers also, the. MK5 r32 went to single and stayed single ever since

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


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## Don® (Oct 11, 2011)

That's impressive :thumbup:
What did you use to polish it?


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## jspirate (Jan 15, 2011)

Don® said:


> That's impressive :thumbup:
> What did you use to polish it?


On the CC, the wheels are painted, so I seal them with Chemical Guys Jet Seal.

The miata wheels are polished aluminum, so I used Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish. I then finish with a coat of Jet Seal.


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

edyvw said:


> That is because rear calipers were POS.


No, that's because the rear pads were super soft, both ATE and TRW rear pads 

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## edyvw (May 1, 2009)

Don® said:


> They are using single piston calipers which I wasn't too impressed about. The Q7 (4L) has dual piston calipers; however, it's a 1000 lbs heavier with a tow capacity of 7000lbs.
> Braking and suspension is superior in the Q7 - can't complain, I should have then gone with the newer Q7 :laugh:
> Even the VW Toureg has better suspension and braking - but both don't have the room needed for a growing young family of 5.


I though Q7 has three pistons Brembo caliper, same as Touareg. I mean compering Atlas to Q7 and Touareg is impossible. Those two cars are just so much better to drive. 
I was on verge to get Q7 TDI, but still, does not drive near like X5.


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## edyvw (May 1, 2009)

BsickPassat said:


> No, that's because the rear pads were super soft, both ATE and TRW rear pads
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


It is POS caliper and undersized pad that was used first in Golf II GTI in 1988. 
That piston in the back has tendency to get stuck and for rubber to break and that water gets in etc. That generation of VW's were always pita to change rear pads because of those reasons.


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## Don® (Oct 11, 2011)

edyvw said:


> I though Q7 has three pistons Brembo caliper, same as Touareg. I mean compering Atlas to Q7 and Touareg is impossible. Those two cars are just so much better to drive.
> I was on verge to get Q7 TDI, but still, does not drive near like X5.


You're correct each side has 3 pistons; I was referring to 'dual piston' as having pistons on both sides of the caliper - sorry.


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## Don® (Oct 11, 2011)

jspirate said:


> On the CC, the wheels are painted, so I seal them with Chemical Guys Jet Seal.
> 
> The miata wheels are polished aluminum, so I used Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish. I then finish with a coat of Jet Seal.


Good work :thumbup:


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## edyvw (May 1, 2009)

Don® said:


> You're correct each side has 3 pistons; I was referring to 'dual piston' as having pistons on both sides of the caliper - sorry.


Aaa, OK.
I understand VW's decision to go single piston on Atlas. It is cheaper and with right compound when it comes to apds and rotors, it will be fine, though wheels will dust. 
I could not care less for dirty wheels as for me braking performance is what matters. But, I would say 7 out of 10 BMW owners have issue with it since neighbor might say something about it. That is why Akebono is making killing on their ceramic pads. I bet Akebono will offer heir pads for Atlas. I tried them once and took them off after 1500 miles and said that that pad cannot enter my garage even if it is on someone else car. That is biggest POS I had on a car.


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## [email protected] (Apr 18, 2006)

I've heard great things about Armor All Wheel Protectant Spray. I'm not an Armor all fan in general but this particular product from them seems to be a good one.


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

edyvw said:


> It is POS caliper and undersized pad that was used first in Golf II GTI in 1988.
> That piston in the back has tendency to get stuck and for rubber to break and that water gets in etc. That generation of VW's were always pita to change rear pads because of those reasons.


I've never had issues changing pads on the MK4, and I've done it multiple times when I owned a MK4. The only hard part was getting the parking brake cable reinstalled on the first try.

the MK5 chassis were horrible for changing rotors in the back, due to the placement of the caliper carrier bolts.


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## edyvw (May 1, 2009)

BsickPassat said:


> I've never had issues changing pads on the MK4, and I've done it multiple times when I owned a MK4. The only hard part was getting the parking brake cable reinstalled on the first try.
> 
> the MK5 chassis were horrible for changing rotors in the back, due to the placement of the caliper carrier bolts.


IDK, I change numerous of them in Europe, and that piston has tendency to get stuck. 
Also, pad is undersized so wears out fast. If it was softer material, bite would be more aggressive which does not make any sense from physics stand point because in wet rear end might overtake front. I have never seen cars with softer rear pad.


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