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Old Feb 21, 2009 | 07:33 PM
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Default Black stuff

Took both my ladies out for a nice ride today along the river with the top off. After a day of cruising I get her back to the barn and I got all this black powder all over the side of the car. I assuming this is brake dust. What a mess. I'm planning a 1000 mile trip in July and I guess my the time I get to my destination my torch red lady will be black. Is this normal. I'm a newby to vettes. Are ceramic pads the answer
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Old Feb 21, 2009 | 07:42 PM
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Must be road depris or something...the brakes don't produce that must dust...I assume you didn't ride your brakes...Cheers, Indy.
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Old Feb 21, 2009 | 07:48 PM
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maybe just road residue
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Old Feb 21, 2009 | 07:51 PM
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hopefully easy to clean off road debris.
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Old Feb 21, 2009 | 08:06 PM
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What are you using to shine your tires?

If it is armor all or a similar product there is a good chance that the tire rotation is causing the residue to spray onto the sides of the car.
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Old Feb 21, 2009 | 08:10 PM
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No I don't ride the brakes. I'm sure its brake dust because it was all over the wheels and inside the wheel wells and down wind of the wheels. I guess this isn't normal. I expected brake dust, but not down the side of the car. Help please
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Old Feb 21, 2009 | 08:22 PM
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Is it on both sides of the car, or just one side? Wash it off. Drive it around the block, hitting the brakes several times. Get out, and spray the wheels with water. Do NOT touch the wheel until you spray it with water. If you see steam or hear sizzling, then you have a stuck caliper. Ceramic, semi-metalic, and even organic brake pads don't make enough dust to coat the wheels AND sides of the car in such a short drive.
Let us know what you find.
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Old Feb 21, 2009 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by sneakelman
Is it on both sides of the car, or just one side? Wash it off. Drive it around the block, hitting the brakes several times. Get out, and spray the wheels with water. Do NOT touch the wheel until you spray it with water. If you see steam or hear sizzling, then you have a stuck caliper. Ceramic, semi-metalic, and even organic brake pads don't make enough dust to coat the wheels AND sides of the car in such a short drive.
Let us know what you find.
Sounds like a sound plan. I was thinking along a similar line.I've had a few stuck calipers on various vehicles. You could check the pads and see if 1 or more seems thinner,,but if it just started might not show yet. This would not be all that unusual,,especially if it is a low mile car.
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Old Feb 21, 2009 | 08:34 PM
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Originally Posted by oldvetteguy99
Took both my ladies out for a nice ride today along the river with the top off. After a day of cruising I get her back to the barn and I got all this black powder all over the side of the car. I assuming this is brake dust. What a mess. I'm planning a 1000 mile trip in July and I guess my the time I get to my destination my torch red lady will be black. Is this normal. I'm a newby to vettes. Are ceramic pads the answer
That doesn't sound like brake dust it sounds more like you drove over something in the road and it blew up on the Vette and stuck!

Any pics of the residue?

Thanks,Matt
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Old Feb 21, 2009 | 09:22 PM
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Is it dusty or greasy?
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Old Feb 22, 2009 | 07:37 AM
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I've had the car a couple of weeks now and haven't had this problem until I did a good wash and detail last weekend. Part of the detail was to use Eagle One tire detailer. Sooo with that in mind, and since it was on all four tire locations I'm leaning more to the tires. What are ya'll using to dress the tires that don't create this mess.
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Old Feb 22, 2009 | 07:58 AM
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I'm in the Port St Lucie area for the winter and saw you drive by. I remember thinking "Tha's an odd 2 tone paint job". Just kidding.

I use Zaino on my tires and don't have any problems. In the past I've used Amour All and it was ok too. I just had my wife's Jeep detailed in Stuart, and whatever they used is awesome. I'm going to drop back in to find out.

Corvettes brakes are no different than any other car when it comes to brake dust. However, the wheel spokes show the inside of the wheels more than most and we are much more particular with our cars than most.

good luck.
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Old Feb 22, 2009 | 10:22 AM
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I dont think it relly matters what tire dressing you are using as long as you don't use too much and let it set for a few hours, like overnight, before taking her out for a drive.
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Old Feb 22, 2009 | 10:29 AM
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I like the gel types and I wipe it back off a couple of times to avoid the stuff being thrown all over.
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Old Feb 22, 2009 | 10:31 AM
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Ive driven on some recently resurfaces roads. The lamp black material in the road sealers will get thrown up by the tires and can cause what you are seeing, even on the wheels themselves. It is not like tar, but a black powder. And i would be wary of spraying water on your wheels for fear of hitting the hot rotors. They will warp like bad lumber and need to be reground or replaced.
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Old Feb 22, 2009 | 04:09 PM
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That would have to be a lot of brake dust to do that and the stock pads won't put out that much dust. My guess is it just came up from the road.
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Old Feb 22, 2009 | 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by UWEBABY
Ive driven on some recently resurfaces roads. The lamp black material in the road sealers will get thrown up by the tires and can cause what you are seeing, even on the wheels themselves. It is not like tar, but a black powder. And i would be wary of spraying water on your wheels for fear of hitting the hot rotors. They will warp like bad lumber and need to be reground or replaced.
Matter of fact we did travel over some newly surfaced roads that day. It wasn't moist or tar like but dry black powder. Thanks for the tip
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Old Feb 22, 2009 | 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by BOTYNV1
I like the gel types and I wipe it back off a couple of times to avoid the stuff being thrown all over.
The stuff I used was gel type, never used before, but did fail to wipe off excess, but didn't drive it till the next day. Thanks
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Old Feb 23, 2009 | 01:55 AM
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I use Meguiar's tire dressing with a sponge applicator. After letting it soak in I use an old rag, and wipe them down, no slinging, works for me.
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Old Feb 23, 2009 | 09:43 AM
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I get alot of brake dust on my 03 Z06. After about 10mi of city driving (stop and go). I'v just learned to live with it. Im going to get ceramic pads when these ones are done.
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