Kleen wheels? Are they worth it?

[joepro]

Anyone familiar w/ "Kleen wheels" as advertised by Bavarian Autosport. Supposedly protects agains unsightly, corrosive brake dust and keeps the wheels cleaner. If you're like me, wheel cleaning is not my favorite........

Can anyone vouch for "kleen wheels"? About $33 for a set of two.


Thanks in advance.

..Joe

 

[Big Daddy]

I have not used them and I have questions about them as well, even though I do not plan to use them. My wheels are very open (spokes) and I do not want to see this black plate behind them. My questions, if anyone knows the answers would be, #1 do they affect wheel balance?, #2 do they effect brake rotor cooling? Maybe someone can answer for both of us?

 

[BigEarl325is]

I have a set of winter wheels that are rather grandma looking so I decided to buy a pair of kleen wheels since you can't see through them anyway. Haven't gotten them installed yet but I'll let ya know how they go.

 

[frolf]

yeah, i wouldn't want anything to block my beautiful brake rotors.

 

[vlad]

I know that the Kleen Wheels are vented, but the vents are rather small. I have always suspected an increase on brake temps, and have notice that other people have had the same concern. But I have yet seen any documentation that shows whether they do increase the temps or not.

 

[carcus]

They serve a purpose, but in my opinion, look ugly and hinder cooling of the pads. Yes, it is a pain cleaning brake dust. BMW advises about using them in the manual, do they work reducing brake dust....YES THEY DO. Are they UGLY in my opinion, to me yes, especially with aftermarket rims. If you have stock wheels, might work for you, they do work. I suggest getting better brake pads that reduce dust. The E36 I have has chrome rims, the pads produce lest dust than my Mercedes ML320...although they were pigs for wearing up brakes....my VW Passat was the worst brake dust collecting car I have ever owned. Damn I hated that Passat.....liked my 1970 VW bug better....just my 2 cents.

 

[kerph32]

My friend has them on her 2002 325i and I give her crap cause they look like the rims are plastic hubcaps. But they do work, her rims are always clean.

 

[carcus]

My friend has them on her 2002 325i and I give her crap cause they look like the rims are plastic hubcaps. But they do work, her rims are always clean.

Personally, they look cheap, but they do work. Would never put them on my car. Remind me of the people who buy hubcaps...some people put fake chrome slotted rotor dust shields and fake chrome hubcaps on their cars.....LOL.

If I remember, BMW says dust shields are a no no......causes restriction to the air flow and cooling of the rotor....but funny thing is....if I remember, BMW sells them.[???1]

 

[xLibelle]

since my last brake work, the shop guy put in some pads that really dust the rims up.
I bought them, knowing good and well the factor of heat. But, i have had them now for about two years and my rims stay clean and no brake problems.

I have the regular e30 rims that you cant see much through them, so you dont nitice them. i wont be using them when i get my new rims.

Note to anyone that does get them, keep an eye on them at shady tire shops and when installing them, push them firmly into the rim. and i mean all the way!

 

[carcus]

I am just glad I got rid of the stock E36 rims...those were VERY HARD to keep cleen. Dust and brake mess magnets. The E46 rims I have now are so easy to maintain.

 

[andreyiv]

I don't know about you guys but I wouldn't want to put anything like that on for many different reasons. Main reason beign, the danger of heat build up and that I don't want to ruin the look of sports package wheels. Plus it's not that hard to clean the rims. Personally I think it's kinda contradicts it self, you put them on to make the rims look better but they make the rims look worse at the same time, unless you have those rims that are impossible to look through.