I used them for a while, and they did substantially reduce the dust. They
looked fine and didn’t make any noise.However, after using them for several
months, my rotors started to warp. I am not saying that they caused it to
happen, but I decided not take any chances with the new rotors. So I no longer use
them.****************
This is quite right.
My XJ40 had the covers on for a period of time. The discs warped
faster than a bag of fast things.(?)
The heat build up is quite considerable.
Leave them off and just wash the alloys more frequently.
By low dust do you mean non Jag original? I’ve had the genuine article, and
they’re filthy. Very pleased with the Kleen wheels.
Yes, I mean non-OEM. PBR makes a good organic brake pad
that we use here in the shop, that combines low squeal with low dust.
Kleen Wheels are fine and they have their place, but it seems to make
more sense, IMVHO, to combat the dust at the source.
My car has had “Kleen-Wheels” at least as long as I have had it (2 1/2
years). No rotor warping. I recently replaced the pads and flushed the
fluid, but the rotors were so good I left them alone.
-David
1994 XJ40 4.0L
1993 Pontiac Trans Sport
1963 Lincoln Continental 4-dr. Convertible
At 03:40 PM 6/9/98 +GMT, Gavin J Haslam wrote:
I used them for a while, and they did substantially reduce the dust. They
looked fine and didn’t make any noise.However, after using them for several
months, my rotors started to warp. I am not saying that they caused it to
happen, but I decided not take any chances with the new rotors. So I no
longer use>them.
This is quite right.
My XJ40 had the covers on for a period of time. The discs warped
faster than a bag of fast things.(?)
The heat build up is quite considerable.
Leave them off and just wash the alloys more frequently.
I don’t know how much air is actually expected to flow out through the wheel
whilst in motion, but I’ve never noticed any heat build up. You can’t really
tell they’re in place with my wheels, but with some of the aftermarket
wheels that expose more of the brake disc you would be able to see them.
They are really nothing more than a thin metal disc with holes punched for
the studs to go through - they make no noise whatsoever. The difference in
wheel cleanliness is absolutely remarkable - I would have dirty wheels
within about 30 miles previously (perhaps an exageration, but that’s what it
seemed like!).
Kevin
93 XJ6, Bothell WA
Kevin,
I agree completely! Perhaps if you were racing a car, where the brakes get hot and stay hot, it
could have an effect, but I can’t believe for even hard road driving they would cause any
problems. I think Dave Berman told me his cat came with them from Jaguar, but I can’ swear to
that. How about it anyone with a newer cat?
Kevin,
Thanks for the reply.
I suspect the reason the wheels get so dirty without the kleen
wheels is that the ducts in the front of the air dam, direct air
onto the disks, and it flows out the wheels, blowing the dust
with it. It seems to be pointed that way…
I sure would like to keep my wheels clean…
Hummmmm…
Brett
Brett,
Actually, static electricity is the main culprit. The reason road dirt sticks to your car is
that the car builds up static electricity as it passes through the air. The dirt is attracted
to the car and sticks. When you rub the surface with rag or brush, you are actually releasing
the static electricity that makes the dirt adhere. Remember rubbing the rod with a silk cloth
in high school physics?
Think of how much more static electricity is built up on the wheels, as they revolve as well as
travel along. They just pull that brake dust right to them and then the static electricity mkes
it stick. No wonder it is so hard to get the dirt out of the openings along the rim.
You don’t see the brake dust on most US cars, because they have full wheel covers, that keep the
dust on the other side of the wheels. My brother has owned a Thunderbird for 10 years and just
complaied to me about keeping the wheels clean. He just got Kleen Wheels for it and loves them.
Instead of installing a thin plate to keep the dust from getting on the
wheels (and possibly overheating the rotors…
Why not use an insulated metal screen and give it a high voltage static
charge. You could use the same circuitry to discharge the static charge
on the wheels…
Just another flaky idea from LeeperCo.
Fred Leeper
'89 XJ40 (with wheels made clean the old-fashioned way… we
eeeaaaaarrrrrrrnnnn them)> -----Original Message-----
Kevin,
Thanks for the reply.
I suspect the reason the wheels get so dirty without the kleen
wheels is that the ducts in the front of the air dam, direct air
onto the disks, and it flows out the wheels, blowing the dust
with it. It seems to be pointed that way…
I sure would like to keep my wheels clean…
Hummmmm…
Brett
Brett,
Actually, static electricity is the main culprit. The reason road
dirt sticks to your car is
that the car builds up static electricity as it passes through the
air. The dirt is attracted
to the car and sticks. When you rub the surface with rag or brush,
you are actually releasing
the static electricity that makes the dirt adhere. Remember rubbing
the rod with a silk cloth
in high school physics?
Think of how much more static electricity is built up on the wheels,
as they revolve as well as
travel along. They just pull that brake dust right to them and then
the static electricity mkes
it stick. No wonder it is so hard to get the dirt out of the openings
along the rim.
You don’t see the brake dust on most US cars, because they have full
wheel covers, that keep the
dust on the other side of the wheels. My brother has owned a
Thunderbird for 10 years and just
complaied to me about keeping the wheels clean. He just got Kleen
Wheels for it and loves them.
My car came with something like clean wheels on it, and I always assumed
that Jaguar started putting them on in 94. This would also explain the
somewhat unusual design of the KIWI wheels. They have a lot of metal
and just a few holes. I assume that this is a matter of hiding the
“clean wheels”. They are painted black, so unless you like
to check out brake calipers on cars, you would not see them.
If the clean wheels were really installed at the factory, then cooling
may not be a problem. I am sure someone there has tested that.
What I dislike about them is that they tend to bind to the studs when I
am removing the wheel. They feel cheap. They don’t rub against
anything. They are basically flat plates of thin metal which sit
between the hub and the wheel. At the outer perimeter, they are bent so
that you can jam them into the rim and they become part of it. They
spin with the wheel. My wheels are 16", but I don’t think that matters
as far as clearance. They don’t melt. I would study the looks issue if
you have one of the nice wheels that show brake parts.
I figure the brake pads must wear as you use them…sure would
be nice to find pads that don’t wear out, then find rotors that
don’t wear out…
If the pads wear, they MUST make dust…if there is dirt within
100 feet of my car, it will stick to it like a magnet…
Birds change their migration routs to pass over my car…
I have hesitated on the clean wheels, cause I wonder about the
air flow and heat build up…I can not believe that the airflow
is not reduced, and temps increased, but don’t know if it causes
problems…
What about noise…are they close to the wheels where they could
rub?
Do they melt?
Do they look ok on the car?
Brett
1990 XJ6
Instead of installing a thin plate to keep the dust from getting on the
wheels (and possibly overheating the rotors…
Why not use an insulated metal screen and give it a high voltage static
charge. You could use the same circuitry to discharge the static charge
on the wheels…
Just another flaky idea from LeeperCo.
clip<
Hmmm, Fred, take this idea a step further and you wouldn’t need an alarm - or
a pacemaker! :-}
Dave Lokensgard
'55 XK140 OTS
'86 Volvo 740 Turbo
'90 Red Sovereign 4.0L (PATZCAT) 95K
Tom,
Did you get your car fixed?
I am getting old, and cant remember if you found the problem…
Hope it was not expensive…
Haven’t got her back yet, but the dealer says it is fixed. They replaced
the flange (with both electrical fittings) at the top of the tank. Thanks
for asking. Cost-> $670.00. Not cheap, but not as bad as I had expected.
Heck, I wasted $500 (ouch!) on a fuel pump trying to fix it myself. Have
a darn nice 12V transfer pump now though.
A nephew is driving it down from Peoria to Ft. Worth on the 20th. It is
crazy how I miss working on it. Called Welsh to order some boot struts
and stopped by Pep Boys for Kleen Wheels info earlier this week. Suppose
I’ll end up detailing my work truck this weekend.
