Nothing looks worse than a relatively clean $50,000 car with black, grimy wheels. European luxury sedans are notorious for having dirty front wheels because of the black dust that's generated by their disc brake pads. The dust sticks to the alloy wheels giving them an unsightly appearance.

Europeans use different friction materials than their domestic counterparts because they want their brakes to be quiet, as well as hard working. The trade-off is often increased dusting because of the black ingredients that are in the pads.

Domestic vehicle manufacturers also want good performance and quiet operation, but many use ceramic-based friction materials that produce less visible dust. The dust still exists, but it's harder to see because the compounds are usually a lighter color. And dust from many ceramic-based friction materials is less "clingy" and does not form a heavy coating on alloy wheels. Consequently, the wheels stay cleaner longer.

The purpose of this article is not to compare the relative merits of one type of friction compound to another, but to make our readers aware of the fact that there are alternatives to the OEM high-dust black pads that are used on many European vehicles, as well as some domestic cars and trucks. A growing number of aftermarket brake suppliers now have "low-dusting" formulas that improve wheel cosmetics, as well as brake performance.

There's no way to eliminate brake dust entir...