The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: Malco Brake Off Review

[richy]

After receiving several recommendations after trying to clean some particularly nasty wheels lately, I went ahead and ordered in 2 gallons of Malco Brake Off. This product is easy to use. Spray it on the dry wheel, let dwell (it clings very well even out of a regular spray bottle- I used the gray Sprayway one from HD) and agitation is optional and then rinse.

So my test case was a 2009 X3. I don't think the barrels had ever been cleaned since brand new. My old go-to for nasty wheels was Megs WB at 4:1 or CarBrite Wheel acid at 2:1. Those had not performed for me as well as I needed them to lately. Here are some shots of the test wheel:


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t12/rhowitt/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4766.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/rhowitt/media/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4766.jpg.html)


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t12/rhowitt/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4768.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/rhowitt/media/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4768.jpg.html)


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t12/rhowitt/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4780.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/rhowitt/media/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4780.jpg.html)


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t12/rhowitt/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4781.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/rhowitt/media/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4781.jpg.html)


You can see how black and nasty the barrels truly are. So I sprayed the Malco Brake Off (MBO) on the wheel and let it sit. It did not help without agitation on this wheel. The face was improving, but the etched in staining from years of neglect weren't easily letting go. So I started to agitate it.

That's when it started to get interesting.


For 2 reasons.


The first, was, yeah, it was working. Hence "The Good" in the title.

However, while using the Daytona brush and another brush, I was getting some splatter on my arms and legs. I was wearing shorts and a T shirt. I have had splatter with the acid based products before, and, like this time, I just washed it off my skin with the wash mitt from my wash bucket and kept going. For the acid based products, that would neutralize it. Not so for the MBO. It started to really burn. I washed it down well but it did not seem to want to neutralize as easily as the acid based products did. The inability to neutralize it easily earns "The Bad" in my title.


And "The Ugly"??


Well, my arms and legs got chemical burns from the spots that had splattered on them. Here is a shot of my arm:


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t12/rhowitt/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4804.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/rhowitt/media/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4804.jpg.html)


So, if you consider using this product, please heed my warning. I wished someone had warned me when others were raving about its cleaning ability. This stuff burns. Literally. Will I continue to use it? Yes, but, only when wearing a protective suit that covers my arms and legs. (And wearing gloves of course which I was at the time).

Is it worth the hassle? I think so in some cases where other means fail. Here are the finished shots of the wheel both after only cleaning and then after being coated with Americoat:



After Cleaning:



http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t12/rhowitt/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4782.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/rhowitt/media/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4782.jpg.html)


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t12/rhowitt/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4783.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/rhowitt/media/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4783.jpg.html)


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t12/rhowitt/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4784.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/rhowitt/media/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4784.jpg.html)


After Americoat:


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t12/rhowitt/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4813.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/rhowitt/media/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4813.jpg.html)


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t12/rhowitt/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4814.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/rhowitt/media/Detailing%20shots/Detailing%20shots001/DSC_4814.jpg.html)


In all honesty I think this is one of the most dangerous products I've dealt with in regards to your skin. It is very strong (obviously) and will do a great job but needs, no, demands, respect.

Hope this helps.

[Tato]

Great review, the title says it all. Thanks for the public utility reminder about how dangerous this stuff really is.

Kind Regards.

[Setec Astronomy]

Just out of interest, that's a non-acid wheel cleaner, and according to the MSDS, the active ingredient is 5-15% Sodium Hydroxide (along with some Diethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether).

[tpr1634]

I use it here and there, nasty stuff full ppe is a must one can not play with this. I use a full face shield, full rubber gloves and a dust mask. yes it's not user friendly but for bad wheels it works.

[Angus]

Great results but dang, I'm not going near that stuff!! Thanks for the review or should I say "a cautionary tale" ;)

[Mike lambert]

I have found that spraying all wheels and letting it dwell at least 15 min. Will clean up just about anything. But I use it only for the nasty ones! And if you are doing a used car from a dealer,be sure the wheels were not just painted as it will take off touch up paint. With precautions it allows for a tremendous savings in time and effort.

[richy]

I have found that spraying all wheels and letting it dwell at least 15 min. Will clean up just about anything. But I use it only for the nasty ones! And if you are doing a used car from a dealer,be sure the wheels were not just painted as it will take off touch up paint. With precautions it allows for a tremendous savings in time and effort.

Mike, that's interesting about the dwell time you allow. The bottle says only 2-3 minutes, so I had to do more agitation. More dwell time probably would have lessened the effort needed to agitate.

[FUNX650]

Even though it has such a very high pH:
Sodium hydroxide does not dissolve iron/iron particles.
It does, however, react quite readily with (dissolves) aluminum.

IMHO:
This particular Malco product would probably make for an excellent drain cleaner! :eek:

I've noticed that:
The "need for speed" for wheel cleaning, often leads
folks astray in their choices of products, and PPE.


Bob

[Optntdr13]

If you get it on your skin again, simply douse your skin in vinegar. This was recommended to me when I was using a HIGHLY caustic paint remover on my garage door last summer and let me tell you, without it the Armageddon occurring on my arm would have been noteworthy.

[sproketser]

Great review , also thanx for the warnings fellas .

Thanx for sharing Richy ! Where did you get this product !

[richy]

If you get it on your skin again, simply douse your skin in vinegar. This was recommended to me when I was using a HIGHLY caustic paint remover on my garage door last summer and let me tell you, without it the Armageddon occurring on my arm would have been noteworthy.
Of course, you would use a mild acid to combat a high basic solution. Yes, makes perfect sense; thanks!


Great review , also thanx for the warnings fellas .

Thanx for sharing Richy ! Where did you get this product !
Thanks! I got it from a Malco dealer and had it shipped to Detroit. Next time I may get it directly from Malco as they're based in Ohio which is only one state away.

[sproketser]

Of course, you would use a mild acid to combat a high basic solution. Yes, makes perfect sense; thanks!


Thanks! I got it from a Malco dealer and had it shipped to Detroit. Next time I may get it directly from Malco as they're based in Ohio which is only one state away.

Hey thanx for the comeback .

[Mike lambert]

The local Volvo dealer lets it sit overnight on the really nasty ones!

[tpr1634]

Mike, that's interesting about the dwell time you allow. The bottle says only 2-3 minutes, so I had to do more agitation. More dwell time probably would have lessened the effort needed to agitate.

I only allow 5 minutes of dwell time, as BOB mention it will eat bare aluminum only use on coated wheels. You can see how it separates it's nasty but it will work. I really prefer it for really bad barrels I've been using Sonax and iron X lately.