Car disc brakes

[timbo343]

This is a long shot but i was wondering if anyone knew how to remove rust from disc brakes on car.

 

I have attached some photos and as you can see you can see the part of the disc which is used when braking as this is clean but i am wanting to make the rest of the disc clean too as these have just been replaced as the other ones corroded and i dont want the same thing to happen to these and end up paying £150 for some new ones.

 

Ive been reading that white vinegar will remove it but wanted to get other peoples opinions. Some people will say let the brakes do the work, but thats not the case as by the photos you can tell where the brakes are doing the work.

 

Thanks

[plexer]

Discs corrode and eventually need replacing they are a consumable.

 

Ben

[timbo343]

but after a month should they look like this. They got replaced on the 1st July 2012

[FN-GM]

I would get a scrubbing brush and scrub is all off. Then apply something in the area that does come into contract with the breaks that will prevent the rust. Something like WD-40, but that would wash away.

[plexer]

The heat and cooling, brake dust, water etc... Yeah probably.

 

Ben

[twin--turbo]

Absolutely totally normal.

 

The unswept area is plain steel so will rust, you can get expensive coated disks but it's not worth it.

 

Avoid any product on the surface as this could cause brake failure.

 

Rob

[twin--turbo]

In production the discs ar coated with a oil based preservative, this is wiped off by the fitter with brake cleaner as it would prevent the brakes gripping. As soon as the coating is removed the disks will begin to corrode, even without use they will start to rust over in a few days in a moist environment.

 

The un-sweept area is there because the discs will be used on a number of makes and models, and similarly the Caliper and pads on different cars. The combinations don't always make full use of the surface of the disc.

 

Rob

[old_n07]

You could paint the unswept area of the discs but be carefull not to get it on the mating face where the wheel fits, next time you have them changed ask for Pagid discs as these come with a silver anti rust coating on them.

[twin--turbo]

You would have to use VHT paint, and I am not sure that would last with the Rapid expansion/contraction and vibration.

 

Rob

[twin--turbo]

Personaly I would not bother at all.

 

1) If a large flake of VHT sheared and ended up under a pad you could lose ~25% of breaking front effort.

2) It's probably going to come off

3) You will need to carefully mask the

4) you will need to apply rust converter to make a good clean surface and may need to key the steel before the paint.

 

Rob

Edited August 2, 2012 by twin--turbo

[SYNACK]

Umm, don't put anything on them, if you don't want them to corrode get ceramic ones (with their assosiated problems). If you tamper with the breaks like this several things are likely to happen; voiding your insurance if they check the state of the car, possible fire (assuming an oil based contaminant) and wakeing up upside down in a tree or lampost.

 

Wait a month, they will all oxidise over about the same anyway, they are designed to be run like that and changing them introduces the risk of contaminating the friction contact point between the pads and the rotor. Depending on the contaminant and the composition of the breakpad you can also really hash the breakpads too.

Edited August 2, 2012 by SYNACK

[timbo343]

cheers guys

[OB1]

Is the pattern consistent? The front pair should look the same and the rear pair should look the same. If not, you may want to get your calipers/pads checked as the car might start pulling to one side under heavy braking.

[Oaktech]

I consider this pretty normal... but some of my car nut friends who can't abide anything that isn't perfect paint the non contact section of the disc with brake caliper paint - or just pay the money and get stainless ebc performance discs.

[twin--turbo]

I consider this pretty normal... but some of my car nut friends who can't abide anything that isn't perfect paint the non contact section of the disc with brake caliper paint - or just pay the money and get stainless ebc performance discs.

 

I once spent 8 hrs at a car show, drove up , put my car on the stand and then sat down in my camping chair. Then proceeded to watch a guy clean and polish his Puma for the next 6 hrs!! (show and sine madness!)

 

Another show I watched as a guy removed his road wheels and disks, then replace them with pristine disks and wheels. Then took all the masking tape of the front extremities of the car that were subject to bug/stone rash...

 

The next time I will be at a show the car may not even be painted fully, let alone the rust on the brakes worn off LOL..

 

Rob

[Oaktech]

I once spent 8 hrs at a car show, drove up , put my car on the stand and then sat down in my camping chair. Then proceeded to watch a guy clean and polish his Puma for the next 6 hrs!! (show and sine madness!)

 

Another show I watched as a guy removed his road wheels and disks, then replace them with pristine disks and wheels. Then took all the masking tape of the front extremities of the car that were subject to bug/stone rash...

 

The next time I will be at a show the car may not even be painted fully, let alone the rust on the brakes worn off LOL..

 

Rob

 

Wow... a Puma... brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'polishing a turd'

[ShizukaNaHaji]

Wire brush then some high temp matt black spray paint

[Sirbendy]

Surface rust is a nonissue - lets face it, unless your car lives in salt, stands for days at a time or similar, the discs will dry in use and rust will be limited. I replaced my discs a while back, not because of the surface rust, but because the contact area had worn and was noticeably thinner than the non-contact part of the disc (after 103000 miles). New shiny vented discs soon became non-shiny and surface rusted. Face, bothered. They still try to rip my face off, so it's all good..heh.