rust on disc brakes--how to remove?
Dennis Wong
edge and other non-contact surfaces)? Just spent lots of money on
chrom wheels and the rust-on-chrom looks is out... thanks
-> dw...@rahul.net <-
-> Tequila: Not just a breakfast drink anymore. <-
--
Dennis S. Wong <dw...@rahul.net>
Nathan J. Nagel
to.. by Dennis Wo...@rahul.net
> edge and other non-contact surfaces)? Just spent lots of money on
> chrom wheels and the rust-on-chrom looks is out... thanks
>
Probably the easiest way to do it would be top use acid - Muriatic
acid works for me - just don't breathe the fumes and make sure you're
not working on anything you care about - I'd take the bearing races out
of the rotors before doing this. The braking surfaces will probably be
etched, just touch them up with some wet-and-dry and you should be OK.
Paint the rotors as soon as they dry, though, acid-etched parts usually
flash-rust almost immediately. Enjoy!
Nate
Steven J Orlin
In article <AiMCMOS00...@andrew.cmu.edu>,
Nathan J. Nagel <nn...@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:
>> Is there is way to safely remove rust from the disc brakes (on the top
>
> Probably the easiest way to do it would be top use acid - Muriatic
>acid works for me - just don't breathe the fumes and make sure you're
>not working on anything you care about - I'd take the bearing races out
Most people tend to care about their brakes, because if cars didn't have them,
a lot more people would be dead.
I suggest to the original poster strongly that you do NOT take this advice,
unless you know for sure that Muriatic acid will not react (the wrong way)
with the composition of your brake rotors. If you really want to try it,
find out the alloy of the brake rotors, and look into a material science
handbook to see if muriatic acid corrodes that material in any way.
It is possible that it could weaken/dissolve certain atoms in the metal enough,
so that on hard braking, excessive heat, your rotor may crack, costing you more
than just a broken rotor.
Again, I don't know what effects, if any muriatic acid would have, but I
would certainly bother to look it up if you are serious.
Nathan, don't recommend advice like this again. It is far from sound, or
safe.
As far as my advice about keeping your rotors from rusting, look into a
high temp paint, or a special 'rust killing' paint.
You can wire brush most of the rust off.
Steve
Todd R. Haverstock
Steven J Orlin <sor...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> wrote:
>
>In article <AiMCMOS00...@andrew.cmu.edu>,
>Nathan J. Nagel <nn...@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:
>
>>> Is there is way to safely remove rust from the disc brakes (on the top
>
>unless you know for sure that Muriatic acid will not react (the wrong way)
Ditto. I don't remember where I saw this, but if the rusted rotors are on
the drive wheels of the car, jack up that end of the car (and support with
jack stands!) and put the car in gear. Use a piece of fine sandpaper
(around 250-300?) and lightly sand off the rust.
--
Todd R. Haverstock mu...@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu
1980 Celica GT liftback - sportiness and refinement
Hey, what's a little rust among friends?
Nathan J. Nagel
brakes--ho.. by Todd R. Haverstock@uxa.e
> Steven J Orlin <sor...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> wrote:
> >
> >In article <AiMCMOS00...@andrew.cmu.edu>,
> >Nathan J. Nagel <nn...@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:
> >
> >>> Is there is way to safely remove rust from the disc brakes (on the top
> >
> >I suggest to the original poster strongly that you do NOT take this advice,
> >unless you know for sure that Muriatic acid will not react (the wrong way)
>
> Ditto. I don't remember where I saw this, but if the rusted rotors are on
> the drive wheels of the car, jack up that end of the car (and support with
> jack stands!) and put the car in gear. Use a piece of fine sandpaper
> (around 250-300?) and lightly sand off the rust.
>
I believe the original poster was trying to remove rust in areas
OTHER than the braking surfaces, i.e. clean it up cosmetically.
Therefore even if I were following my own advice I would have tried to
keep the acid away from the braking surface as much as possible. I
guess I should have made that clear. Also, I was assuming (being an
American car guy) that we were talking about cast iron rotors - do NOT
try this on anything else! I guess I should wake up before I start
posting... Sorry, guys.
Nate
G A Laframboise
In a previous article, mu...@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Todd R. Haverstock) says:
>In article <33rbq3$h...@charm.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>,
>Steven J Orlin <sor...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> wrote:
>>
>>In article <AiMCMOS00...@andrew.cmu.edu>,
>>Nathan J. Nagel <nn...@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:
>>
>>>> Is there is way to safely remove rust from the disc brakes (on the top
>>
>>I suggest to the original poster strongly that you do NOT take this advice,
>>unless you know for sure that Muriatic acid will not react (the wrong way)
>
>Ditto. I don't remember where I saw this, but if the rusted rotors are on
>the drive wheels of the car, jack up that end of the car (and support with
>jack stands!) and put the car in gear. Use a piece of fine sandpaper
>(around 250-300?) and lightly sand off the rust.
>
>--
>Todd R. Haverstock mu...@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu
> 1980 Celica GT liftback - sportiness and refinement
> Hey, what's a little rust among friends?
>
If you dont mind the cost, did you consider getting the rotors
turned/resurfaced ?
P.S. I've worked with muriatic acid before and if you dont know
what your doing, I'd wouldn't recommend using it. I't quite
wicked. Never use on aluminium.
Andre Laframboise
--
Matt Jusinski mntr stnd
little and see how they look. If they don't clean up have them cut.
The rust on the none working surfaces will come back regardless how
well you clean it. Maybe some hi tempertature paint on the rotor
edges might keep them pretty for a while.
Matt J
K. M. Finnegan
Laframboise) wrote:
> If you dont mind the cost, did you consider getting the rotors
> turned/resurfaced ?
>
> P.S. I've worked with muriatic acid before and if you dont know
> what your doing, I'd wouldn't recommend using it. I't quite
> wicked. Never use on aluminium.
Most disc rotors are so cheap these days that it wouldn't make
sense to take them off to clean or turn them. Heck, if you're going
to go to the trouble of getting them off, you might as well just
put new ones on. This doesn't hold true if you're dealing with a
vintage car where the parts can be hard to find, or if you have
massive vented rotors found on performance-oriented vehicles.
Those can get expensive fast.
As a data point, it was going to cost me $5 per disc to have the
rotors turned for a 1988 VW Fox. I bought new rotors for $11
each.
--
get in / sit down / shut up / hold on
Bobsickle (tm)
Steven J Orlin <sor...@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> wrote:
>
>with the composition of your brake rotors. If you really want to try it,
Muriatic acid is good old fashioned HCl, and will evaporate completely
(unlike sulfuric). Just let it dry well.
>Again, I don't know what effects, if any muriatic acid would have, but I
>would certainly bother to look it up if you are serious.
A good idea. Ignorance is terror.
>Nathan, don't recommend advice like this again. It is far from sound, or
>safe.
You just said you didn't know (twice), so how can you say it isn't safe?
>As far as my advice about keeping your rotors from rusting, look into a
>high temp paint, or a special 'rust killing' paint.
>You can wire brush most of the rust off.
But no paint (primer) will adhere well to a surface with mill scale
(rust) except a zinc system, which will *not* survive the heat
and will crack and peel.
'Rust Killing' paints do not work well, better to take the rotors down past
the mill scale, and etching does this well.
Just tired of hearing people freak out over words like 'acid' and 'radiation'
because of ignorance.
Bob.
Dennis Wong
I think rotors for my 94 Interga might be a little more than $11 each,
and since the car is only 5 months old (at least thats how long I have
had it) it would not make sense to replace the rotor each time it rusts
a little on the surface. I just want to get rid of the rust that is on
the non contact surfaces of the disc, for appearance reasons.
Dennis Wong
ai...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (G A Laframboise) wrote:
> >>>> Is there is way to safely remove rust from the disc brakes (on the top
> >>
> >>I suggest to the original poster strongly that you do NOT take this advice,
> >>unless you know for sure that Muriatic acid will not react (the wrong way)
> >
> >Ditto. I don't remember where I saw this, but if the rusted rotors are on
> >the drive wheels of the car, jack up that end of the car (and support with
> >jack stands!) and put the car in gear. Use a piece of fine sandpaper
> >(around 250-300?) and lightly sand off the rust.
> If you dont mind the cost, did you consider getting the rotors
> turned/resurfaced ?
Will resurfacing/turning remove the rust from areas that do not make contact
with the pads? Cost would not be a factor if I can keep the rust from
returning, perhaps with some sort of sealant?
YES I AM... Nick Zervas
Rust on the rotors! If it's not like flaking off the surface, I'd just go
driving on an empty road and do several high speed HARD stops. As far
as where the pads don't touch the rotors, why worry?
I DO NOT like the idea of running the drive wheels while the car is up.
All you need to do is press the sandpaper too hard and get your fingers
whipped around into the caliper.
mytwocents.
Nick Zervas, Cambridge, MA.
Mpalmer
(G A Laframboise) writes:
>
<*snip*>
>
>If you dont mind the cost, did you consider getting the rotors
>turned/resurfaced ?
>
>
>Andre Laframboise
>--
Sometimes shops won't touch rotors or drums that are badly rusted
because the rust plays hell with the cutting tool. It's not
worth it to them. If done safely, the sandpaper idea is okay or even a
*fine* wire brush chucked into a 3/8" drill. This way, there's less
elbow grease required and it can be done with the rotors on or off the
car (easier with them off to get both sides). If the rotors don't look
real smooth after sanding/wire brushing, *then* take them to a shop
for turning.
- MJP
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David Godwin
car has been stored for a while the surface rust will come off the first
time that the car is used. Try several hard high speed braking stops.
M<ake sure no one is behind you. If the car has been sitting for years
and the rust is deep then turning the rotors makes sense. The surface
rust that appears frequntly after rain etc should be of no concern.
Dennis Wong (dw...@rahul.net) wrote:
: In article <Kenneth.Finneg...@invader.nrlssc.navy.mil>,
--
David Godwin dgo...@Freenet.vancouver.bc.ca
604 351 4812
FAX 604 733 3340
Nathan J. Nagel
brakes--ho.. by Dennis Wo...@rahul.net
> and since the car is only 5 months old (at least thats how long I have
> had it) it would not make sense to replace the rotor each time it rusts
> a little on the surface. I just want to get rid of the rust that is on
> the non contact surfaces of the disc, for appearance reasons.
>
> -> dw...@rahul.net <-
> -> Tequila: Not just a breakfast drink anymore. <-
>
Well, if you're really serious about this, just replace them once
and paint them so they don't rust again... Didn't think it really had
to be said, but... And if regular paint burns off, use engine paint,
available in many cool colors.
Nate
STEWART G. MCKEEVER
> Well, if you're really serious about this, just replace them once
> and paint them so they don't rust again... Didn't think it really had
> to be said, but... And if regular paint burns off, use engine paint,
> available in many cool colors.
The rust will come right off after a little bit of driving if it is indeed
light. Most new cars in dealer lots around here (Charleston, S.C.) have
rusty rotors that come clean after normal driving. Wouldn't paint flake
right off the rotors after contact with the pads, anyway, as well as (?)
reduce braking efficiency?
> Nate
stewart
mcke...@cofc.edu
--
YOUR AD HERE...
Steve Chico
>I think rotors for my 94 Interga might be a little more than $11 each,
>and since the car is only 5 months old (at least thats how long I have
>had it) it would not make sense to replace the rotor each time it rusts
>a little on the surface. I just want to get rid of the rust that is on
>the non contact surfaces of the disc, for appearance reasons.
>-> dw...@rahul.net <-
>-> Tequila: Not just a breakfast drink anymore. <-
>--
>Dennis S. Wong <dw...@rahul.net>
I think you are out of luck, The rotors get very hot.
SO hot that I do not think any organic coatings would hold up.
chrome or zinc plating might????, but I doubt this would last
long enough to be worth the expense for and everyday car.
Hot metal exposed to the elements rusts very quickly.
Marcus Bonse
> and since the car is only 5 months old (at least thats how long I have
> had it) it would not make sense to replace the rotor each time it rusts
> a little on the surface. I just want to get rid of the rust that is on
> the non contact surfaces of the disc, for appearance reasons.
Take the wheels of, use a steel brush (or how do you call those in english)
and brush of the rust. Paint with engine paint. Take care not to paint the
braking surface. Drive happily ever after :) This is an el cheapo solution,
but it works.
Marcus Bonse email: m.h.w...@wbmt.tudelft.nl
Delft University of Technology
Lab. for Micro Engineering
Andrew E. Kalman
platers in my area will usually do a set of four for $50 (their
minimum), as long as I can stand the wait and I drop them
off and pick them up.
Plating has three advantages: 1) cosmetically it's nice, as the
only part of the rotor that even has a chance to rust is the
brake surface, and that gets cleaned every time you drive; 2)
the lack of rust on the hub (and wheel) mating surfaces
guarantees that the rotor won't be stuck to the hub when you
go to try to remove it; and 3) with drilled and /or vented
rotors, the all the 'extra' surfaces are protected from rust
(ever noticed how water accumulates in all the holes of a
drilled rotor?).
I've had absolutely no problems with black zinc and the heat
generated by the rotors. It's also possible that the heat
involved in black-zincing the rotors may have an effect on
them, but I've never had a warped rotor (done 14 so far), so I
think it's OK. Black zinc is about .001" thick. It takes a couple
miles (100-200 light driving) to remove the zinc from the
braking surface of new rotors.
Some platers may be setup to do wilder colors, but their
selection will never match that of paint. Oh, my platers
always want brand-new, _clean_ rotors.
Hope this helps,
Andrew
a...@netcom.com