Dirty disc brakes

redvee

At the weekend I lubed the chain on my bike and the GT85 went onto my rear disc, only found this out this morning on the commute. I know I'll need isopr.....stuff to clean the disc. I have just took the pads out and gave them a file down to a clean pad. Is this going to be enough or will I need new pads, hope not as funds are non existant.

nicklouse

new pads really. you can try everything and anything but they will never be as good.

and if too much heat is applied the friction material can come away from the backing.

RIKO

Try using some brake and clutch cleaner you can buy it from halfords seems to work pretty well.

supersonic

Don't some car cleaners contail oil to stop cast iron parts rusting?

dunker

muc off disc brake cleaner? that always brings mine back to that almost new pad feeling though i've never had oil on them yet.

Will Snow

methylated spirits. clean the rotor, pads (ideally soak em) and i can guarantee they will be ok. though saying that i know it works with dot fluid on hope pads... so i retract my guarantee on the plus side it like a pound, compared to a fiver for proper brake cleaner, that in my opinion doesnt work as well. plus its really tasty, nearly as tasty as brake fluid

RIKO

Quite possibly but brake and clutch cleaning spray is specifically designed for cleaning away brake dust and can be sprayed on pads to remove grease.

nicklouse

RIKO wrote:

Quite possibly but brake and clutch cleaning spray is specifically designed for cleaning away brake dust and can be sprayed on pads to remove grease.

and cleaners designed for Auto motive uses have rust inhibitors in them in the majority. ones designed for pushbike use do not.

Even so if the lube has got into the pads then it is not coming out. REPLACE.

5xcr

use isopropyl alcohol,maplins sell it for £7,halfords disc brake cleaner did not work on my hayes nines. :idea:

redvee

Spent the morning in town trying to get some CD cleaner or isopropyl alcohol but the CD cleaning fluid was in kits at £8 and tiny bottles and Boots said we can't sell isopropyl alcohol as it's classed as a poison. Ended up buying a tin of aerosol disc cleaner. Gonna go out after dinner and see if my work has been to any success.

ride_whenever

IPA, poison, bo**ocks.

No it isn't, says so on the sigma website. Irritating in the eyes, but then what isn't, causes drowsiness, but then it is volatile, so yeah!

Mainly it is just pretty flammable.

redvee

The good news is my rear brake is back as was befreor the overspray with lube, in fact too good, got to back the pad off 1/8 turn. Till I can afford a new pair of pads I'm happy.

Thanks for the advice, I did learn not to go stupid when spraying lube onto the chain :oops:

Will Snow

we all do it, when i got my first bike i tried to shine the disc with wd. luckily they were cable, (tektros) and it made little difference...

dave_hill

redvee wrote:

At the weekend I lubed the chain on my bike and the GT85 went onto my rear disc, only found this out this morning on the commute. I know I'll need isopr.....stuff to clean the disc. I have just took the pads out and gave them a file down to a clean pad. Is this going to be enough or will I need new pads, hope not as funds are non existant.

Easy this one -

Take pads out...

Place on a baking sheet with friction side uppermost...

Shove 'em in a low oven for about 15 or 20 minutes...

Take 'em out...

Let 'em cool down...

Replace and hey presto! pads as good as new. The heat of the oven will drive off any oily contaminants without affecting the pads.

DON'T use automotive brake cleaner - it's far too harsh for bike pads.

josh69er69er

i had the same problem a few months ago, although i did throughly clean the pads and file them down, i found they were never as responsive as in the first place, so i just bought new ones. Not sure about putting them in the oven though lol, probably worth a try though.. seeing as iv never tried this method before haha.

dave_hill

It definitely works.

It's probably best if you wait until the oven has been used for cooking, then switch it off and put the pads in. Wait until the oven goes cold (just let them bake in the residual heat) then your pads should be OK and ready to use again.

paggnr

boiling them for 20mins works as well

tedm

5xcr wrote:

use isopropyl alcohol,maplins sell it for £7,halfords disc brake cleaner did not work on my hayes nines. :idea:

Or go to your local chemists........mine sell a small bottle for 99p. Cheap nail polish remover is isopropyl alcohol.............don't ask me how I know :oops:

red eye

supersonic wrote:

Don't some car cleaners contail oil to stop cast iron parts rusting?

would be no point in trying to stop cast iron rusting as its just surface rust, the heat brakes, cylinder blocks exhaust manifolds generate would burn off the oil film.
brake and clutch cleaner does nothing more then what it says on the tin. oh and a quick and easy way to clean your tools

red eye

dave_hill wrote:

redvee wrote:

At the weekend I lubed the chain on my bike and the GT85 went onto my rear disc, only found this out this morning on the commute. I know I'll need isopr.....stuff to clean the disc. I have just took the pads out and gave them a file down to a clean pad. Is this going to be enough or will I need new pads, hope not as funds are non existant.

Easy this one -

Take pads out...

Place on a baking sheet with friction side uppermost...

Shove 'em in a low oven for about 15 or 20 minutes...

Take 'em out...

Let 'em cool down...

Replace and hey presto! pads as good as new. The heat of the oven will drive off any oily contaminants without affecting the pads.

DON'T use automotive brake cleaner - it's far too harsh for bike pads.

would it not taint food with an burning oily taste?

wheelbuckler

I had a similar ptoblem where I got muc-off bike spray on my discs, I bought a disc brake cleaner and it didn't work. Just picked up some isopropyl alcohol from maplins today and the cleaned the discs and now they are like new. Cost me 10 quid for a litre can.

nicklouse

muc-off bike cleaner is actually ok. it just leaves the brakes feeling a bit mushy for a few applications.

Any way if you mess up bleeding your brakes do not bother with trying to rescue your brakes. just replace them.

when using heat watch out you do not "cook" off the bonding agent.

what the basic problem is is that the contaminate gets into the pad and can not be washed off. you may clean the surface and a bit into the pad but as soon as the pads warm up in use the fluid moves to the surface and poor brakes again.

as i have said heat. burn the glue off great fun when the friction falls off.

have fun and get some spare pads.