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i think i lubed my rotors

fredyfredy Posts: 308
edited June 2010 in MTB workshop & tech
Hi, i just clenaned my bike before its 6 week halfords check up and the brakes have failed on me. I think i may have accidently got a bit of gt85 on the rotors. What should i do to fix this?

Posts

  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    clean the rotors and calpers then replace the pads.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • QuirrelQuirrel Posts: 235
    Brake cleaner will cut through the oil etc.
  • fredyfredy Posts: 308
    nicklouse wrote:
    replace the pads.
    poop. i really dont have a budget for that right now. Could i file them down a little bit instead or something or this an epic fail?
  • Will SnowWill Snow Posts: 1,154
    methylated spirits is the cheapest way of cleaning them, but you may need to rebed in the pads
    i ride a hardtail
  • abarth_1200abarth_1200 Posts: 370
    Have a look at the sticky threads, there are tips on how to revive contaminated pads.

    Pads arent that expensive have you tried superstar components
  • rapid_uphillrapid_uphill Posts: 841
    Once pads are contaminated thats the end of them.
  • Will SnowWill Snow Posts: 1,154
    rapid_uphill wrote:
    Once pads are contaminated thats the end of them.

    bah. youve never tried hard enough to save them
    i ride a hardtail
  • Thread8Thread8 Posts: 479
    You can recover pads, although personally to be on the safe side I like to replace them ASAP
    Haro Thread 8
    Please help!

    "It's like parkour, on a bike"
  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    Will Snow wrote:
    rapid_uphill wrote:
    Once pads are contaminated thats the end of them.

    bah. youve never tried hard enough to save them

    yes i have and they are never any good compared to new ones.

    been there done every which way and over.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Will SnowWill Snow Posts: 1,154
    meths worked a treat for me every single time. Spose if you are really fussy and can tell these kinds of things then you might notice but i sure dont
    i ride a hardtail
  • submityournentriessubmityournentries Posts: 912
    i got hydraulic fluid on my rear pads, cause im stupid, and messed up bleeding them. they wouldnt stop atall. i replaced them for sintered superstars and they stop like anything :)
    Ragley Blue Pig
  • Will SnowWill Snow Posts: 1,154
    hydro fluid isnt fun to get out, but it is possible

    edit: ive only had experience with dot fluid, mineral might be a different bag of cats
    i ride a hardtail
  • submityournentriessubmityournentries Posts: 912
    i think mine was dot. and i tried it a couple of times to no avail, so i just put new pads in, cleaned and used abit of wet and dry on the disc and viola. back to normal stopping power :)
    Ragley Blue Pig
  • Will SnowWill Snow Posts: 1,154
    yeh dot on mine. giving them a good scrubbing with meths has always worked for me
    i ride a hardtail
  • BOYDIEBOYDIE Posts: 528
    I use a pair of tongs to hold the pad then use a weed killer blow torch to burn off the contamination,works really well.

    Just dont touch the pads to soon.... :lol:
  • Will SnowWill Snow Posts: 1,154
    BOYDIE wrote:
    I use a pair of tongs to hold the pad then use a weed killer blow torch to burn off the contamination,works really well.

    Just dont touch the pads to soon.... :lol:

    haha thats the way to do it
    i ride a hardtail
  • JamesBrckmnJamesBrckmn Posts: 1,360
    i find burning them with a mini blow torch works best, if you don't have one, putting them in the oven might work, or make a bonfire and hold them above it
  • cavegiantcavegiant Posts: 1,546
    yeesh talk about some censored advice!

    Hoping you have sintered pads and non floating rotors.

    chuck em in your oven at gas mark 3 until they have stopped smoking (do not do gas mark 4, seriously).

    Then use a bit of sandpaper, or if you have aknife sharpening stone file down the pads until they look clean, same with the rotor.

    They are now as good as new.

    I had leaky forks so would get brakes contaminates every couple of weeks and tried a ton of methods.

    resin pads is harder, file them down much further, bake them at a lower temp (pad dependant) and expect it not to work.

    Floating rotors must be done carefully with a blowtorch, do not get them too hot or they wil bend and not come back straight.
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?
  • fredyfredy Posts: 308
    I just bought some new pads, can i use white spirit to clean the rotors? or any other house hold substance? i am already over my weekly budget and i really can't afford to buy any more bits and bobs.
  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    NO it is oil based and will fubar the pads.

    Meths/IPA/or a cycle brake cleaner.

    or take them off and wash them in the sink with some fairy and then rinse all suds off.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • fredyfredy Posts: 308
    ok cheers.
  • andyrmandyrm Posts: 550
    I've always just taken the pads off, left them overnight in a 50/50 mix of degreaser and water and they come out good as gold.....
  • QuirrelQuirrel Posts: 235
    Some where like Europarts sells car brake cleaner for 1.50 or so for a giant can.

    Halfords want 6 quid for bike brake cleaner.

    Others have confirmed on here both are the same.

    If you are wanting to cut the grease on the disks even bleach should do the job or another strongish alkaline solution. I have in the passed used that oxy stuff in the purple jar to clean up car parts when I've not been in the mood to go out of the house.
  • fredyfredy Posts: 308
    Cheers for the info, i have some meths and ipa, so will try them.
  • fredyfredy Posts: 308
    ok i have my new pads, trying to put them in now but they just wont go. i can't even get the old ones back in. The pistons are pushed back, the spring is where it should be but they just wont go in place. Please, some one tell me the secret to getting pads into some avid juicy 3s.
  • fredyfredy Posts: 308
    eureka! done it, there is defiinately a nack to it. However, even with clean rotors and new pads, the bike still doesn't stop. I don't know what to do.
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Let them bed in.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
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