Has anyone seen this corrosion in Brake levers

wesdev

My brakes are avid juicy 5s. All my servicing has been done by my local LBS.

Just wondered what my next course of action is?



Surely brakes shouldnt do this?

The bike is a Trek EX8

cavegiant

Brakes, especially fancy ones, can be made of exotic materials like magnesium.

It is strong and it saves weight, but if not protected from the elements corrodes like a bitch.

I would nail varnish over the area to provide a protective coat, or if I could be arsed go to my bikeshop.

cooldad

Brake fluid is a pretty decent paintstripper.

nwmlarge

that looks like brake fluid to me too.

i would strip them down and spray them up a nice colour.
it's only surface so nothing to worry about.

Thewaylander

yeh dot fluid is pretty nasty looks like it has been bled but not wiped up properly and cleaned after.

So i would say change who service your brakes if it's not yourself and follow what the boys above say to clean up.

nicklouse

looks like it is kept in a damp place.

mattv

Looks like brake fluid, most definately on that area of the juicy 3 lever.

joshtp

yep... someone's not cleaned up properly after a messy bleed... strip them right down and either


A. Polish them up and clearcoat them and have a shiny metallic brake (my fave option)

or

B. Strip and paint them a colour of your choice...

Northwind

It's not just paint damage, therefore, not just brake fluid IMO. I'd have said roadsalt personally.

Best option is to ignore it.

wesdev

its looks like brake fluid i reckon too. So my LBS is to blame as i dont service those. Im self employed and dont have time. Its more cost effective too.

Stored in a nice damp place - i dont think so mate. I always and wipe down my bike after each outing and lubricate the parts that need it.

Cant be road salt either.. i dont go out in winter. Im too busy.

Hopefully the LBS will come up with a solution.

I went out today and the brakes are rubbing on the disc. Only after the climb levelled out did i notice it. Initially I put the hard work to be me out of shape!

heez29

wesdev wrote:

Stored in a nice damp place - i dont think so mate. I always and wipe down my bike after each outing and lubricate the parts that need it.

You never said where you stored it.

Matt 24k

OP's location given as Southampton. Must be that lovely salty sea air ;-)
There's a nice rusty torq screw shown on the pic too.

Northwind

Matt 24k wrote:

There's a nice rusty torq screw shown on the pic too.

Aye, exactly, that's why I'm thinking it's not just brake fluid at work here despite all the certainty.

Cog Head

looks very much like brake fluid! if you want fluid that wont harm any paintwork or anything nasty, try the castrol dot 4 brake fluid, its sully synthetic! i got all my fluid from my local honda motorcycle dealers... but im sure you can find some on the interwebs...

nicklouse

Cog Head wrote:

looks very much like brake fluid! if you want fluid that wont harm any paintwork or anything nasty, try the castrol dot 4 brake fluid, its sully synthetic! i got all my fluid from my local honda motorcycle dealers... but im sure you can find some on the interwebs...

it is still just as corrosive as any other glycol based fluid. ie still strips paint.

j_l

Never seen Dot fluid make stuff go rusty, I am with nicklouse on the damp thing, how old is the bike (corrosion my have occurred at shop before bike was sold).

My Jucy 3's have a little bit on the top cap but nothing like that and they have never been bled since owning them, however I do live by the coast.

Cog Head

nicklouse wrote:

Cog Head wrote:

looks very much like brake fluid! if you want fluid that wont harm any paintwork or anything nasty, try the castrol dot 4 brake fluid, its sully synthetic! i got all my fluid from my local honda motorcycle dealers... but im sure you can find some on the interwebs...

it is still just as corrosive as any other glycol based fluid. ie still strips paint.

im affraid not, ive had it all over the side of my ducati and its not even touched it. unless it just dosent like certain types of paint

nicklouse

Cog Head wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

Cog Head wrote:

looks very much like brake fluid! if you want fluid that wont harm any paintwork or anything nasty, try the castrol dot 4 brake fluid, its sully synthetic! i got all my fluid from my local honda motorcycle dealers... but im sure you can find some on the interwebs...

it is still just as corrosive as any other glycol based fluid. ie still strips paint.

im affraid not, ive had it all over the side of my ducati and its not even touched it. unless it just dosent like certain types of paint

i suggest you read the tech specs and be a damn site more careful.

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/pdfs/castrol/ ... -dot-4.pdf

As with all brake fluids which contain glycol ethers, care should be taken to avoid spilling this product on paintwork as it may have a damaging
effect. In case of spillage rinse the affected area with water immediately . Do not wipe.

02gf74

my inital reaction would be brake fluid but if that photo has to be upside as I can see what apear to be a split for the reservoir cap , then it is not since fluid wold not flow upwards.

I would suspect the manufacturers use a brake fluid resistant paint - I have had that stuff on my Avids with no prbs what so ever and it wold be a piss poor bike shop that did not wipe the brames down - unless the reservoir cover is leaking?

So my guess it is the metal corroding with moisture in the air.

I would remove the brakes from the bike, clean up the corrossion with a wire brush or dremel wire brush, mask off bits you won't want covered in paint and spray with car brake caliper paint.

bennett_346

Forgive me if im wrong but isnt all DOT 4 pretty much the same, ie all corrosive, and DOT 5 (not 5.1) the non corrosive one used in classic car brakes etc to avoid damage to paintwork?

Northwind

Cog Head wrote:

im affraid not, ive had it all over the side of my ducati and its not even touched it. unless it just dosent like certain types of paint

You'd be surprised how well some finishes resist brake fluid, even the paint on my Suzuki isn't too bothered by brake fluid other than on the wheels (and that's despite Legendary Suzuki Build Quality, paint that washes off in the rain etc)

nicklouse

Northwind wrote:

Cog Head wrote:

im affraid not, ive had it all over the side of my ducati and its not even touched it. unless it just dosent like certain types of paint

You'd be surprised how well some finishes resist brake fluid, even the paint on my Suzuki isn't too bothered by brake fluid other than on the wheels (and that's despite Legendary Suzuki Build Quality, paint that washes off in the rain etc)

and a good coat of wax help a lot.

Northwind

Mine has a good coat of dirt I think I washed it in 2008 but I don't think I waxed it since about 2004

cooldad

bennett_346 wrote:

Forgive me if im wrong but isnt all DOT 4 pretty much the same, ie all corrosive, and DOT 5 (not 5.1) the non corrosive one used in classic car brakes etc to avoid damage to paintwork?

Correct DOT 5 is silicone based. Used by some US racer types as it's not hygroscopic so in theory won't boil as easily.

nicklouse

cooldad wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

Forgive me if im wrong but isnt all DOT 4 pretty much the same, ie all corrosive, and DOT 5 (not 5.1) the non corrosive one used in classic car brakes etc to avoid damage to paintwork?

Correct DOT 5 is silicone based. Used by some US racer types as it's not hygroscopic so in theory won't boil as easily.

well used almost exclusively by the US Army who are looking to move off it.

as it is not hygroscopic any water that does get in (and it does) sinks to the lowest point, (the Pistons) where it get hot and boils. (at a lower point than a glycol based fluid).

also many DOT4 exceed the specs for DOT5.1

cooldad

So it's effectively rubbish?

nicklouse

cooldad wrote:

So it's effectively rubbish?

it is special.

take that as you will.

Cog Head

i stand corrected :oops: well my ducati is still red... so it cant be that bad... i hope