Brake Blocks in the Oven Advice Please...

rich@mailorderbikes

Hi, we had a customer in our Shoreham showroom last week complaining about squeaky disc brakes with little power. I asked if he had been using a spray oil and he said yes! So i deduced that the oil had probably got onto the disc and had been picked up onto the pad. He tried a disc brake cleaner but it didn't do the trick, so i suggested he google 'burning off oil from disc brake pads'. I had heard of people doing it, but told him I had never tried it myself. He found an article and decided to try it, I think it was 150 degrees for 30 minutes. This solved his problem and the pads now work perfectly again. He did say it stunk his kitchen out though!

Just wondered if anyone else had ever put their pads in the oven to burn off the oil and if so what time and oven heat do you recommend? Also do any of the disc pad manufacturers give advice about burning oil off pads? I wondered if it could effect the pad compound too, as whatever sticks the stuff together could potentially ignite, or maybe your pads could crumble next time you brake! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

nicklouse

yes and it tends to work great untill the friction material falls of the backing plate.

Rushmore

I have never done this.. but my friend was also advised to do this by a bike shop that didn't stock his pads... ( not my LBS ).

he never did it...

but just to let you know that other recommend it... Although no times or heat were given...

386ka

I had a problem with wd-40 by my mistake getting on the rotor and the pads - my LBS ended up burning them with burner. And they worked well after. But be aware that some pads may become crumbly and wear faster after that.

I wouldn't put my pads in the oven though, it's cooking food, not engine grease!

rich@mailorderbikes

Thanks for the advice guys, have also read that people sometimes use blow torches for this! It reminds me of the late 90's when everyone said you could microwave your suspension fork elastomers 'to give them more spring'. I wonder how many people ended up with a kitchen fire or a plate of gooey elastomer! I think I will stick to recommending they replace their pads and stay clear of spray lubes, or at least cover the disc and caliper when using them.

Northwind

I mean this constructively, but what on earth are you doing giving advice you're not confident of?

Heating/burning brake pads is an old trick I've used with motorbikes, but with pushbike pads costing £6 or thereabouts is it worth it? Not that convinced there's a risk myself- bike pads get hot as hell in use- but I'll still choose not to find out.

butcher of bakersfield

Northwind wrote:

Heating/burning brake pads is an old trick I've used with motorbikes, but with pushbike pads costing £6 or thereabouts is it worth it?

I done mine in the oven two or three times (same pads) when I had a leaky caliper, soaking them in mineral oil over time. Was no point in putting new pads in just for them to get fouled again, so sometimes it is worth it. It was to me anyway. And they worked as good as new each time.

Sometimes you just need a quick fix so that you can get out and ride. And you can always put them in the spares box when your new ones arrive

rich@mailorderbikes

Hey Northwind, I had heard of people burning oil off but had no first hand experience. Advising someone to google something was an acknowledgement that I didn't have the answer but knew where he could look for an answer. I know I could have just said ' i don't know' and stared into space but that probably wouldn't have been helpful! Next time I will tell him to start a new forum post on bikeradar and hopefully someone with first hand experience will be able to answer his query! If his replacement pads were only £6 he would have gone for them but they are more like £11 a pair: http://www.mailorderbikes.com/m5b0s264p ... Brake_Pads

cooldad

rich@mailorderbikes wrote:

Hey Northwind, I had heard of people burning oil off but had no first hand experience. Advising someone to google something was an acknowledgement that I didn't have the answer but knew where he could look for an answer. I know I could have just said ' i don't know' and stared into space but that probably wouldn't have been helpful! Next time I will tell him to start a new forum post on bikeradar and hopefully someone with first hand experience will be able to answer his query! If his replacement pads were only £6 he would have gone for them but they are more like £11 a pair: http://www.mailorderbikes.com/m5b0s264p ... Brake_Pads

Oops should have sent him to
http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_ ... ucts_id=28

£5.50 a pair.