Surface rust on brake rotors
 

My rototrs have developed a very thin rust layer on the suface of the rotors from no use over the winter. Do most peopel just let this go and the pads will take care of it quickly or do you you use like 100 grit sandpaper and lightly sand it off? Any opinions?

Re: Surface rust on brake rotors (VTECAcuraGSR)
 

Aside from nice rusty brake dust on your wheels, it doesn't matter at all.

Re: Surface rust on brake rotors (TeamSlowdotOrg)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TeamSlowdotOrg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Aside from nice rusty brake dust on your wheels, it doesn't matter at all. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yup. I'll get some surface rust on my rotors when I was the car, but as soon as I drive it, the rust is gone.

Re: Surface rust on brake rotors (VTECAcuraGSR)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by VTECAcuraGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do most peopel just let this go and the pads will take care of it quickly or do you you use like 100 grit sandpaper and lightly sand it off?</TD></TR></TABLE>

just let this go and the pads will take care of it quickly

Re: Surface rust on brake rotors (nsxtasy)
 

In the interest of simple tidiness, I've long wondered if there was a coating one could put on rotors that would actuall prevent the non-friction surfaces from rot. I'm tempted to try something like phosphate rust-killer body prep compounds, that leave a black oxide coating...

K

Re: Surface rust on brake rotors (Knestis)
 

I've had cad plated rotors that had the non friction surfaces hold up fairly well here in the northeast for about 2 years. Most of the coatings I know of that will hold up well to corrosion will either hold heat in the rotor by having poor heat transfer to the air or will simply not hold up to the heat in a rotor. An easily driven street car could get away with a higher temp powder coating. A race car would burn it off very quickly. I think the oxide coating would have the same temp problem. The oxides like that also tend to be porous; good for paint adhesion but bad for corrosion prevention.

The ceramic coating used on headers would probably take the heat well but is advertised as holding heat in so that would not be a good plan. Maybe there is something similar that transfers heat well?

Oh yeah, what good will this do on rotors that get warped or too worn from track use very quickly anyway? I generally only keep a set of rotors for a few months so rust is really only an issue in the spring.

isnt there such thing as a zinc coating? i've read somewhere about something like that. i think they came with it on already though. i know zinc is good for preventing rust, dont know about heat transfer and whatnot though. i assume it's decent, it is metal afterall

I lightly spray my track rotors with a coating of spray lubricant or WD40. Then, when it's track time, I wash down the rotors with brake clearner and I'm good to go. Necessary? Probably not.

Re: (CelicaGTV6)
 

The pads will take care of the rust pretty quickly when you start to drive the car.

I would not use the WD-40/spray lube on brake rotors and then brake clean them before running due to the possibility of the materials damaging the transfer layer of brake pad on the rotor. If you forget to clean the WD/lube from the rotors, that would be an interesting ride...

Re: (ITC Racer)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITC Racer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The pads will take care of the rust pretty quickly when you start to drive the car.

I would not use the WD-40/spray lube on brake rotors and then brake clean them before running due to the possibility of the materials damaging the transfer layer of brake pad on the rotor. If you forget to clean the WD/lube from the rotors, that would be an interesting ride...</TD></TR></TABLE>
Huh?

While potent, I don't think brake cleaner is caustic enough to eat brake pad material. It's designed as degreaser. I also don't think a simply spray lubricant will interact any anyway with the transfer layer of pad material on the rotor.