With the recent weather and the salting of the motorways I am aware that my previously gleaming, blemish free discs are looking quite pitted with rust. The car like others is absolutely covered in salt and the like, and despite washing it all, and trying to keep the car clean the discs seem to be suffering - I notice when reversing that they now feel gritty when brakes are gently applied.
Is there anything I can do? Would pressure washing get rid of minute elements of salt that would otherwise not shift and continue to corrode, or does adding water to the equation make the rusting proces speed-up?
The car is garaged overnight, but is in the open for the whole of the day and exposed to all the elements.
Thanks in anticipation.
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Stomp on the brakes every now and then. The rust etc will soon rub off.
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I only use my car every few days and the discs go very rusty, but it seems to rub off OK. The car's only used for long journeys.
My wife's car is used around town and we had to change the discs as the rust wasn't being rubbed off (the discs where not visible). Once the rust sets in, then the rust tends to wear the pad away, so it never comes off, then the rust spreads across the disc. It ended that her car was braking on a band of clean disk about half an inch (out of maybe 2 inches of normal braking surface) wide.
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if you wash them with a power hose you run the risk of seizing the calipots up.
I would every now and then do a progressive emergancy stop on a clear road.
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I only use my car every few days and the discs go very rusty, but it seems to rub off OK.
Same here. I would just leave them if I were you. Just do the prescribed emergency stop and you'll be fine. I must admit, mine are quite frequently rusty, but I dont do any of the emergency stop treatment and my brakes are still ok, even after nearly 3 years of this kind of use.
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Thanks for all the advice - looks like I'll pick a quiet (ie empty) road tomorrow and have a few controlled emergency stop sessions :-)
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>>Is there anything I can do? Would pressure washing get rid of minute elements of salt that would otherwise not shift and continue to corrode, or does adding water to the equation make the rusting proces speed-up?
The salt will carry on rusting the discs,even dry will corrode. apart from whats been said ie light braking to disperse the rust,from start off.nothing else you can do,salt will destroy any metal left exposed-though discs do rust anyway but salt makes the process faster
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Steve
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Unfortunately, the cheapest material to make these out of (mild steel) will rust like hell. Discs are no different.
I remember seeing several brand new unregistered cars in compounds up and down the country. All had surface rust on the discs. Drums were no different, though these can be painted as the shoes are only in contact with the inside.
Having said that I've never had a problem with rusty pads. The pads that I used to buy for previous cars had their metal parts painted in what appeared to be a 2 pack system
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New Honda's used to be shipped with plastic wheel coverings to stop water getting at the discs too much, they were terrible quality and rotted within weeks.
Every used car on our pitch needed the brakes seeing to if it had stood for about 3 weeks or more, involved removing all discs and having them skimmed or replaced as necessary, quite an expensive job!
Blue
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Just realised that my post makes it looks like this was years ago, it wasn't, it was 2004!
Blue
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Unfortunately, the cheapest material to make these out of (mild steel) will rust like hell.
I thought brake discs were cast iron.
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L\'escargot.
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I thought brake discs were cast iron. -- L\'escargot.
I wonder whether there has been a sneaky change to inferior materials in the last few years? Yes, my understanding has always been that disks (and drums) were made of iron, not steel. That material is hard wearing, fragile under impact, but very resistant to rust and salt corrosion. That is why Brunel's Great Britain survived, but later steel ships have rusted away.
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Cliff Pope suggests that Brunel's ship SS Great Britain has survived because it is made of cast iron, rather than steel. Actually the Great Britain was made from wrought iron, which has excellent impact resistance. I don't think that cast iron was around in Brunel's day, and anyway its poor impact resistance would probably make it an unsuitable material for a ship's hull.
I thought that car discs were still made from cast iron, though.
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With the recent weather and the salting of the motorways I am aware that my previously gleaming, blemish free discs are looking quite pitted with rust.
Superficial rust will wear off with normal use, but if yours are rusted to the extent of being pitted then I'm not so sure.
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L\'escargot.
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drive it after you wash it.
do this to get rid of all the water from the discs and pads and then put the car away with nice warm pads.
my car's discs re still bright and shiny 2 weeks after its last wash - though the car is now very dirty and is kept outside.
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When the use of asbestos pads was outlawed, didn't they make a change to the material used for the discs as well, making both discs and pads sacrificial.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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I would say it comes down to this:
If, immediately after being driven, the rust has gone, then you're fine.
If the rust is still there then you have a problem, as the pads are obviously not contacting the discs properly.
Is this on all four wheels? This problem usually occurs on the rears, since much less braking effect is on the rears anyway.
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If the rust is still there then you have a problem, as the pads are obviously not contacting the discs properly.
Is this on all four wheels? This problem usually occurs on the rears, since much less braking effect is on the rears anyway>>
All 4 but more noticeable on rears. It's only in the last fortnight it has started - as said elsewhere I drive the car after washing so the discs don't rust.
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Disks are now constructed as consumable items, in the same way as brake pads. (tho hopefully no quite so often)
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RF - currently 1 Renault short of a family
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pads wear discs down quicker these days because the material they are made of is harder than the old asbestos,discs were always consumable items but they just didnt wear out as quick.(usually after every second set of pads)
Blame brussels.
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W>> pads wear discs down quicker these days because the material theyare made of is harder than the old asbestos,discs were always consumable items but they just didnt wear out as quick.(usually after every second set of pads) Blame brussels.
What does "these days" mean?
I've said this before, probably until everyone is sick of hearing it, but the disks on my 93 Volvo are still original at 330,000 miles. The pads, which last about 50,000 on average, are standard Halfords, so presumably have been asbestos-free during that period?
I've just popped out to have a look at the disks - they are as smooth and shiny as ever, and the car hasn't been used for a few days but was put away after a slushy run.
12-year old Volvo disks don't rust and don't wear out - what has changed?
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Some cars have different disc material, that doesn't corrode as quickly, usually models that come with alloy wheels as standard fitment. My mk3 Mondeo Ghia X is fitted with such.
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1999 was the year its now even an offence to hold old stock of asbestos pads
look here www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/environment/waste/hazard...m
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Ah, so it's much more recent than I thought.
Suppliers of classic car spares still advertise new old-stock brake shoes and pads in asbestos (also clutch plates, I think). Is that illegal?
What would be the effect of running a pre-99 brake drum or disk with post-99 shoe or pad?
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you might be setting me up for a trick question but here goes?
as far as i am aware you can no longer sell the old type pads/shoes/clutch plates,this has been the case for two years now approx.
your second point new pads on the old discs and the discs will wear down much quicker.
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I think you are worrying about this a little too much !
The rust spots you get overnight are little more than 'stains' really, and will dissapear usually with the first application of brakes.
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"... think you are worrying about this a little too much !"
Possibly, BUT they are not surface rust stains - they are pittted in the metal - different yes? Just had a few goes at scrubbing them off by a few braking sessions - no change - except for a nice groove now created in the offside rear disc.
No doubt will be in need of replacement after our winter.
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Not a trick question - I was just interested to know, seeing that several classic suppliers still list them. "pads, Mk1 asbestos, set of 4 £20.56 or Mk 2 £17.63. shoes, Mk1, set of 4, new old stock, asbestos type, £23.50)"
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"... think you are worrying about this a little too much !" Possibly, BUT they are not surface rust stains - they are pittted in the metal - different yes? Just had a few goes at scrubbing them off by a few braking sessions - no change - except for a nice groove now created in the offside rear disc. No doubt will be in need of replacement after our winter.
If they are pits in the disc itself, then they didn't happen overnight with a bit of road salt, they most have occured some time previously when the car was standing for some while with some dampness and possibly road salt present. I think you will have to swap them out, but dont panic brake disks arent that dear.
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Discs are still made from cast iron. If you have ever have a disc that is rusted onto the hub, and you cant get it off, this can be proved. The best way is with liberal use of a hammer, which results in the disc coming off in about 5 pieces. Mild, or even high carbon, steels are too malleable and would just bend. As for rusty discs, agree with the above comments. A few sharp stops, or even drving with your left foot on the brake for a short period wil soon clear them up.
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