I discovered my rear caliper was leaking fluid onto the rotor and pads, liberally covering both. I’ve got a new caliper and rotor to fit, but would like to salvage the pads (near enough new)if possible.

What method(s) actually works for decontaminating pads?

I’ve given them a good clean up with muc-off disc brake cleaner but I’m not convinced by that stuff. I’d like to be sure I’m not going to contaminate the new rotor by using these pads, but am too tight to just discard them!

Cheers.

You could try scrubbing them in very hot water & detergent & then taking a blow-torch to them

Give it a go – apart from your teeth – what have you got to lose?

Already lost my front teeth 🙁

I’ve heard about baking them in a hot oven, and other methods, but wasn’t sure what actually works. Just scared about using them on a new rotor without successfully decontaminating them, and ending up contaminating the new rotor too…

I’d try it you’ll soon know if it didn’t work

Cleaning the rotor isn’t a chore

But he’s already bought a new rotor because it was contaminated hasn’t he?! 😯

in my experience you cant recover them back to their original quality.

Its best just to buy a new pair and then you will have no uncertainty during your ride.

Rotors are easy to recover – a good clean and sand and they are as good as new.

Pads it depends – you might get away with burning them off – you might not. again sanding might work but it might not

I’ve given pads the oven treatment before – they come back, but they’re never as they were. I’d suggest you cook em, make sure they’re OK then keep them in your pack as an emergency set.

Why would you need a new rotor? Surely metal isn’t going to get contaminated with oil so that it won’t just clean off?

My LBS just poured water on mine whilst I was riding that sorted it.

New rotor came with the caliper, only £22 for both (Deore LX with 160mm c/lock) from CRC so I thought what the heck. Just annoyed that they were brand new pads with only a couple of rides done. That plus as I said, I’m a tight git…

Think I’ll go with thepurist’s suggestion of baking them and keeping them as my back-up pair.

Had the same happen to me, meths on the rotor to clean it and sanded down the pads a bit. ok there not perfect but plenty of braking power still.

Can you oven cook resin pads? (I’m guess not)

Good point zaskar!

Anyone know? They’re the standard XT pads I think (or possibly XTR ones).