[Closed] Contaminated Pads / Rotors

depends how bad but disc brake cleaner , sanding and an oven CAN work

Depends on what you've contaminated them with but generally brake cleaner + wire wool works on the rotors and for the sake of a few quid some new pads

Electric hob, heat pads until they stop smoking, then wet and dry, use dry on the pads and wet on the dics with a bit of washing-up liquid, has not failed me yet.

pads are so cheap, wash rotors then buy new pads.

New pads.
For the rotor, 240*c in the fan oven until they stopped smoking and turned an ace burnished colour worked on two rotors over the years for me.

Rotor - IPA (not the beer 😉 )

Pads - new pads.

I wouldn't cook a whole rotor, you will change the properties of the metal throughout.

Unlike normal use where the highly-stressed centre section stays cool.

I'd just wash them with Meths, IPA or Acetone.

Is 250c high enough to alter steel alloys! I didn't think so, but may be wrong.

I'm pretty sure not.

Don't get the point in heating up the rotors. You could just end up burning whatever is on them onto the surface and make it harder to remove. Just clean them in a solvent like IPA.

I'm very happy to be wrong 😀 It's been 5 years since I studied that 😉

I stand corrected. 🙂

Huh?

Assuming the pads have lots of life left in them & are worth saving, you could try this :-
Scrub the pads in purple meths with a toothbrush, then leave them to steep overnight in the meths.
Dry them thoroughly, then rub the friction surface with some clean wet & dry paper.
Then clean the rotors with the meths, paying particular attention to cleaning all of the black gunge out of each of the drilled holes in the braking surface (I use old-fashioned pipe-cleaners for this)
This seems to work for me.

IPA is cleaner than meths, and won't leave any residue,better for cleaning disks I would think. But for pads, just get new ones.

andyl - Member

Don't get the point in heating up the rotors. You could just end up burning whatever is on them onto the surface and make it harder to remove.

I think the assumption is it's something oily.

For pads, a soak in ipa and then face them off with 80 grit, if that doesn't work then I just bin em, not worth spending more time than that.

I've always found just dragging the brake down long hill sorts it out.

Mentholated spirits work.......pour I a shallow pot and leave to soak for a hour or so

Had my brakes bled in Les Arcs a while back, the guy spilled fluid EVERYWHERE

Rotor, pads, caliper allcovered in brake fluid, I was horrified

Then he gave it two hoots of some ace Franch brake cleaner he had, and said "bit noise, first minute, then fine".

He was right - brakes were perfect on the second pull. Would love to know what brand of cleaner it was.

How have the pads / discs been contaminated and with what?
Leaky caliper or stranger's jizz?

OTOH, pads and rotors are consumables and safety critical features. Bin them and fit new. The old rotors were a bit wobbly and rubbed any way, didn't they 🙂

I get a year out of rotors and 3 months max out of pads FWIW.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/filing-down-brake-pads#post-3884051

I put my rotors in the dishwasher it worked fine. This is assuming there are no aluminum parts to the rotor. I did bin the pads though

Where do you buy all this IPA from?

I used to get mine from my local chemist but in the last few years they've refused to sell it to me.

I just pinch mine from the lab but the times I've contaminated my discs/pads I've binned the pads and washed the rotor with fairy

I got a 5 litre jug off ebay.

Where do you buy all this IPA from?

Maybe not the cheapest, but if you want it quick from the high street, Maplin.

Cheers.

OK I'll ask... Whats IPA.

As for whats contaminated them ? I have no idea. Not a clue. They just gave up working and made horrific squealing noises. Dont want to bin the pads as they are shimano finned ones, only 5 rides old.

Anyway, took them down Walna Scar over the weekend and that seemed to cure it.

Thanks guys.

Isopropyl Alcohol.

Iso Propyl Alcohol (Not India PAle Ale).

If the IPA doesn't do the trick try some washing up liquid (yes, seriously! ). Had a set of contaminated pads recently which the IPA treatment wouldn't budge.

Take out the pads and dab a small amount of neat washing up liquid on each pad. Rub both pads together using your thumb and index finger (fitmly). The liquid will turn black & nasty. Rinse off under the tap & repeat a few times. Use some IPA on the rotors. Finally replace the pads and re bed them in.

Worked a treat for me!

cheekyget - Member
Mentholated spirits work.......pour I a shallow pot and leave to soak for a hour or so

How do you get rid of the minty smell afterward?..

Pads: Gas hob till they smoke then run them under the tap. Seems to work most of the time if it doesn't I buy new pads

Rotors: A good clean with brake cleaner and or IPA

IPA to clean the rotor thoroughly, Heated the pads on the hob, then a quick rub with sandpaper and all working faultlessly.

Cheers guys.