Being one of the crucial organs in your car, a disc brake system should be in tip-top condition to make your driving full of comfort and reliability. Without top-notch brake rotors installed in your brake application, the brake set-up is inoperable. So, you need a no-brainer to understand the efficiency of a set of high-value brake rotors. As you cannot deny the functionality of brake rotors, you also must know that brake rotors are vulnerable to rust and dust buildup.
The impurities, debris, or rust impede the regular working-ability of the brake rotors. Rust and corrosion forming on your rotors will make the rotors worn-out over time. As a result, your favorite brake rotors from the top-notch automotive brands will be useless equipment due to excessive rusty buildups on its surface.
Therefore, it is imperative on your part to regularly take care of the rotors and protect them from any debris, dust, or rust. But in most cases, you fail to do the rust removal on your own as you don’t have any professional knowledge and skills. Don’t you worry? We come to lend you a hand by guiding you through the step-by-step process on how to clean brake rotors rust. Fortunately, the rotors are not that difficult to clean, except you fix the problem before it gets worse, being unattended for a long time.
Quick Navigation
- 1 How to Clean Brake Rotors Rust?
- 2 Must-have equipment and materials to pull off the removal
- 3 Step-1 (Driving the Car)
- 4 Step-2 (Removing Wheel)
- 5 Step-3 (Separating Brake Calipers & Brake Pads)
- 6 Step-5 (Using a Cleaner to Remove Rust)
- 7 Step-6 (Back to Reassembling)
- 8 Step-7 (Painting)
- 9 Step-8 (Using Lathe)
- 10 How To Remove Rust On Brake Discs Rotors, Best And Easiest Technique To Remove Rust
- 11 Conclusion
How to Clean Brake Rotors Rust?
Must-have equipment and materials to pull off the removal
- C-clamp
- A box-end wrench
- Microfiber cloth
- Wheel chocks
- Wire-bristle brush
- A towel
- Brake cleaner spray
Step-1 (Driving the Car)
If your vehicle becomes unmoving or sits in a place for a long time, you may notice some rust forming on the brake rotors. You can easily get rid of these rusts by simply driving the car. To pull off the superficial rust-removing job, you need to go for stop-and-go driving. Turn on your car, speed it up to some extent, then press on the brake very hard. Now take a look at the rotors. If you still figure out any rust or corrosion, then take the task to another level. Doing the task, again and again, will relieve your rotors from the rust developed on their surface. Unless you see any improvement, then move on to the next step.
Step-2 (Removing Wheel)
In this process, you need to go for rust removal manually. To successfully remove the rust, you need to loosen the lug nuts of the car wheel and use a floor jack to detach the wheel out of the ground completely. Now, by removing the wheel, the rotors will be peeping.
Step-3 (Separating Brake Calipers & Brake Pads)
Now you can clean the rotors out of rust, keeping the calipers and pads in place or removing these parts. But it will be easier if you remove them. Use a box-end wrench to loosen bolts holding the caliper assembly to the guide pins on the caliper bracket and remove them. Now, remove the caliper and place it on a safe hanger so that the brake line cannot be damaged. Then, remove the bolts securing the caliper bracket that holds the brake pads with a box-end wrench.
Step-5 (Using a Cleaner to Remove Rust)
Next, spray on the rotor, open to you, with a quality cleaner, placing a towel underneath it. Now, leave the rotor to get dry. Take a microfiber cloth and wipe down the rotors. Do the process again till the rust gets washed off completely. If the brake cleaner fails to pull out the removing properly, then use warm and soapy water to spray on the rotor. Then, use a cleaning wire-bristle brush to scrub it down. Remember to do the cleaning done in a well-ventilated area.
Step-6 (Back to Reassembling)
When the rotor is free of rust, it is time to reassemble the brakes and remount the wheel, working backward. You may require a large C-clamp to retract the piston in the caliper assembly so that it can easily fit in over the brake pads.
Step-7 (Painting)
As you know, brake rotors are vulnerable to rust buildups; it is better to go for a preventive measure. Painting the hub is the best way to withstand rust or corrosion buildups. Besides, painting adds to some style in your brake set-up. Before applying paint, mask off the braking surface in order to protect it from getting contaminated and paint only the dome that fits in over the hub. Try to paint it with silver, black, or red color.
Step-8 (Using Lathe)
Using a lathe is the last option if the processes mentioned above don’t see the light. But removing rust using a lathe is risky and challenging as you need to acquire professional skills to use it properly. It is wise to hire a mechanic to do the job on your behalf if you cease to use the lathe precisely.
How To Remove Rust On Brake Discs Rotors, Best And Easiest Technique To Remove Rust
Conclusion
In the end, among all the parts of your vehicle, brake rotors are the easiest parts that are prone to rust because of their dark and damp location. Fixing the rusty surface of the rotors is not a hard nut to crack. But the rust on your rotors can get hard and stiff if the problem remains unattended for a long period of time. Then, you may have to seek professional hands and spend a handsome amount of bucks to get rid of rusty brake rotors. Apart from that, the rusty and filthy rotors spoil the look of your loving car.
Therefore, we take the initiative and come up with handy procedures to kick out the rust from your rotors before it gets bigger. The article definitely will help you out by saving you some valuable time and energy. Now, all you need to do is to follow the instructions properly and safely.
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