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View Full Version : How clean rotor rust/pad goo from sitting?



Gene in NC
06-17-2007, 07:55 PM
How clean rotor rust/pad goo possibly a resullt of sitting for several months?

'85 e28 got less than 50k on new ATE rotors and PBA Metal Masters. Pass side rotor seems to have a high spot. Did sit for about 10 months waiting for UCAs. After UCAs front susp still felt like it was coming off the car. Had to replace very bad idler and worn pass tierod.

Helped a lot but rotor type shake still there on "light" braking. Heavy braking, no rotor shaking!

Suspect high spot may be rust or pad goo. Will anything remove it?

Gene in NC
06-17-2007, 08:57 PM
Mileage probably grossly overstated. Could be as little as 20/25k mi. Lots of pad left.

There are two of us driving five cars, we frequently/usually travel together, and all long trips are done in one of the other cars. I love the 535 but wifey will only ride in it as a last resort.

Pad goo was Bimmer.info suggestion, but something has created a high spot about size of a pad. There is resin in the pad material. Why not resin with rust to leave a spot?

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Ross
06-17-2007, 09:28 PM
Drive it as is as you normally would. If the spot doesn't wear off remachine the rotor and scuff up the pads with some moderately coarse sandpaper to break the glaze.

filip00
06-18-2007, 05:32 AM
just drive it regularly, it will go off in less than 10mins.

Gene in NC
06-18-2007, 06:29 AM
Ross, you could be onto something. Have tried to scrub off the "damned spot" but suspect that may have glazed the rotos and pads. Beyond recovery?

filip00
06-18-2007, 08:02 AM
gene, you can't screw it more than it already is. you can try to drive it, and if it starts to brake properly after let's say a 30minute ride, then forget about the "problem". if it doesn't, then disassemble everything, inspect which parts are alright, and ones that aren't, just replace them.

bsell
06-20-2007, 11:20 AM
gene, you can't screw it more than it already is. you can try to drive it, and if it starts to brake properly after let's say a 30minute ride, then forget about the "problem". if it doesn't, then disassemble everything, inspect which parts are alright, and ones that aren't, just replace them.

Solid advice above.

During my six years living in Okinawa, Japan and living through more typhoons than I can remember, I took the above approach. Let a car sit outside for a day or two in blowing salty rain and see what your rotors look like. I could not keep my rotors smooth on my Skyline due to the very open stock wheel design and all of the rust from each typhoon. Add in all of that rusty crud getting onto the pads and you have one sorry performing braking system.

So give her a rip and see what you have as you having nothing to lose with your current brake parts.

Brian