How to clean disk brake?

rick81721

rick81721

Lothar
Came back from ride today (got very muddy for short duration) and hosed down the bike but there seems to be something stuck in disk brake - can hear it as the front wheel moves. Not grinding but more of a whine. What's the best way to clean it out??
 
rick81721 said:
Came back from ride today (got very muddy for short duration) and hosed down the bike but there seems to be something stuck in disk brake - can hear it as the front wheel moves. Not grinding but more of a whine. What's the best way to clean it out??
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If you pop the wheel off and something is inside the brake, you can usually work that out with a small cloth or something. That may be causing the whining. But if you want to actually clean the brake, then you want to pull the pads, and then very gently squeeze the brake so the pistons start to move. Use a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol to wipe around the exposed portion of the piston. Don't just grab a handful of brake, though -- make sure you are very slow and deliberate or the piston might pop out and then your oil will leak out. I would use a small chamois cloth to wipe the pads themselves -- something smooth that won't damage the braking surface. And I'd finish it off by wiping down the rotor with hot soapy water and then rinsing it. ONLY use rubbing alcohol to clean the pistons, though - it doesn't leave any residue behind.
 
1speed said:
If you pop the wheel off and something is inside the brake, you can usually work that out with a small cloth or something. That may be causing the whining. But if you want to actually clean the brake, then you want to pull the pads, and then very gently squeeze the brake so the pistons start to move. Use a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol to wipe around the exposed portion of the piston. Don't just grab a handful of brake, though -- make sure you are very slow and deliberate or the piston might pop out and then your oil will leak out. I would use a small chamois cloth to wipe the pads themselves -- something smooth that won't damage the braking surface. And I'd finish it off by wiping down the rotor with hot soapy water and then rinsing it. ONLY use rubbing alcohol to clean the pistons, though - it doesn't leave any residue behind.
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Thanks man - good as new. Had to take out the pads and clean them up - pretty gunked up with mud and whatnot.
 
I was searching to see if there was a thread on cleaning brake pads but couldn't find one and was going thru the shop talk section and came upon this.
Altho its not exactly the same subject but figured better than starting up a new thread,

Anyways, how do you deal with contaminated pads?
I've read from baking it in the oven to rubbing compounds.
Which methods have worked for you other than tossing them in the trash?
 
C8N said:
I was searching to see if there was a thread on cleaning brake pads but couldn't find one and was going thru the shop talk section and came upon this.
Altho its not exactly the same subject but figured better than starting up a new thread,

Anyways, how do you deal with contaminated pads?
I've read from baking it in the oven to rubbing compounds.
Which methods have worked for you other than tossing them in the trash?
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As already noted, lightly sand and wipe down. Can also use brake clean or rubbing alcohol to assist in cleanup post sanding. You may want to take light grit to the rotor as well, and wipe it down.
 
Tried the light sanding and brake clean as well. They only worked temporarily for me. Read somewhere that the some pad materials actually soaks up the oil.

Took a sick day today and I was determined to resurrect my contaminated pads because these were practically new pads if it wasn't for the contamination and I had 2 pairs that were contaminated. It seemed so wasteful to throw them in the trash so I did some reading.

Prior, I tried putting it to a fire and I don't have a torch so I used a lighter and didn't work. Today, I was reading up on the temperature of lighter fire and I guess not all lighters are built equal. Some burn at a higher temperature. Specifically, butane lighters burn hotter and I believe Bic lighters uses butane. I gave it a go today with a bic lighter and surprisingly, if you hold it up against the fire long enough, it will turn the pad black. Black smoke coming out and the occasional snap crackle and pop. Burned it until black smoke minimized and let it cool. Cleaned it with some alcohol and reinstalled. On the initial test, I was disappointed as there were no bite but about 5 minutes later, the bite slowly started coming back. After another 5 minutes, it was like they were new pads. Saved about $30 today. :)
 
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I'll have to clean my brakes, I think I got some mud in them at 6MR tonight. Is good old Brakleen too strong for bike brakes?
 
C8N said:
Tried the light sanding and brake clean as well. They only worked temporarily for me. Read somewhere that the some pad materials actually soaks up the oil.

Took a sick day today and I was determined to resurrect my contaminated pads because these were practically new pads if it wasn't for the contamination and I had 2 pairs that were contaminated. It seemed so wasteful to throw them in the trash so I did some reading.

Prior, I tried putting it to a fire and I don't have a torch so I used a lighter and didn't work. Today, I was reading up on the temperature of lighter fire and I guess not all lighters are built equal. Some burn at a higher temperature. Specifically, butane lighters burn hotter and I believe Bic lighters uses butane. I gave it a go today with a bic lighter and surprisingly, if you hold it up against the fire long enough, it will turn the pad black. Black smoke coming out and the occasional snap crackle and pop. Burned it until black smoke minimized and let it cool. Cleaned it with some alcohol and reinstalled. On the initial test, I was disappointed as there were no bite but about 5 minutes later, the bite slowly started coming back. After another 5 minutes, it was like they were new pads. Saved about $30 today. :)
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A day off to save $30? Worth it!

Some pads do come back, and I've seen and read of people bringing pads back with a blow torch as well to boil off the oils. In my case, my front rotor seems to be getting glazed over. The first time it happened I tried sanding them, but that only worked for a ride or two. Ended up replacing them since those were used rotors, and now it's back again after 200-ish miles.:(

EJphotos said:
I'll have to clean my brakes, I think I got some mud in them at 6MR tonight. Is good old Brakleen too strong for bike brakes?
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I wouldn't go off spraying it all over the place, if only for the fact that it'll ruin your paint. I use it, but I'll pull the rotors and pads out first to clean them.
 
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