Brake Rotor Cleaning

[jasonctsv]

Hello, 

 

What is the best product to clean the brake dust off brake rotors? I have slotted and dimmpled rotors. I have to be carefule cause I have Black Chrome PVD or clear coated Wheels.

 

If I have to remove the wheel to actually hand scrub the rotors I don't mind ect..

 

Thanks

[07RS4]

Hypes Serum Rustopper is the best I've ever used (may even be the only one I've heard of).....or do it for free with some 0000 steel wool (if you have access).....

[07RS4]

Hypes Serum Rustopper is the best I've ever used (may even be the only one I've heard of).....or do it for free with some 0000 steel wool (if you have access).....

May have mis read your question...brake dust off of brake rotors? I though you were talking about post wash rusting of the rotors for some reason.

[gabhart]

Wheel cleaner would be the way to go. You could either use a wheel woolie or take the wheels off. Taking the wheels off is a pain but gives you the best access. I take mine off before a show to get to the calipers, rotors and the wheel barrels with ease.

[jasonctsv]

Thanks, Yes it would before shows. Since I have dimpled and slotted rotors the brake dust gets caked in these areas. I clean the heck out of the wheels and brakes but I may have to take off the wheel and give it a hard scrub with wheel cleaner . Is this stuff super strong? My rotors are painted ect, don't want to milk the paint ect.. 

 

I just bought a pressure washer. So that may help :-)

[LT1xL82]

I'm not so sure I'd spray Wheel Cleaner directly onto brake rotors. The pressure washer sounds safer to me.

Edited September 1, 2016 by LT1xL82

[Ricky Bobby]

If your rotors have a corrosion coating you should only be getting rust on the swept surfaces after a wash I would think

[Odds and Ends]

OK, so I think I've figured out the task for the OP.  You want the slots and holes of the rotors clean for a show?  I only see two ways to achieve this:

 

1. - Clean everything prior and trailer the car to the show.

 

2. - Since you say that you don't mind taking the wheels off, then I would remove the wheels so they are out of harms way.  Then, take some brake cleaner spray on a crappy, throw away towel and wipe the slots and holes of the rotor.  Don't spray the rotor; spray the towel.  It will evaporate very quickly so you'll have to reapply as necessary.  You can then clean up any streaks or smears on the rotor surface with a little metal #2 and buff off.  

 

Wheel cleaner would work, but would most likely leave a film on the rotor since when you use it dry, it gets a little "slimy" for lack of a better word.  That could clean up with some metal #2 as I described above.   You may also want to try the technique in option 2 but use wheel cleaner on a towel instead of brake cleaner, but any wheel cleaner not wiped completely away will continue to produce dark purple runs, which defeats the purpose of cleaning the rotor in the first place.

 

- Darryl

[jasonctsv]

Perfect odds and ends... I will try this. 

 

Ricky Bobby the post is not about rust at all. It is the brake dust that is collected in the slots and dimples. 

 

Thanks for everyone's feedback :-) 

 

[LT1xL82]

Metal polish on the working surface of a brake rotor? Not me!

[PHOKUS]

Brakes, even on a show car, should still be functional. Using polish or wheel cleaner is NOT the approach I would take. I would take the rifle(gun) cleaning approach here - Clean and Preserve.

 

Remove the wheels. Use a borestick or bore snake to clean the holes, use a stiff-bristled nylon (brass or copper will leave residue on iron) brush from a gun cleaning kit to clean the dimples. Finish with the power washer. That's it.

[Ricky Bobby]

^^^agree 100% with the 2 posts above me.

[red94chev]

At the most, maybe a good scrubbing with APC. I do this to my control arms, struts, and all that maybe twice a year.

[Dan@Adams]

For what it's worth, I've used Waterless Wash with an old beat-up Waterless Wash Towel and some q-tips when I go to All GM Nationals for the drilled and slotted Wilwood setup on my GTO. My wheels are a wide 5-spoke design though, so I can get to most exposed areas of the rotor fairly easy.

 

I would be very hesitant to use our Wheel Cleaner or any strong cleaners on those PVD coated wheels - if it's not an OEM paint job, some of those PVD coatings are not as durable as others.