How to clean dirty breaks?

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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 03:15 PM
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floridaowner's Avatar
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How to clean dirty breaks?

Only thing hurricane frances did is make my brakes muddy looking- they are brown muddy like in color instead of the silver. You can't see the brakes unless very close up, and the wheels i have cleaned well. I tried a little water on a terry cloth but didn't come off easily and don't want to rub very hard on the breaks. any suggestions?
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 03:16 PM
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Dan Martin's Avatar
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Are you talking about the rotors or calipers?
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 03:17 PM
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Find a nice empty lot with a lot of space, bring the car up to about 30 mph and then hit the brakes hard. After a couple passes, it should clear anything that was on the rotor surface.

Of course, I admit this may not be the best way.
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 03:24 PM
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(it is the round silver things if you look inside the wheel- they are silver- but now have brownish discoloration- so it is the rotors. It won't come off by stopping etc.. this is embedded in them- so needs to be wiped down with something.
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 03:40 PM
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Be careful what you use to clean your rotors. You don't want to use anything that will leave an oily residue. Something like this should work: http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/e...eme_us_aad_3_0
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 03:48 PM
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is that common for the rotors to turn all rusty-brown? don't know why the tons of rain we got from the hurricane did that and nothing else to my car. seems like it isn't worth cleaning them off as not too many people are going to be seeing my rotors.
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 03:49 PM
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This is simply oxidation from the rain. It will disappear with standard brake usage. It really isn't something to worry about.
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 03:51 PM
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Dan Martin's Avatar
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Originally Posted by CGTSX2004
This is simply oxidation from the rain. It will disappear with standard brake usage. It really isn't something to worry about.
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 04:11 PM
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It's normal for rust to show up on disk brakes. It will clear off in due time.
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 04:14 PM
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ok,but was surpised to see them turn completely brown from silver from a few days of heavy rain. glad that ivan will not be hitting florida this time around.
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Old Sep 12, 2004 | 04:38 PM
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Originally Posted by floridaowner
ok,but was surpised to see them turn completely brown from silver from a few days of heavy rain. glad that ivan will not be hitting florida this time around.
Happens every time I wash my car... you just notice it more in the TSX because the spacing on the rims is so large.
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Old Sep 13, 2004 | 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted by floridaowner
ok,but was surpised to see them turn completely brown from silver from a few days of heavy rain. glad that ivan will not be hitting florida this time around.
Yeah honestly mine start to turn brown (and this is on several different cars ive had) even after some light rain.

Anywho i would post a about them going back to normal after some regular driving, what would better then doing hard braking is a nice steady even braking from highway speeds..
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Old Sep 18, 2004 | 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by floridaowner
Only thing hurricane frances did is make my brakes muddy looking- they are brown muddy like in color instead of the silver. You can't see the brakes unless very close up, and the wheels i have cleaned well. I tried a little water on a terry cloth but didn't come off easily and don't want to rub very hard on the breaks. any suggestions?
LOL, should have taken that chemestry class huh?

Rotors are made from Iron...go from there...
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Old Sep 18, 2004 | 10:05 PM
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no reason to be hostile on a tsx message board. We are simply trying to have a discussion. Don't get angry.
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Old Sep 18, 2004 | 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted by joerockt
LOL, should have taken that chemestry class huh?

Rotors are made from Iron...go from there...


And I don't think that's hostile. But hopefully the rotors are steel, not just elemental iron

It's annoying, but nothing to worry about.
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Old Sep 19, 2004 | 02:11 PM
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Nope, no steel, too expensive. Most rotors are cast iron.
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Old Sep 19, 2004 | 02:51 PM
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No wonder they warp
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Old Sep 19, 2004 | 04:15 PM
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Yup. Even Brembo's were made from cast iron at one point. I think they went to carbon now...
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