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Jun 30, 2011 13:03:51 GMT
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Hi all,
Sort of readying a car that's sat in the garage for a while to go back on the road.
I've got new discs and pads just in case, but if the ones that are on it are serviceable what's the best way to clean them up other than ramping it down the road and jumping on the pedal?
Ta
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Jun 30, 2011 13:31:12 GMT
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Well provided the discs aren't pitted (inspect them closely) then driving the car will get them back in good health. It is not as quick as you make it sound though. It takes a couple hundred miles to get the brakes back to normal condition. They always work but until you've driven it for a bit they won't get smooth and nice.
If the discs have pitted because the rust has started to eat the surface then the only way to sort that is to get the discs skimmed. You have to take them off and pay £30 to £40 per disc. If the discs on your car are £200 a pair then the reconditioning method makes sense. If a new pair is £60.00 to £80.00 as most are on most cars then reconditioning isn't really worth it.
It all depends on how bad the discs have got. If they are in really poor condition you could damage the pads or crack a disc so be sensible!
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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Jun 30, 2011 14:04:36 GMT
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it depends on the disc in question. Ive got an engineering lathe and blacksmith landlord to work it, so ive had discs skimmed in the past. But you don't want the disc getting to thin so you have to judge it. I would just replace the pads anyway as their not expensive.
A good rule with brakes is If in doubt replace! Its really is better to be safe than sorry in the case of such a safety critical system
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
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Jun 30, 2011 14:10:26 GMT
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There shouldn't be any doubt though. It is possible to eliminate doubt by looking at the parts properly.
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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Jun 30, 2011 14:25:33 GMT
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There shouldn't be any doubt though. It is possible to eliminate doubt by looking at the parts properly. Yes thats true but not everyone is going to know what they are looking for or even have the same opinions on what is and what isn't servicable. Basicly what I meant by that is that if YOU are unsure whether something is serviceable or not you should replace it. Ultimatly the cars roadworthiness is your responsibility. Best to error on the side of caution where safety is concerned |
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
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Jun 30, 2011 14:36:20 GMT
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Thanks chaps. Either way, from what you've both implied I'm better off going to the effort of replacing them.
Good job I've got all the parts sat here, then!
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Jun 30, 2011 17:56:21 GMT
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I find, if they're not all horribly pitted, that just cleaning the discs with a rotary wire brush in the angle grinder, plus some new pads usually sorts stuff out.
Then again, if you're not sure and you've got some brand spankers sat there you might as well lob em on mightnt you.
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1974 Lancia Beta Saloon
1975 Mazda 929 Coupé
1986 Mazda 929 Wagon
1979 Mazda 929 Hardtop
1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica
1977 Toyota Carina TA14
1989 Subaru 1800 Wagon
1982 Hyundai Pony 1200TL 2-dr
1985 Hyundai Pony 1200 GL
1986 Maserati 425 Biturbo
1992 Rover 214 SEi 5-dr
2000 Rover 45 V6 Club
1994 Peugeot 205 'Junior' Diesel
1988 Volvo 760 Turbodiesel Saloon
1992 Talbot Express Autosleeper Rambler
2003 Renault Laguna SPEARS OR REAPERS
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Jun 30, 2011 23:24:07 GMT
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Cleaning both the discs and pads up with a wire brush also works wonders. Then grease the rear of the pads up, slide pins and caliper piston with copper grease. Add a touch to the face that mates with the wheel too and you should be good to go.
Recently put a car back on the road that had been stood for some time, cleaned the discs and pads up with a wire brush like I say above, put everything back together then took it for a good spin (on private land by the way) riding the brakes a little and they cleaned up perfectly...
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My Saab 99t which has been off the road for 20 years has only been driven around in the workshop and has fine brake discs for a car which shouldn't have.
I'm not keeping them though. Changing the axles for later Saab 900 type.
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Last Edit: Jul 1, 2011 10:28:12 GMT by ejenner
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barty
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,088
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You don't say what car it is but be very carefull if you skim them as you don't know if they have been skimmed before and the danger of them shattering on you is very real. If you have the correct specification for the disc then there should be no problem but why skimp on something that is so important.
Having said that you should be able to clean slight rusting with some course sandpaper, remember you don't want it too smooth as brakes rely on friction, and you could rough up your pads too, but if in any doubt replace them
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A visual inspection of the discs aside, if the car has been stood for a long while (you don't mention how long?) I would be more worried about the brake lines, flexi hoses and seals in the master cylinder etc...not to mention the state of the brake fluid which could well be past its best and possibly have a lot of water in it by now. Brake flexi's can deteriorate quite badly when not used. I bought my Rascal which had been stood for a few years. The flexi's looked a little tired, but otherwise OK...yet they had collapsed inside which rendered the brakes useless. They can also perish and crack on the outside which can, in turn, lead to them splitting open as soon as you stamp on the brakes. In my case, I ended up replacing the discs, pads, rear cylinders, rear shoes, all the flexi's, the master cylinder and doing a full refurb of the calipers and cleaning up the rear drums. Yet on a visual inspection everthing looked 'not too bad' (as in - "I'd drive that home") Probably a more extreme case, but worth thinking about rather than just concentrating on the discs/pads alone  |
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