Cleaning brake discs

28-04-2003

Having been in touch with red-dot (who incedently have been really helpful) I need to clean my discs. I have a probelm in the sense that my EBC greenstuff pads have left a kevlar/copper trace on my discs so allthough I am not running greenstuff pads anymore they are still squeeling and making wierd noises in general at low speeds when the discs are hot !!
Red dot have advised me to clean surface of the discs with hard sandpaper and then with a brake cleaning agent - also to take a fine layer off the ferodo pads just incase there is a trace of kevlar/copper on these also - has anybody cleaned up discs in this way before - anyone got any advice that may help me whilst doing this??? thanks.

RicksAlfas · 28-04-2003

I've done this. Best advice: Do it outside and wear some disposable gloves. Other than that, buy a big aerosol of cleaner and sand away!! Not much to go wrong!!

28-04-2003

Cheers Ricksalfas!!

30-04-2003

out of interest - does what red dot have told me sound reasonable or bull**** ??

RicksAlfas · 30-04-2003

I think it sounds worth a try for an hours sanding...

Kristian Benning · 30-04-2003

To make the job quicker you could put the sandpaper between the pads and discs and then just drive round for a bit

RicksAlfas · 30-04-2003

Great idea!! Suggest he does it about 3 in the morning when there may be less traffic about!!
laughing

What about a cup wire brush in an electric drill??
That might speed it up a bit.

ajcarter · 30-04-2003

Flat surface electric sander - take out all scores & pips. Would only take a few seconds!

ajcarter · 30-04-2003

Or take the calipers and pads off, leave the discs on the car. Jack the front up, stick it in 5th and rev away. Then I imagine you would just have to touch the disc with a bit of sandpaper for only a few seconds and job will be done. Holdon tightly to the paper though! wink

bazza · 30-04-2003

How about you just jack the front of the car up, put it in first and rev the bejesus out of it while holding the sandpaper against the disc?

RicksAlfas · 30-04-2003

eek!
How many fingers do you have left AJ??!!

bazza · 30-04-2003

You didn't want to keep all four fingers and a thumb, did you?

ajcarter · 30-04-2003

I haven't tried this...yet - so I still have all my fingers left. It was just a suggestion. Do as I say, not as I do, etc. wink

Stewright only asked for advice on cleaning discs, not health & safety advice!

bazza · 30-04-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by ajcarter:
I haven't tried this...yet - so I still have all my fingers left. It was just a suggestion. Do as I say, not as I do, etc. wink

Stewright only asked for advice on cleaning discs, not health & safety advice!

<hr /></blockquote>Ooo. That was freaky. I was wondering why you were being defensive about this, I hadn't realised that we both posted almost identical theories (although yours was a bit more extreme, 5th gear

).
I am certainly with you onone thing though. I take no responsibility for anyone attemting to use my advice, let's face it, you should know better

30-04-2003

bloody hell guys . . . hee hee!!!

Thanks anyway - I would tell you how I get on but I dont think I will be able to type on the keyboard with stumps !!!!!!!

ajcarter · 30-04-2003

Well to expand - obviously Stewright would be doing the revving from inside the car, and his thoughtless helper would approach the discs with their innocent, shakey hands holding the sandpaper. 5th gear would inflict the most damage due to the discs spinning much quicker. I'm in favour of 5th over 1st - gets the job done quicker!

bazza · 30-04-2003

Hmm. I'm not sure 'damage' was the aim of the exercise. I can't really remember any more. What were we trying to achieve again?

ajcarter · 30-04-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr /> Thanks anyway - I would tell you how I get on but I dont think I will be able to type on the keyboard with stumps !!!!!!! <hr /></blockquote>For stumps, how about some 1" keys: http://www.bigkeys.co.uk/images/front-lx.jpg
Now you won't be pressing two keys at once! wink

Or you could use the "Sip-N-Puff", Mouth controlled Joysticks to control the cursor:
http://www.quadjoy.com/images/index.1.jpg

And then voice recognition for typing.
I imagine with enough work, you could then adapt your Sip N Puff joystick so that you could drive your Alfa!
Perhaps combine it with voice recognition just to show off!

ajcarter · 30-04-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />I'm not sure 'damage' was the aim of the exercise<hr /></blockquote>Oh, I meant gets the job done quicker, not inflicts the most damage! Ooops!