zoned019

I have a set of 4 drilled/slotted rotors, but they are rusting!
Everyday they get more rustier, but if I drive and use the brakes the rust goes away .. except on one of them. It is permanently rusted.
What should I do? I thought these things weren't supposed to rust at all..

rallyman

The rotors will always rust on the surface that is coming in contact with the pads because it is bare metal. When the car sits for a while the surface rusts but that rust should disappear after applying the brakes a few times. I would be a little concerned if one of them never gets cleaned up. The caliper may be sticking and you are not getting any braking on that wheel.

zoned019

Hmm, that would make sense .. I swear I felt a slight pull to the left ...
Also I bought the car and the guy mentioned something about a caliper maybe needing something, but I didn't understand what he was talkin about.. I think it's the same wheel. How can I tell if the caliper is/is not working?

rallyman

Well I'm not a brake expert but if the rust never disappears on the one rotor then the brake pad is not coming into contact with it. The caliper is likely seized up and will require some work to free up and lubricate or rebuild/replace.

01tibby

take out the caliper guide bolts, and lube them up with CALIPER GREASE only.

if they are really seized in there, its not even worth trying to fix. go grab a caliper up from a junkyard.

Mad-Machine

I have grabbed two.... both rears. One for myself, one for somebody here.. It will set you back around 35 to 40 bucks for the whole assembly if you can find a tib in a yard.

supercow

hum... i put lithium grease on mine... did i do a bad thing? my back left one was sticking.

edit: oh btw, what you need to do is take off the couple of bolts on the caliper itself and pull off the outside piece (the pads and clip will stay behind). check the bolts, grease it up, reassemble. fing02.gif

01tibby

maybe. it will probably melt, and may get on the friction parts of your brakes. what are the temperature ratings on the grease?

zoned019

Okay so I have the car all jacked up and then I start to think back .. the previous owner mentioned something about the caliper, and I found a box with what looks like a brand new guide rod. But only one ..

I was leaning towards air in the line at first because there is a vibration in the pedal when depressed all the way down (i was thinking air getting in the master cylinder causing a slight vibration?, but damn that'd have to be a lot of air..)

So what do you guys suggest I do, put the new rod in and then see what happens?

Is it possible there is only one rod in there now and that's why it's not working?

Obviously the other owner knew it was something to do with the rods and that's why he got a new one, but why only one? and what?

.. do I need to lube the new one?


thx

01tibby

i would definately use the new one. they sell little packs full of caliper grease at every autoparts store imaginable.