How to Remove Rusted Rotors
A set of rust corroded rotors may be a cause for concern if you spend a significant amount of time on the road. But don’t worry--the natural process of iron oxidation (rust) can be reversed. There are many rust cleaning products available that can fix even the most severe effects of rust damage. To properly remove rust from rotors, you must have an understanding of car parts such as the brake assembly and of basic tasks like wheel removal and safety measures to properly support and secure a car on a jack. If you do not have experience with these tasks, you may have to take your car to a professional or get advice from an expert to complete the steps below.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Remove the Rust
-
1
Purchase a cleaning product. The right cleaning agent is paramount to rotor rust removal. Select a product that will remove rust from the rotors without damaging the car part. You need a significant amount of solution so make sure you purchase enough (at least a gallon). Rust removal requires submersion in liquid. Aerosol spray solutions will not work as well as the submersion process. A product that I have used for various rust removal situations is Rust Clean. Visit their Web site for product ordering or search the Internet and auto parts stores for a similar product.
-
2
Prep the car for rotor removal. You must secure your automobile properly before you remove the rotors from the car. Use all required safety measures to ensure personal safety and to avoid damage to your automobile. When properly secured, remove the tire from the car. With the wheel off, dissemble the brake from the rotor.
-
-
3
Remove the rotors. Rusted rotors will most likely stick to the car due to the iron oxidizing and bonding to the mount of the wheel. If this happens, you are going to need a little force to remove the rotor from the wheel. With the car properly secured, get a single-hand sledge mallet (rubber preferably to protect the rotor). If you don’t have a rubber mallet, use a block of wood to absorb direct hits. Start at the top of the rotor and tap the edge of the rotor gently as you move clockwise around the rotor. Once loose, remove the rotor from the car.
-
4
Clean the rotors. Fill up a large container with your cleaning product. Depending on the size of your rotors and the size of the container, you may need to soak rotors one at a time. Immerse the rotor completely in the cleaning solution. The time for soaking will vary by cleaning product (from 30 minutes to 24 hours) based on the severity of rust corrosion. When all the rust is gone, remove the object and rinse thoroughly with water. Allow the rotor to properly dry before replacing it on the vehicle.
-
5
Replace the rotors. Reassemble the wheel (rotor, brake and then wheel). You should notice an immediate difference in the look of the wheel and the sound you car makes when you press the brakes.
-
1
Resources
More Like This
Comments
-
fescue
Jan 19, 2011
Ach! I thought this was going to tell me how to remove the rusted rotor, not how to remove the rust from the rotor once I get the rotor off. I've sprayed the rotor with WD-40, then I tried prying with a mini crow bar, then I tried whacking it with a hammer, then I tried heating it with a torch, then I tried using a gear puller (but it couldn't handle the pressure). I thought about attaching a chain between the rotor and the towing hitch of another vehicle to get it off, but I don't think that will work because the driveway is too slick right now. I was hoping that this article would give me some brilliant idea for getting this critter off my vehicle. Otherwise nice article. Anyone have any ideas?
