# How to stop rusty brake pads after washing



## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

As title really. It's driving me nuts. I wash the car (wheels first) and dry as normal. The brake pads go rusty, as normal. The thing is as soon as I drive, my alloys turn orange as the rust flies everywhere. How can I wash the wheels and drive the car and keep clean alloys, at least for a day ? Whenever I go to a Meet I turn up with bright orange alloys, which doesn't look good.


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## pablothegreat (Aug 14, 2015)

Brake pads go rusty or the disc?


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## dholdi (Oct 1, 2008)

I was thinking its probably the disks too.


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## cheekymonkey (Mar 15, 2008)

cover them in grease:doublesho:lol::lol:


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

Get carbon disks...


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## spyder (Jun 15, 2010)

Blueberry,is it dry dust or rusty colour water thats on wheel?
I let the discs dry for at least an hour before driving and any dry dust seems to be minimal.
There is a spray available to stop this rusting on a short term ,can't remember name .Someone else will chime in . Wheels are the most important detail of a clean car imho


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

Sorry, I meant disks. It was late when I posted


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

spyder said:


> Blueberry,is it dry dust or rusty colour water thats on wheel?
> 
> I let the discs dry for at least an hour before driving and any dry dust seems to be minimal.
> 
> There is a spray available to stop this rusting on a short term ,can't remember name .Someone else will chime in . Wheels are the most important detail of a clean car imho


It's dry dust.

I don't tend to drive the car when I've washed it until the following day so the car and wheels are fully dry. The big brake discs on my R do create a lot of brake dust but the main problem is straight after a clean and first drive, the alloys are orange.

I have heard of people driving the car to dry the wheels after washing but when exactly would you do this. After washing the wheels only or after washing the all car (before drying)?

Sorry for the daft question


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

I park on the road to wash the car then drive round the block to get the right angle to get on the drive

Never have a problem with orange brakes


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## F1 CJE UK (Jul 25, 2010)

I have the same issue, short drive round the block riding the brake is the answer.


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

F1 CJE UK said:


> I have the same issue, short drive round the block riding the brake is the answer.


So you do this after washing the whole car ? 
Have you dressed your tyres then or do you do that when you get back ?


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

Could you not use a blow dryer on them to dry them off quicker?

The rusty look annoys me on ours the following day but they don't, fortunately, cover the alloys in 'rusty dust' when we drive it next.


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## B17BLG (Jun 26, 2012)

Tiny amount of wd40 on a brush and rub around on your disc if you don't want them to go rusty. I picked up a brake setup and the discs were oily so they didn't go rusty while not in use. One application of the brakes after and it's gone.


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

its a fact of life that bare metal goes rusty when its been damp , other than taking the wheels off and covering the discs i cant think what you can do

i most certainly would not cover them in wd40


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## Gleammachine (Sep 8, 2007)

A blow dryer will only increase the surface rust, as already mentioned give the car a quick whizz up the road after washing the whole car to remove the majority of dampness to the discs, then finish of the details.


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

Gleammachine said:


> A blow dryer will only increase the surface rust, as already mentioned give the car a quick whizz up the road after washing the whole car to remove the majority of dampness to the discs, then finish of the details.


Thank you Gleammachine


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

This is what you need : http://waxedperfection.co.uk/car-shampoo-wwwwash-wax/wheel-cleaners/hydes-serum-ruststopper


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## slim_boy_fat (Jun 23, 2006)

Trip tdi said:


> This is what you need : http://waxedperfection.co.uk/car-shampoo-wwwwash-wax/wheel-cleaners/hydes-serum-ruststopper


Rust'll still form on the inner surface 'though. 

I'd never spray anything on my discs, my life depends on them......


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## James_R (Jun 28, 2007)

Gleammachine said:


> A blow dryer will only increase the surface rust, as already mentioned give the car a quick whizz up the road after washing the whole car to remove the majority of dampness to the discs, then finish of the details.


Eh?

I use a metro vac blaster sidekick to blow the wet off my discs hubs/pads and I don't get any increase in rust.

I dont understand how you conclude this Rob, I'm not rubbing you up the wrong way, I just don't see how drying something, hence removing the water which causes the rust upon drying and oxidising is worse than just leaving it?

That said, I do just mostly whizz the car around the block to scrub the brakes in again.


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## Clancy (Jul 21, 2013)

Kimo said:


> I park on the road to wash the car then drive round the block to get the right angle to get on the drive
> 
> Never have a problem with orange brakes


This, also by taking a quick whizz round the block after washing but before drying means most of the car is dry too so win win


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## dillinja999 (Aug 26, 2013)

do not put wd40 on your brake discs


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## v8soarer_1991 (May 31, 2009)

Wow, some of the replies are crazy.

Wd40 wtf

It's not the disc that is the main cause of the "rust" but it's the compound used in the brake pad themselves. Some people try and use "organic" pads but that is a catch 22. More brake dust.


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## Gleammachine (Sep 8, 2007)

James_R said:


> Eh?
> 
> I use a metro vac blaster sidekick to blow the wet off my discs hubs/pads and I don't get any increase in rust.
> 
> ...


Sorry James it was a poor choice of wording, by blow drying the discs it will increase the time for the surface rust to appear on the disc. Friction from the brakes is the only real solution to clearing the discs.


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## Scooby0775 (Dec 17, 2014)

I dry with metro vac and drive round the block once parked in garage I leave handbrake off as I had problems with wheels locking up .


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

slim_boy_fat said:


> Rust'll still form on the inner surface 'though.
> 
> I'd never spray anything on my discs, my life depends on them......


It might do who knows you will nor shift all the rust as water is more a flexible component, nothing else is more free flowing than water this product will have a thicker desensity to water so will cover less. I'm sure the manufacturer has tried and tested this product if it endangers the performance within the braking effiency by any given perimeter and dangers braking cycling you can sue the company outright if it endangers you, when you brake once the product will be fully skimmed and off in contact so will not effect braking might effect in the first brake because I needs to skim the layer off but this coverage will be microscopic amount, nothing to worry about, this product has been tried and tested in the states by some top retailers, if they use on customers cars nothing to worry about.


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## spyder (Jun 15, 2010)

If I drive the car after washing the wheels I get plenty discoloured water on inside of alloys. Not sure if it's the solution for everyone . Maybe bigger discs are more prone to this?
If the insides of alloys are well sealed,you'd think the initial dust from rusty discs would blow off ? It does on mine.


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## James_R (Jun 28, 2007)

Gleammachine said:


> Sorry James it was a poor choice of wording, by blow drying the discs it will increase the time for the surface rust to appear on the disc. Friction from the brakes is the only real solution to clearing the discs.


Agreed - like scooby says, I also leave the car in gear in the garage with the handbrake off and chocks behind the back wheels.


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## stonejedi (Feb 2, 2008)

v8soarer_1991 said:


> Wow, some of the replies are crazy.
> 
> Wd40 wtf
> 
> It's not the disc that is the main cause of the "rust" but it's the compound used in the brake pad themselves. Some people try and use "organic" pads but that is a catch 22. More brake dust.


This:thumb:Its definitely Brake pad material on the disc,no biggie though just take the car down the road a few miles by the time you have applied the brakes a few times they will be silver again.SJ.


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## F1 CJE UK (Jul 25, 2010)

Blueberry said:


> So you do this after washing the whole car ?
> Have you dressed your tyres then or do you do that when you get back ?


Yea mate, full wash and dry wipe down etc and then a quick trip round the block with the brakes on, then maybe a quick wipe down of the wheels if it's a weekend toy like me. I then dress the tyres so save sling

I have 6pot APs a 4pot on the back with aggressive pads so they rust up bad and it can be months between trips out (sadly) with white wheels


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## Dada (Aug 5, 2015)

I have the same problem with disks rust. I wash each wheel separately and immediately wipe it and the brake disks. Then I cover it with the plastic bags (garbage bags) and continue with a full car wash. When the car is shining I remove the bags and dressing tires. It is not the cheapest way, but works for me. This rust really drives me crazy...


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

Well I washed the wheels first and rinsed them down then drove the car around the block to dry them. I then washed the rest of the car trying to avoid getting the wheels wet (almost an impossibility). 

The brake disks rusted up a little but not as much as normal and after driving to Cars in the Park today the brake dust wasn't anywhere near as bad as it usually is. 

Next time I'll try this after washing the whole car.

Thanks for all the advice.


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

I wash and dry the car then take it round the block

Clears the water from the nooks and crannies like mirrors then too


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