Is there a good spray for rotors to prevent rust / pad outlines ?

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Sep 10, 2005
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Erie, PA
I have a 2013 police taurus with genuine police brakes. They are thick / like new but they are semi metallic with a lot of metal in them. What happens is after a few days of sitting in the rain, the entire rotor will be very rusty, but what is worse is the brake pad outline (imprint) will rust and adhere into the rotor surface. The brakes kind of get stuck to the rotor surface. It requires more throttle and when they break loose, the outline is visible and causes a warped rotor feel. I just removed the rotors, had them resurfaced only to have 4 straight days of rain and have it leave another outline or as google calls it "Pad Imprint"

What can I safely spray on the rotors and brakes (thru the big holes in the rim) to protect them when it needs to sit in the rain?

These cars have very large cut outs in the steel wheels to allow lots of air flow. This further causes snow, and water to constantly splash the hot rotors.

Here is a photo from google, mine is WAY WAY worse than this:
1662727563044.png
 
Get you a good high moly bearing grease and put a heavy coat on the entire rotor. about 1 tube on each rotor should be enough.
Won't stop for crap but wont rust either. :)

This is a darwin test.


No fix for this but to buy good rotors and pads and change them both at the same time. In brakes you really do get what you pay for and cheap rotors and pads will function fine but have annoyances like frequent "warping" fast rust buildup and squeeking during a stop even with relatively new pads. The cheap pads glaze over and that makes the squeeking sound. Better pads and rotors have technology to prevent that.

if you are spending less than $50 each for rotors you are in the cheap zone. I start getting uncomfortable under $75. I use Akibono PROACT pads and have not has a problem with them over factory original pads.
 
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If it is police duty, I would think they were chosen for performance and life, sacrificing corrosion resistance due to daily use and dusting due to well...not caring.

I would replace with "daily driver" rated pads and coated rotors.
 
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Get ceramic pads and coated rotors :)

The Powerstop Geomet coated rotors are good,and so are the Raybestos Element3 coated rotors.

For pads, get Raybestos E3, Akebono, EBC Ultimax2, or even teh Motorcraft OE Design pads for the civilian Taurus
 
Just to answer some questions.... these are genuine motorcraft rotors and they are still nice and thick, I just paid to have them resurfaced to remove the pad imprint marks. I think they are medium quality. It is also genuine ford motorcraft police brakes based on the part# on the back of the pad. Yes I hate them and will have no problem switching to new quality ceramic brakes once they wear down. But I need to run them now while they are like new and still thick. I dont make a habit of replacing things for the heck of it. If they were at 50% or 40% I would probably just replace at that point.

I doubt the rotors are to blame, as when we did the brakes on my fathers we just ordered cheap ebay cermic brakes from brake_overstock seller and they do NOT stick to the rotors and cause these marks like mine does.

And yes we are using full plastic hub caps, and they still have huge wide air holes in them unlike the nicer crown vic full hubcaps.
1662732780261.png
 
I dont make a habit of replacing things for the heck of it.
You'll have to live with the pad outlines until you replace the pads then. I fully agree with you about not replacing perfectly good parts for what's a cosmetic issue.

When you drive the car and use the brakes, do the pads remove the outlines ?
 
You'll have to live with the pad outlines until you replace the pads then. I fully agree with you about not replacing perfectly good parts for what's a cosmetic issue.

When you drive the car and use the brakes, do the pads remove the outlines ?

The brakes do not wear away the outlines, that is why I had the rotors resurfaced.
 
You can cover the wheels though when it’s just sitting so that the rain doesn’t reach the rotors.
I know the OP refers to "rain" as causing this but humidity alone will do this too. Covering the wheels won't keep humidity out.
 
I know the OP refers to "rain" as causing this but humidity alone will do this too. Covering the wheels won't keep humidity out.

It’s not going to eliminate the problem, but should reduce it.
I got this idea because I’ve seen brand new cars on dealership lots with transparent film glued to the aluminum rims to cover the openings. So if factories do it to brand new vehicles, it probably does work to some extent.
 
This has happened on a couple vehicles of mine. In my experience it won't wear off, and it can create a very pronounced shimmy.

My vehicles sit torn up and this happens. My wife's vehicle gets panic stopped and foot held on the brake. Can't get away from "warped" rotors. ☹️
 
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