rusty rotors

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Hey guys I was wondering what you do about stopping your rotors from rusting when your vehicle is parked for a long period of time? I have a winter and summer vehicle and always have this problem. No room in the garage to park them. Thanks
 
Really not much you can do unless you pull them off and coat them with something.I wouldn't coat them while on the car because you don't want the pads contaminated.

You can use a light sandpaper to knock off the rust before the first drive and the pads should take the rest off after a drive cycle or two.
 
Originally Posted By: speer
Hey guys I was wondering what you do about stopping your rotors from rusting when your vehicle is parked for a long period of time? I have a winter and summer vehicle and always have this problem. No room in the garage to park them. Thanks


If it bothers you, take them off and paint them black where there is no contact by the pads. When the area that is contacted by the pad rusts, just take it out and drive it. The pads will wipe the rust off the first time you brake.
There's really nothing you can do about it and it doesn't hurt anything.
 
I've stored cars seasonally for 35 years. A little bit of rust is nothing. But storage outdoors can rust the rotors so bad that you'll have a layer of thick rust and brake pulsation that won't go away when you put the car back in service. I've had rotors where the rust was polished by the brakes and half the rotor surface was black polished oxide.

All you can do is take the car for a spin - ideally once a week.
 
Yep, move it once in a while... Better than staying stationary long-term. Cars that have "closed" wheels where you really cannot see the rotors don't have this problem - Ive verified this by parking my BMW and my truck in the same spot as my saab, long-term (weeks). The saab has quite rusted rotors after the first rain, making loud first stops... Nothing after weeks of sitting for the BMW and truck... both of which have far more "closed" wheels.

I'd say wheels are 80%, use is 20%... cars can sit for a LONG time if the wheels do not expose the rotors.
 
All you can do is take the car for a spin - ideally once a week. [/quote]
I'll do that with my winter car but think I'll pull rotors and coat for storage on summer car thanks
 
Advice to paint the face of the rotors is beyond foolish, and into the realm of manslaughter.
There is not much you can do if the car is stored outside.
As mentioned, driving it is you best bet.
 
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Originally Posted By: KeithG
So this is out?

rusty rotors

The earlier advice to paint the rotors correctly isn't wrong is it (though maybe foolish?)
 
Originally Posted By: speer
seems to me if you paint the outer edge it would stop rust but retain the heat

It may, but so would the rust, IMHO.
 
I got the same problem but the only car that has it is the one that I drive in the winter and park in the summer. I wish there was an answer but the only cure is to drive it often. My winter car sits in the summer and I use the Cadi. The Cadi brakes never rust sitting over the winter months though.

Sometime I think keeping it in the garage is the worst thing. I was at a friends shop not long ago and there was a nice looking 1996 Olds Cierra sitting there. He said this older lady bought it new, keep it in the garage all the time and he has to replace all the brake lines, fuel line and its on its 2nd fuel tank. All rusted from sitting in a garage on concrete floor. The body is like new and has less the 50,000 miles.
 
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