How to get WD40 out of brake pad / off rotor

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How to get WD40 out of brake pad / off rotor
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flag Cata1yst
O+
Posted: Oct 27, 2010 at 21:24 Quote
TeeRex wrote:
NathanBooth wrote:
Mathewh46 wrote:
take out the brake pads then file them to get the oil off then put some muc off disc cleaner on to a rag then give the dics a good clean
im thinking just taking my front brake off again and leaving it, as i've heard that WD40 evaporates

No, it doesn't. It leaves an oily residue.

For the rotor, car brake cleaner, which is isopropyl alcohol, from your local car parts store like Supacheap or Auto 1 is the best thing to clean it. You can spray it liberally on the rotor, and it will dissolve the oil residue from the WD40. Then wipe off with some of Mum's disposable kitchen towels, or a clean dry cloth. It's about $AUD15/can, and it's generally very useful stuff for bikes, unlike WD40, which isn't. If you don't want to spend that sort of money, metho on kitchen towels is your next best bet.

As for the pads, good luck with trying to clean them. I've heard all of the remedies in this thread, tried them all and never been able to get any of them to work. Let us know how you get on. If it were me, I'd chuck 'em and put in a new set.

And don't clean your bike with WD40. Actually, don't put WD40 anywhere near your bike.

Disagree. The 4 bolts that tighten on the 20mm thru axel on a Fox 36. Those like to rust occasionally, so once i rinse off my bike, i like to hit that area with a shot of wd 40, using it for its purpose, water displacement.
flag TeeRex
Posted: Oct 27, 2010 at 22:20 Quote
Cata1yst wrote:
TeeRex wrote:
NathanBooth wrote:

im thinking just taking my front brake off again and leaving it, as i've heard that WD40 evaporates

No, it doesn't. It leaves an oily residue.

For the rotor, car brake cleaner, which is isopropyl alcohol, from your local car parts store like Supacheap or Auto 1 is the best thing to clean it. You can spray it liberally on the rotor, and it will dissolve the oil residue from the WD40. Then wipe off with some of Mum's disposable kitchen towels, or a clean dry cloth. It's about $AUD15/can, and it's generally very useful stuff for bikes, unlike WD40, which isn't. If you don't want to spend that sort of money, metho on kitchen towels is your next best bet.

As for the pads, good luck with trying to clean them. I've heard all of the remedies in this thread, tried them all and never been able to get any of them to work. Let us know how you get on. If it were me, I'd chuck 'em and put in a new set.

And don't clean your bike with WD40. Actually, don't put WD40 anywhere near your bike.

Disagree. The 4 bolts that tighten on the 20mm thru axel on a Fox 36. Those like to rust occasionally, so once i rinse off my bike, i like to hit that area with a shot of wd 40, using it for its purpose, water displacement.
Disagree. The WD40 will bleed out over time, and the bolts can still corrode in place. You are much better to remove the bolts and put a small dab of grease on the threads. Also on the little bolts on your ODI lock ons, they corrode real fast because of the salt in the sweat from your hands. And spraying WD40 anywhere near your brakes is how you end up in the situation the OP finds himself in. Better to not put the stuff anywhere near your bike.
flag Infiltrator
Posted: Oct 27, 2010 at 22:41 Quote
Car brake cleaner is NOT isopropyl alcohol, And if you got WD on the pads, there's a 95% chance of them being screwed.

Best thing to do is replace them and scrub the shit out of the rotor

If that's not possible, hose the pads down with brake cleaner and give them a scuffing with sandpaper, then more brake cleaner. Once it's dry, torch them, only enough heat for them to start to smell, if it smokes, wait till it stops smoking.

Then hit them with brake cleaner and install them.
flag TeeRex
Posted: Oct 27, 2010 at 22:52 Quote
Infiltrator wrote:
Car brake cleaner is NOT isopropyl alcohol, .

Maybe not in the US? Here's just one MSDS from an Australian brand:

[L=http://www.crcind.com.au/catalogue.nsf/(MSDS)/BRAKLEEN%20NON%20CHLORINATED%205084/$FILE/MSDS.pdf]http://www.crcind.com.au/catalogue.nsf/(MSDS)/BRAKLEEN%20NON%20CHLORINATED%205084/$FILE/MSDS.pdf[/L]

OK, granted it's not 100% isopropyl alcohol, but it's the active ingredient. And it gets the job done on bike brakes which is the point of the thread.
flag Infiltrator
Posted: Oct 27, 2010 at 23:02 Quote
erm... Non-chlorinated brakleen is comprised of Acetone, Toluene, and Methanol, with
Carbon dioxide as the propellant...
flag staike
Posted: Oct 28, 2010 at 2:03 Quote
BUY NEW ROTOR AND NEW PADS!
flag NathanBooth
Posted: Oct 28, 2010 at 2:10 Quote
Okay, i took my front brake back off

i cleaned up the rotor with white spirits, repeatedly, and have chucked the pads out.
Thanks guys Smile
flag staike
Posted: Oct 28, 2010 at 2:23 Quote
NathanBooth wrote:
Okay, i took my front brake back off

i cleaned up the rotor with white spirits, repeatedly, and have chucked the pads out.
Thanks guys Smile

wrooong. White spirit is oil-based, you have f*cked up. Just steal some vodka from your father or whatever and clean it... and buy new pads.
flag NathanBooth
Posted: Oct 28, 2010 at 2:36 Quote
GAH
//facepalm//

I'd been misinformed that white spirits and metho are basically the same thing.

Okay thank you Smile

Right now i'm rather grateful that im not running my front brake anymore, atleast for the moment, haha
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Oct 28, 2010 at 2:39 Quote
NathanBooth wrote:
marquis wrote:
gordanfreman wrote:
rubbing alcohol should hopefully get the rotor clean. no promises on the pads. good chance you're looking at new pads actually..

+1.

Have to ak why on earth your using wd40 though.Eek

I was spraying it into a rag, and then using the rag to clean up my frame

Talking to an old friend once and wd40 was banned from being used as a cleaner in the mines as it ate the plastic coating on the power cables.
flag Wadey-UK1
Posted: Oct 28, 2010 at 3:26 Quote
when ever i get my pads and roters contaminated with any kind of shit (including oil) i simply get sandpapaper and sand down the pad untill it is back to its origional colour (get all of the shiney shit off).
for the rotor i clean it with metholated spirits (supose it's simmilar to alcohol)


i have also hured that u can used heat treatment, get a blowtorch and just direct the flame at the pads.
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Oct 28, 2010 at 3:31 Quote
Wadey-UK1 wrote:
when ever i get my pads and roters contaminated with any kind of shit (including oil) i simply get sandpapaper and sand down the pad untill it is back to its origional colour (get all of the shiney shit off).
for the rotor i clean it with metholated spirits (supose it's simmilar to alcohol)


i have also hured that u can used heat treatment, get a blowtorch and just direct the flame at the pads.

Pad material soaks up the oil depending on the time it is left.
flag TeeRex
Posted: Oct 28, 2010 at 4:04 Quote
Infiltrator wrote:
erm... Non-chlorinated brakleen is comprised of Acetone, Toluene, and Methanol, with
Carbon dioxide as the propellant...

Yep, all of that and Isopropyl alcohol. Have a careful read of Paragraph 3 - Composition/information on ingredients.

www.crcind.com.au/catalogue.nsf/(MSDS)/BRAKLEEN%20NON%20CHLORINATED%205084/$FILE/MSDS.pdf

Like I said, it works a treat on disc brakes on bikes, I've been using the stuff for 5 years.
flag TeeRex
Posted: Oct 28, 2010 at 4:17 Quote
NathanBooth wrote:
GAH
//facepalm//

I'd been misinformed that white spirits and metho are basically the same thing.

Okay thank you Smile

Right now i'm rather grateful that im not running my front brake anymore, atleast for the moment, haha

Yep, you got dudded on the advice to use white spirits. Also DON'T use terps, same thing it's got an oily residue.

I think you did the right thing by tossing your pads.

But don't despair about the rotor, and don't toss it. Like I said earlier, if you don't want to buy brake cleaner, use metho. if you can't get your hands on metho, you just need something which will dissolve oil, and ordinary dishwashing detergent will do it, you'll just have to apply some elbow grease and get into it with a scrubbing brush. Give it a good scrub, and a good rinse and wipe with a clean dry rag. Repeat a couple of times and you will have removed all traces of the WD40 and your rotor will be right to go for your next DH ride.
flag stevil-1
O+
Posted: Oct 28, 2010 at 10:19 Quote
NathanBooth wrote:
stevil-1 wrote:
Icculus19425 wrote:
There are a few ways you can do it.

1. Clean it with rubbing alcohol. This should dissolve all that crap.
2. Clean it with carb cleaner or some other solvent that dissolves oils
2. Torch it. Yup just burn that shit off....seriously

Good Luck
yup burn em up. torch them till they stop smoking , done it plenty of times.

no torch.... fire up the element on the stove and huck em on there ..turn on the fan open the doors and make sure your mom aint home. Smile

okay, im going to try this

in the oven or over the stove, is my only question

put em on the element (stove top)
but a torch is better cuz you can do it outside.

 


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