Are my pads and rotors hosed?
11-03-12, 04:30 PM
#1
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Are my pads and rotors hosed? Someone put grease on my rotor
I came out to my bike after work and someone rubbed grease or lotion or something on my rotors and the rims of the four other bikes at the rack. They covered about 1/3 of the outside face on both my rotors. The other bikes had maybe a six inch portion of their rims coated on both sides.
I'm not sure if is grease or Vaseline or what it is but I had a hell of a time cleaning it with Simple Green but dish detergent made short work of it. It's fairly translucent and was almost invisible. Only reason I noticed it was because I happened to notice the reflection from the rotor was a bit weird while unlocking the bike so I took a closer look and saw the stuff smeared on there.
I'm not sure if is grease or Vaseline or what it is but I had a hell of a time cleaning it with Simple Green but dish detergent made short work of it. It's fairly translucent and was almost invisible. Only reason I noticed it was because I happened to notice the reflection from the rotor was a bit weird while unlocking the bike so I took a closer look and saw the stuff smeared on there.
11-03-12, 04:51 PM
#3
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You should be able to get the stuff off of the rotors with automotive brake cleaner since they are metal and it won't have been absorbed. If it got on the pads you won't be able to get it off as they are porous and they should be replaced. If you try to use contaminated pads on the clean rotors you will have to re-clean them so make sure everything is clean, including your hands, before you put it back together.
11-03-12, 05:12 PM
#4
Senior Member
This vandalism should have been reported to security or the police... akin to cutting brake lines on cars.
As long as you didn't ride it before you cleaned the rotor, cleaning the rotor should be fine. Something aggressive, like automotive brake cleaner, or if you want to go milder, rubbing alcohol would work to clean it up. Only thing I'd worry about is if your disc rotor has cutouts--holes or slots cut through the braking surface where oil could hide.
As long as you didn't ride it before you cleaned the rotor, cleaning the rotor should be fine. Something aggressive, like automotive brake cleaner, or if you want to go milder, rubbing alcohol would work to clean it up. Only thing I'd worry about is if your disc rotor has cutouts--holes or slots cut through the braking surface where oil could hide.
11-03-12, 06:07 PM
#5
The Recumbent Quant
11-04-12, 08:03 PM
#6
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I scrubbed the rotors and pads with mineral spirits and then lots of Simple Green and water. I then sanded the rotors with 100 then 220 grit sand paper and the pads with 220 grit only. Still no go, the brakes barely have any bite. I could stop faster by using my foot against the tire. I'm probably looking at new pads now. The rotors do have holes cut in them and I cleaned those the best I could with a brush.
The pads may have been contaminated with grease because I did not have the bike locked in a way that immobilized the front wheel. I shoulder carried the bike about 200 yards from the rack loading dock where I scrubbed off what I could with dish detergent and a hose.
The pads may have been contaminated with grease because I did not have the bike locked in a way that immobilized the front wheel. I shoulder carried the bike about 200 yards from the rack loading dock where I scrubbed off what I could with dish detergent and a hose.
Last edited by jsdavis; 11-04-12 at 08:07 PM.
11-04-12, 09:04 PM
#8
Shimano Certified
If you have access to it and are confident enough to use it, Follow the Brakleen-scrub with a propane torch on the brake surface to burn out the solvents and contaminants. Don't go crazy with it, but the automotive product is designed to be followed by the heat of a car grade load(aka 500+) to clean it completely. If you go too much it can transfer the heat into the hub, which wouldn't be a problem if you have automotive grease but can be an issue if you have lesser bike grade grease.
Sintered bronze pads can sometimes be cleaned and burned but Organic pads are absorbent. In either event, salvage of the pads are slim chances.
Sintered bronze pads can sometimes be cleaned and burned but Organic pads are absorbent. In either event, salvage of the pads are slim chances.
11-04-12, 09:30 PM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
If you have access to it and are confident enough to use it, Follow the Brakleen-scrub with a propane torch on the brake surface to burn out the solvents and contaminants. Don't go crazy with it, but the automotive product is designed to be followed by the heat of a car grade load(aka 500+) to clean it completely. If you go too much it can transfer the heat into the hub, which wouldn't be a problem if you have automotive grease but can be an issue if you have lesser bike grade grease.
Sintered bronze pads can sometimes be cleaned and burned but Organic pads are absorbent. In either event, salvage of the pads are slim chances.
Sintered bronze pads can sometimes be cleaned and burned but Organic pads are absorbent. In either event, salvage of the pads are slim chances.
11-04-12, 09:38 PM
#11
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11-04-12, 09:47 PM
#12
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As for pads, probably worth getting a spare set of pads. Firstly it means you've got a spare set if your vandal strikes again and if not you've got a spare set on hand if you suddenly realise you wore them down to the metal.
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11-04-12, 10:17 PM
#13
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First of all I'd agree with filing a formal complaint to security and the police - cutting brake lines on a car is pretty much attempted murder, tampering with the brakes on a bike in this way isn't far short. It's certainly not a harmless prank.
As for pads, probably worth getting a spare set of pads. Firstly it means you've got a spare set if your vandal strikes again and if not you've got a spare set on hand if you suddenly realise you wore them down to the metal.
As for pads, probably worth getting a spare set of pads. Firstly it means you've got a spare set if your vandal strikes again and if not you've got a spare set on hand if you suddenly realise you wore them down to the metal.
As far as security goes, I'll see what they have to say. The location of the bike racks is kinda out of the way of anything else at work. There is nothing in that area and no reason to go there except bicycle racks. It's not even lit at night.
11-04-12, 10:58 PM
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I have saved a few sets of pads when they accidentally got covered in oil/brake fluid by cleaning the rotors with brake clean or isopropyl alcohol and then putting the pads in an oven at 450-500 degrees for roughly 30 mins. Be warned I did this when single so if you have a significant other use a toaster oven outside or do it when they will be gone for some time as it will make the area smell pretty heavy of burning brakes. After burning off the oil I would usually sand them with rough grit sand paper on a flat surface.
Good luck to you and please report this/file a police report.
Good luck to you and please report this/file a police report.
11-05-12, 06:37 AM
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I had not considered a spare set. I guess I'll order another set for the front since they ship free with Amazon Prime.
As far as security goes, I'll see what they have to say. The location of the bike racks is kinda out of the way of anything else at work. There is nothing in that area and no reason to go there except bicycle racks. It's not even lit at night.
As far as security goes, I'll see what they have to say. The location of the bike racks is kinda out of the way of anything else at work. There is nothing in that area and no reason to go there except bicycle racks. It's not even lit at night.
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