Rusted Rotor Vent Slots

P

Peter Crowl

New member
This is an '05 MINI front rotor. The car has about 300 miles on it.



:shocked



There is also rust developing on machined but unprotected surfaces in the suspension...such as the idler arm/steering rack joint.



So...what's my course of action here? With regard to the rotor, I'd like to paint the calipers and rotor hat, but I'm not inclined to paint the vent slots in the rotos as they are supposed to cool. I think paint will inhibit their function.



What about a rust converter? Anybody have any experience with this? Ditto the hard to reach suspension joint areas.



Peter...nipping this in the bud...in Denver
 

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The suspension parts are pretty easy- get a product like POR-15 or, preferably the Eastwood Company's equivalent (sorry, no link hands and I can't remember what they call it these days :o maybe "Corroless").



The rotors will get too hot for such a product. If you *really* want to do it right, take them off (or get a new set, easier and less downtime), have them blasted clean and then paint with high-temp paint/coating (the kind you have to bake in an oven to cure). The paint won't cause any problems with heat dissipation. In my experience, paints like that last longer than the cad/zinc/etc. platings that are sometimes used for such applications, at least if you drive it in bad weather.
 
Well..if it comes to replacing them that's exactly what I will be doing...nothing :rolleyes:



I'll wait till they're in need and then go to better rotors.



That said, the rust level is really high for such a short time. I'm hoping to find a way to slow or stop that on these existing rotors.



Must say they also surface rust quickly. I don't drive this car regularly...and have had other cars that I use minimally as well. This one suffers rotor rust faster and more than the others. Hmmmm.....





Peter...oxidizing...in Denver
 
I use Eastwood Silver High Temp Coating (brush on) on my edges/hats of my rotors. Its certainly not as nice as zinc washed rotors but it looks a lot better than rust.
 
Accumulator said:
The suspension parts are pretty easy- get a product like POR-15 or, preferably the Eastwood Company's equivalent (sorry, no link hands and I can't remember what they call it these days :o maybe "Corroless".....
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Yes, That's about what the Eastwood product is called. I've used both the POR-15 and the Eastwood version. For this I'd suggest POR-15 for the simple fact that it is black vs the sort of "red-primer" color of the Eastwood.
 
Eliot Ness said:
Yes, That's about what the Eastwood product is called. I've used both the POR-15 and the Eastwood version. For this I'd suggest POR-15 for the simple fact that it is black vs the sort of "red-primer" color of the Eastwood.
Click to expand...



The Eastwood stuff comes in different colors now, including black.



I've had problems with POR-15 (despite using their prep products and following directions), but never with the Corroless.



Peter Crowl- A sorta half-@$$ed approach would be to just try the rust convertor on the edges of the rotors and/or other places where it's easy to apply and see how it works. No big loss if it doesn't stick too well. Even stuff like Navel Jelly can give a slightly improved look, a sorta-crappy gray color that's at least better than plain old rust.



I once just brushed some Navel Jelly on a set of exhaust manifolds and let it burn off (hood open, nasy fumes). Looked better than before for the two years or so that I had the car after doing that. Not great by any means, but better.



Brent13- How picky is that Eastwood hi-temp silver about prep? I know what you *oughta* do, but what did you do when you used it?
 
Accumulator said:
How picky is that Eastwood hi-temp silver about prep? I know what you *oughta* do, but what did you do when you used it?
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Not very picky at all. I used some fine steel wool to clean the areas and then applied the coating with a foam brush. It leaves a nice matte silver finish. It's not a permanent fix but it only needs a little touch up a couple of times a year to keep it looking good.
 
Peter Crowl said:
Well..if it comes to replacing them that's exactly what I will be doing...nothing :rolleyes:



I'll wait till they're in need and then go to better rotors.
Click to expand...



Peter, you won't need to go to better rotors due to the rust. You may not like the cosmetic appearance, but it's not a problem.



I used to machine brake rotors for a living. The colour of the ferric oxide (rust) indicated the softness of the rotor. The softer the ferric alloy, the more orange/red the corrosion, the quicker it corrodes...and the more bite it had on the pads (due to the softer alloy, not the corrosion). Mercs and BMWs were the same.



It will wear quicker, but also give you better stopping power and feel.
 
Alfisti said:
Peter, you won't need to go to better rotors due to the rust. You may not like the cosmetic appearance, but it's not a problem.



I used to machine brake rotors for a living. The colour of the ferric oxide (rust) indicated the softness of the rotor. The softer the ferric alloy, the more orange/red the corrosion, the quicker it corrodes...and the more bite it had on the pads (due to the softer alloy, not the corrosion). Mercs and BMWs were the same.



It will wear quicker, but also give you better stopping power and feel.
Click to expand...



Thanks for helping me understand the reason for the swift and significant rusting! They do grab very well...and they throw copious amounts of dust too :eek: I guess I'll have to learn to live with them....untill they wear out.



Peter....in Denver
 
Peter, the brake dust is due to the pads, not the rotors.



You can remedy this by replacing them with ceramic or kevlar-rich pads.



Here's a link to 'Greenstuff' pads, half-way down the page: Click here.



They're highly acclaimed...and I believe they're British...perfect for a Mini (yes, yes, i know, its German, but still!)
 
I've used Eastwood's high temperature brushable silver paint on the rusty rotor hats of my 2001 Acura Type R. It's held up remarkably well for 2 years+. I did not paint the rotor vents.



Dean







TypeRbrakesrusty2.jpg




TypeRbrakespainted2.jpg




TypeRbrakespainted1.jpg
 
Man, you guys have me thinking about stuff I don't need to be thinking about ;) I just love the way you have your brakes looking :bow I'm having enough trouble keeping all our vehicles clean, the last thing I oughta be thinking about is stuff like this :D



Dean- I remember those pics! :xyxthumbs Q: is that a year-round daily driver?



Brent13- Heh heh, I'm gonna run out of excuses if the prep isn't that bad! Thanks for the info.



RichPug306sxi- Same praise and same Q- is that a year-round daily driver?
 
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