Little Advice - Rust

[2002Silver4.6is]

Wow, a lot of crazy talk!! Do not sand blast. Do not sand. And absolutely don't get new calipers!! Way too much work. (I am sounding like an infomercial here!!) Way too messy and a bit old school!! (Love you guys to death but we all have to get with the times!!) Run this stuff over them.

http://www.safestrustremover.com/

You can do it with the calipers on the vehicle. Just remove the wheel, put a catch pan underneath (plastic storage containers work well. I bought one at the local super market.) Buy an outdoor fountain pump with some tubing to circulate the rust remover over them.

I would really clean the area well before you use the rust remover. The excess dirt and grease will make it less effective. You could buy a gallon of their degreaser (its good stuff too!!) to clean the suspension and wheel well areas.

It will not damage the pads or the rubber parts. I would then paint with high temp paint.

If you have any questions give them a call. Good luck!!!!

[ForbesZ]

Yikes ... a lot of crazy talk indeed! All you folks who've driven a couple winters in the northeast speak up! All those in the Southern States have got it good! I suspect there are trace amounts salt in the air that close to the coast and on humid days it will cause the small amount of surface rust you have if the vehicle has been left to sit, but that's nothing!

Some of the NE States use lots of road salt to melt ice in the winter and that really takes its toll on our vehicles. However, the rust on my calipers hasn't penetrated the metal very much despite being driven through 6 winters of that salt (although my calipers are a little more rusty than the one in the picture).

And what do you mean rust in the system? Inside?? I say change the brake fluid simply because the car has been sitting a while, but I wouldn't worry about the internal components of the brake system. Do you know how much pressure and heat is happening in the brake system? If there was any weakness whatsoever, your brake pedal would go right to the floor, brake fluid would piss out somewhere, and you would rearend somebody at the first stop light. Brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) and should be changed every two years as routine maintenance, but brake components aren't delicate devices (they can't afford to be cuz they gotta stop your car). Calipers are cast steel (which is very hard) and rust has a hard time going deep into the metal.

If you are worried about looks, you can get rotors zinc plated and that will prevent them from rusting everywhere the brake pads don't contact the rotor. I've found that sanding and painting doesn't last on rotors because of how hot rotors can get (and even high temp paint has a hard time with that). Zinc plating electrically fuses zinc to the surfaces of the rotor. Sure the zinc plating rubs off where the pads make contact with the rotors, but that part of the rotor always looks shiny anyway.

For the calipers, I think painting them is a good idea, but Bavarian Autosport also sells caliper covers that attach overtop so you can't see them. I don't have these covers, but I thought I'd mention it in case you want to check them out. They come in black plus some other colors.

[ktomi]

You guys are making my head spin.
Now I really don't know what to do.
That rust remover is a good option.
I will do some inspecting this weekend and figure what option I want to do.

Thanks guys.

[EOD Guy]

I guess I reached my opinion by noticing there is bare cast iron on the upper portion of the caliper and based on……. I have wrenched on cars for 35 years and knowing, for a fact, how a brake caliper works. If and only if, the piston had rust on it would I recommend that he get them rebuilt. It is true that I can not tell 100% with out removing the caliper whether or not there is rust etc…… but based on the age of the vehicle and the fact that the caliper isn’t rusted too badly I’ll bet money it’s OK. Shame on any body who suggests he run out and new ones without having the old ones checked out 1st. IMO sandblast them then paint them with clear hi-temp paint.

[Paulpt]

Wouldn't they replace that when they do the CPO certification?

[2002Silver4.6is]

Why go through the mess and hastle of sand blasting when you can treat them with rust remover that will do an amazing job? Take a look at the website in my previous post. You do not even have to remove them off of the vehicle!!

[klnteg]

WOW.. There is lots of experianced info here guys...
From what I have learned over the past 15 years of wrenching and old cars and motorcycles, these are direct quotes of this post or what I would strongly recomend.
- "I say change the brake fluid simply because the car has been sitting a while, but I wouldn't worry about the internal components of the brake system."
- "Don't get too alarmed about all this talk about new calipers and them not working because of surface rust, yes surface... it's heavy but it's on the surface."
- "but based on the age of the vehicle and the fact that the caliper isn’t rusted too badly I’ll bet money it’s OK. Shame on any body who suggests he run out and new ones without having the old ones checked out 1st. IMO sandblast them then paint them with clear hi-temp paint"


Thats what I think. But you be the judge.. I agree that it is only surface rust! Please do not replace the parts... unless money is no object to you!
you would be surprised how long painted calipers will last if they are preped properly! yes even if they were rusted! as far as the warranty goes.. If the brakes didn't work because of rust then they would have replaced them. It is blatently obvious when a caliper or pads or rotors are not working properly with that amount of rust Good luck!

[NOVAX5]

very colorful comment

[klnteg]

Thanks!