Brake cleaner on the calipers?

[Fallout]

I've got into a habbit of dousing my callipers, pads and discs with Wurth Brake and Chain Cleaner whenever I get in after a salty road ride. Just trying to fend off corrosion and piston problems, especially since you can't ACF50 those areas and I've only just rebuild the front callipers. I'm wondering if anyone has any opinions on how effective that would be, and more importantly if it would do any harm to the piston seals or perhaps eat away at the red rubber grease?

[Owenski]

If no one replies with an answer I would assume everyone who's done that the same as you Simon died horrifically in a ball of flame after their brakes failed.

[yorkie_chris]

Don't bother, it will only wash off any of the nice grease etc you want to keep in there. Best thing would be just to gently rinse them in some cold water if you just want to wash the worst of the salt off.

[Fallout]

If no one replies with an answer I would assume everyone who's done that the same as you Simon died horrifically in a ball of flame after their brakes failed.

Don't worry matt. Looks like Chris replied, and I don't think he's dead ... :smt064

Don't bother, it will only wash off any of the nice grease etc you want to keep in there. Best thing would be just to gently rinse them in some cold water if you just want to wash the worst of the salt off.

Yeah, that probably is enough, but it's a pain in the **** for me to connect up the hose pipe, plus if I stay overnight somewhere else I may get funny looks asking someone if I can get a hold of their hose. I suppose a teapot of water would work, and I'd also look very posh while doing it. :D

[yorkie_chris]

No but I don't do anything to clean calipers in between services either!

[Fallout]

I bet you do an annual service on them, don't you?

[Owenski]

Service's them every time they fail in use... the real service interval lol.

[yorkie_chris]

I bet you do an annual service on them, don't you?

Before and after the gritters are on the roads.

[Blueperson]

I used to do this, but then I died horrifically in a ball of flame after my brakes failed.

[Fallout]

I used to do this, but then I died horrifically in a ball of flame after my brakes failed.

In your face matt! Exception to the rule right here!! ^

[Sid Squid]

Brake cleaner is a very high flash point solvent, that is intended for cleaning the friction surfaces of brake discs, pads and dry clutch parts where it won't leave a greasy residue.
It's not meant for general cleaning of calipers or anything else, it works OK as a degreaser - if you have money to burn. It's not a very good general cleaner as it's not meant for that, it has specific purpose, and cleaning brakes isn't it.

Best thing for caliper cleaning is supermarket own brand cream cleaner, the one I get is about 75p a bottle, use with a toothbrush, far better general cleaner and very very cheap.

[Fallout]

I'm not too fussed about the actual calliper housing. Don't care if that corrodes away into a horrible mess (much). I'm more concerned about salt on the exposed parts of the piston and the pad bolt/clip assembly, but I appreciate I'm probably wasting cash.

[yorkie_chris]

Like I say, you are actually making the situation worse not better.

Gentle water washing will remove salt but not grease.

Aggressive solvent will remove grease and make sure the piston metal is completely exposed to damp salt next time you go out.


Don't worry about the outside of the calipers they will look after themselves. They might look a bit minging but you'll never rot through them!

[Mark_h]

Brake cleaner does a fantastic job of cleaning the bottom of an iron after the butler has burned it on a shirt. Bloody fantastic and much better than any specific iron cleaning product.

[Sid Squid]

Ironing?

What is this 'ironing' of which you speak?

[Fallout]

Anyone who picks up and iron should either be ashamed of themselves, or going to a funeral.

[jambo]

It's surprising how far into ironing a shirt for work you can get having just got out of the shower before your brain works out where the iron is and that you're not wearing anything else. Embarrassing trip to a&e avoided. Score.

Jambo
Sent from my thingie

[Fallout]

It's surprising how far into ironing a shirt for work you can get having just got out of the shower before your brain works out where the iron is and that you're not wearing anything else. Embarrassing trip to a&e avoided. Score.

Bonus points for cunningly bigging up the size of your manhood.:D

[timwilky]

I own a number of irons, that would be placed in a furnace, dipped in a killed spirit solution and then used for tinning. Pray tell why I would apply one of these to a shirt?

[jambo]

Bonus points for cunningly bigging up the size of your manhood.:D

That's a very generous interpretation. Frankly my ironing's not terribly accurate and I'm quite tall, so the issue of proximity is perhaps more due to that ;-)

Jambo
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