disc brake cleaner
- Thread starter Michael86
- Start date
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Leodis
Veteran
- Location
- Moortown, Leeds
I use the Muc off one, its ok. I only bought it because I contaminated my disc pads/disc with WD40.
Red17
Veteran
- Location
- South London
Use my motorcycle stuff as I've always got a tin around (Putoline I think)
Red17
Veteran
- Location
- South London
Got to admit I thought the OP was on about cleaning the caliper which is what i use my brake cleaner for.
Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
Isopropyl Alcohol. You can get it off eBay in pump spray bottles. Better for the environment and a lot cheaper than proprietary brake cleaners. It also has the added advantage of being 99.9% alcohol. Some store bought cleaners have additives which aren't good for bike brakes. I know someone who bought some motorcycle based stuff which promised to reduce brake squeal. It did eliminate the squeal, along with about 85% of the braking efficiency.
I use it to clean out the calipers when I'm changing pads, and to clean the rotors when I've washed the bike with any form of detergent. It's also a very good workshop degreaser.
I use it to clean out the calipers when I'm changing pads, and to clean the rotors when I've washed the bike with any form of detergent. It's also a very good workshop degreaser.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
Abrading the pads may also restore them to original friction.
Rather than remove the pads to do this, a good tip is to remove the wheel and scuff them in situ with a nail file.
Rather than remove the pads to do this, a good tip is to remove the wheel and scuff them in situ with a nail file.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Car disc brake cleaner. Like most cycle related fluids and ungents, its pretty much the same but vastly cheaper than the stuff in cycle specific packaging.
Globalti
Legendary Member
On a mountain bike your brakes are getting good and hot quite often as well as being scoured with muddy water. That should be enough to keep them clean and effective but if you find them juddering and giving out a squawk as you roll to a stop, they are contaminated with oil or brake fluid and need cleaning.
Profpointy
Legendary Member
I'd be inclined to use meths, but don't know if that's "correct". Dissolves oiliness, but isn't itself oily.
Red17
Veteran
- Location
- South London
Should keep the pads clean but I always give the pistons a good squirt of cleaner to prevent them seizing up.
I normally use the Castrol rubber grease for the pistons on my motorbike which helps stops them dragging, but never bothered on the cycle as yet.
Globalti
Legendary Member
Sorry to say this but you don't understand how brake pistons work. They do not move in and out of the seals every time you apply the brake; apart from anything else, what is there to push them away from the disc?
What happens is that the pistons get pushed to the disc and stop and then when you de-compress the fluid, the flexibility of the rubber seals causes the pistons to settle back a short distance away from the disc. Every time you squeeze the lever the rubber seals are deformed and the brake is applied. As the pads wear the pistons do creep through the seals but the process is very slow.
If you've ever removed a piston from a brake caliper you'll know how damn tight the seals are and you'll realise that they can't slide in and out through the seals.
What happens is that the pistons get pushed to the disc and stop and then when you de-compress the fluid, the flexibility of the rubber seals causes the pistons to settle back a short distance away from the disc. Every time you squeeze the lever the rubber seals are deformed and the brake is applied. As the pads wear the pistons do creep through the seals but the process is very slow.
If you've ever removed a piston from a brake caliper you'll know how damn tight the seals are and you'll realise that they can't slide in and out through the seals.
Red17
Veteran
- Location
- South London
I've spent 30 years removing and replacing caliper pistons and seals on my motorcycles and dealing with siezed pistons, but bow to your superior wisdom. Obviously siezed pistons cannot occur on bicycles.
