Brakes are crucial parts of your vehicle. Parking your car in the garage or driveway for long periods can cause rust. Brake composition includes steel and cast iron, which are rust-prone. While these materials lend strength, durability and handle heat better than other metals, they can rust the brakes.

To keep brakes from rusting, start by parking your car in a dry, moisture-free space, such as a temperature-controlled garage. Always clean the undercarriage of all salt deposits and debris. Apply corrosion-resistant paint on the backing plate to prevent rusting from occurring and making it harder to control the brakes. In case of rust spread to the brake rotors, you need replacement.

How Do I Stop My Brakes from Rusting?

There are various actions you need to carry out to control rusting in your brakes and brake parts.

How to Keep Brake Rotors from Rusting During Storage?

You can consider using large plastic bags over the brake rotors during storage. The camphor blocks in the sealed bags will help absorb the moisture in the bags and prevent rusting.

How to Keep Brake Calipers from Rusting?

The best solution is applying caliper paint as a way on how to keep brake drums from rusting. First, remove the caliper from the car, remove one of the slide pins, and swiveling the caliper away from the disc; this will achieve a better paint finish and reduce the chance of contaminating the braking system. Scrub the brake calipers and be careful not to damage them. Remove the pads and any clips, spray with brake cleaner, and mask off any rubber seals.

How to Prevent Brake Drums from Rusting?

Clean the drums up and scrape off all loose rust and debris, wipe well with brake cleaner, and then apply high temp spray paint.

Another tip is to rub the rusted area with a thin coat of aluminized anti-seize compound, which will leave it looking silver.

How to Stop Brake Discs Rusting?

The following tips will help stop rusting in brake discs;

• Paint your discs with primer to stop the rust
• Ensure when storing your vehicle for an extended period, it’s in a dry, sheltered place.
• Use your car every day and gradually increase the braking pressure to remove any rust coating and make the discs shiny when its on surface-level.
• Fit your vehicle with carbon-ceramic discs that do not rust, unlike sat iron ones though they are very expensive.
• Paint the discs with primer to prevent rusting.

How to Stop Brake Discs Rusting After Washing?

• The best is to always dry your car before parking it.
• You can also ride it for a while before parking to ensure the water dries.
• Use brake disc protection spray; it will help prevent rust. Apply it after washing and cleaning the vehicle thoroughly. Allow the water to drip for a few seconds. From a close distance, apply the spray on the brake discs in a sweeping motion.  Later, wipe off the excess liquid.

Is Rust on Breaks Normal?

Some kind of rust on your vehicle are normal. For instance, if the brake rotor has a thin later of rust on its surface after some heavy downpour. You can get rid of this layer by driving your vehicle for a short time, and the brake pads rub it off. But it can be a cause of alarm if rust affects the brake backing plate.  The rust can weaken the brake plate with time, causing brake pad friction material to crack or even separate, and this can result in loss of stopping and control power.

How to Remove Rust from Brake Rotors?

• Drive the car- the superficial layer that forms on the rotors after sitting for a few days, you can remove it through driving.
• Prepare for rotor cleaning- loosen the nuts to remove the wheel and expose the rotor. Remove the calipers and pads if required. Though it’s possible to clean the rotor with the calipers in place, it’s easier to do without them.
• Inspect your pads- pads in good condition should have a crystalline appearance.  Also, examine the pad’s thickness; if less than 4mm of depth, you should replace them. Again, check the caliper piston boot and guide pin boots for tears and address any issues immediately.
• Use brake cleaner to remove the rust- does brake cleaner prevent rust? Break cleaner is useful in helping remove rust from brake rotors.  Spray your rotor with the brake cleaner and wallow it to dry. Later wipe the rotor with a clean rag. If there is still more rust, apply the brake cleaner again and use steel wool or wire brush to scrub gently.
• If the brake cleaner fails, try others like CLR and Evapo -Rust for the stubborn rust. These products work on the rust without affecting the metal beneath.

How Does Vinegar Remove Rust from Rotors?

You can use white vinegar for the best results of rust removal in rotors. The rust reacts with the vinegar and later dissolves. Apply the vinegar on the affected rotor with a piece of cloth, and allow it to settle for at least 30 minutes or more depending on the rust’s intensity.

Does WD 40 Remove Rust?

WD-40 multi-use product is the best treatment for removing rust from the brakes. Apply WD-40 and scrub it with a clean wire brush. You will need to ensure that you use enough to soak the area and sit for 10 minutes. Use a wire brush to remove the item’s rust and make sure it’s soft to avoid scratching the surface. Then repeat the process until the body is free of rust.

Conclusion

As routine maintenance practice, it’s best to protect your brakes and other parts from rusting. Though rusting is inevitable, having a superficial layer on the brakes is normal after few days of keeping the vehicle. To prevent further damage, ensure you drive your car often, store it in a dry garage, take care of the paint and use protective rust sprays.