Brake Discs

[Cali4nia]

Hi All,
What do people recommend for the brake discs to prevent them going rusty or seizing on in winter while there pride and joy is not being used.
At the moment all i do is leave the park brake off and move it occasionally, what i want to know is is there a product out there that can be sprayed on or wiped on to preserve them.
And don't say oil..lol.
Thanks in advance

 

[WelshGas]

Hi All,
What do people recommend for the brake discs to prevent them going rusty or seizing on in winter while there pride and joy is not being used.
At the moment all i do is leave the park brake off and move it occasionally, what i want to know is is there a product out there that can be sprayed on or wiped on to preserve them.
And don't say oil..lol.
Thanks in advance

Nothing should be applied to the discs. No harm will be done. The rust will be removed the first time you use the brakes. Leaving handbrake off if parked up for extended periods is good to avoid it being stuck on.

 

[briwy]

Best bet is to just take it for a spin every few weeks.

 

[Rob H]

Hi All,
What do people recommend for the brake discs to prevent them going rusty or seizing on in winter while there pride and joy is not being used.
At the moment all i do is leave the park brake off and move it occasionally, what i want to know is is there a product out there that can be sprayed on or wiped on to preserve them.
And don't say oil..lol.
Thanks in advance

Understand were you are coming from when a van is laid up for several winter weeks/ months at a time, Can't easily protect from atmospheric moisture, as previous cores, light surface corrosion will do little harm, but windblown rain from 'weather side' of vehicle, ... could try trimming a rubble type plastic sack and slipping loosely over the wheel, you will need to devise a way to stop the sack blowing away, good advice is to regularly move the van even just a short distance up and down your parking area lightly applying foot brake.

Rob H

 

[Rich20]

I know you can get caravan wheel covers for winter lay ups. Check out some of the caravan accessory websites.

 

[sidepod]

Find something worthwhile to worry about?

 

[WelshGas]

I know you can get caravan wheel covers for winter lay ups. Check out some of the caravan accessory websites.

Wheel covers are designed to stop UV degradation of the rubber Tyre. As they are not airtight they will not stop this problem due to humidity.

 

[Hotel California]

Find something worthwhile to worry about?

Thought i was a bit to straightforward sometimes ....

My solution is keep the Cali inside a garage if you don't use it longer periode ....if you can.

Off-topic now :
@sidepod , see in your underwriting you own a RGV 250 ? I hag one in Lucky Strike colors back in my younger days ....20 years ago ....
Loved the smell off the two-stroke Castrol burning ...
Was my first moto , changed it to a Fireblade but sold thatone also.

 

[sidepod]

Thought i was a bit to straightforward sometimes ....

My solution is keep the Cali inside a garage if you don't use it longer periode ....if you can.

Off-topic now :
@sidepod , see in your underwriting you own a RGV 250 ? I hag one in Lucky Strike colors back in my younger days ....20 years ago ....
Loved the smell off the two-stroke Castrol burning ...
Was my first moto , changed it to a Fireblade but sold thatone also.

Ah. Good stuff. Huge fun in race tune/slicks etc.

 

[jts46]

Find something worthwhile to worry about?

It is meant to be used, it is a transporter van with a conversion.

John

 

[CaliCurious]

Humm... its definatly worthwhile worrying about in my case. My van was 8 months old (4K on the clock) and had only been parked up for two weeks, when I moved it, I got vibration under braking. I took it into VW and they said that the disks were corroded and pitted due to lack of use, that will be new disks X4 to fix! That's about £450 in total. The dealer did make a contribution in the end, but it took some persuading!

Anything on brakes and pads is no longer covered under the warranty after 6 months.

I am in rural Aberdeenshire, so maybe the salt/grit used on the roads over winter is more aggressive. The only solution offered was make sure you drive it every week.

 

[Rob H]

Heres a couple of ideas, on my vehicle winter layups only result in more significant corrosion from wind blown rain on the "weather" side of the vehicle, so prev posted idea of cover over the weather side wheels can work, last drive in winter road salt will result in ongoing corrosion of anything salt sprayed so hose down suspension and under arches on a "drying day" before layup. The bit of disc obscured by the pads generally won't rust, so in spring its this clean bit that can cause some light judder, so move vehicle just a 1/2 metre monthly, First careful drive in spring at the expense of some pad material, and rust dust, the discs will recover from moderate rust pitting. If you do your own maintainance, ... next time you change disc pads smear merest trace of high melting point grease into the caliper piston cup, and contact area with back of pad, this will stop corrosion creep from the caliber piston to pad contact area, down the outer side of the piston lifting the rubber protective dust and moisture gasket you can see, and eventually damaging the caliber piston sealing ring that you can't see, if removing a caliper, rubber grease into the two caliper sliders, (they're often dry), if laid up for a significant period, wipe the disc surface (don't turn the disc) with a tissue or cloth dipped in polyurethane varnish, just the merest trace, I know you can't get to the back face but the light coat of varnish will stop corrosion, once that application of varnish has dried, turn the disc 1/2 a turn and wipe the bits obscured by the pads. At the end of the day some camper vans don't do much mileage over the winter months and salt encrusted inactivity doesn't do the underside mechanicals and alloys any good.

Rgrds,

Rob H.

 

[CaliCurious]

Thanks for the ideas Rob, I was really looking to keep it on the road over winter, but sometimes I have to work away. I was shocked that the disks could degrade from being perfectly serviceable to needing all four replaced in the space of two weeks. It was more than just surface rust unfortunately. I did do a few hundred miles in it, but the vibration was there to stay.

Will keep a close eye on this in future.