Preventing rusty rotors - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Stroker · 09-02-2002, 06:12 PM

Anyone got any tips or ideas to keep surface rust from forming on rotors. It will probably be another year or two before I get my 72 on the road and was wondering if there was anything I could put on the rotors that wouldn't contaminate the brake pads or interfere with them bedding properly.......Thanks Stroker

Slammed67 · 09-02-2002, 06:23 PM

Pull the pads off (and keep them off) and apply a light coat of grease to front and back surfaces. Or maybe a thin coat of spray paint? It'd probably just rub off when you drive it the first time, or you could clean it off with laquer thinner. Just a couple ideas.

CE20934 · 09-02-2002, 09:11 PM

Grease or WD40 would work just fine. But you must clean it off before installing the rotors. Most pads will suck the oil right off the rotor as you cruise down the road. Then you're stuck with greasy pads that might not do their job when you really need them too.

Mike C · 09-02-2002, 09:17 PM

2 can quickly turn to 10... I would just buy the high temp rotor paint from Eastwood Co. and paint the whole thing. Then when everything else is done, take 'em to the parts store and have them lightly skimmed with the cutter. That way everything that might rust gets painted including the vent fins.

*Shane* · 09-02-2002, 09:45 PM

I am in the same boat....at least a year before back on the road and my brake rotors (all 4 - front & rear

)are the same way......but I'm not worried about he "friction area" of the rotor...first time you hit the brakes, you will get a rusty-colored little cloud of dust and your rotors will look like new.

As for the "hub" area and the area around the outside circumference of the rotor, I used some bomb can black until i can paint with body color.

Hope this helps...

Stroker · 09-02-2002, 11:07 PM

Thanks for the ideas. I've done the painting of all but the friction area with some high temp paint. I think I'll just leave out the pads and protect with some sort of lube. Now if I can straighted out the problem with the spindle nut I'll at least beable to roll it around and set the engine and tranny in place. Thanks again.....Stroker

*racedvl* · 09-02-2002, 11:30 PM

You could get some crap rotors from the bone yard, and keep your nice one aside.

09-02-2002, 06:12 PM	#1
Stroker Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Moore, Ok Posts: 1,149	Preventing rusty rotors Anyone got any tips or ideas to keep surface rust from forming on rotors. It will probably be another year or two before I get my 72 on the road and was wondering if there was anything I could put on the rotors that wouldn't contaminate the brake pads or interfere with them bedding properly.......Thanks Stroker __________________ 72 SWB parts and pieces Oklahoma

09-02-2002, 06:23 PM	#2
Slammed67 Progress = 0% Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 2,108	Pull the pads off (and keep them off) and apply a light coat of grease to front and back surfaces. Or maybe a thin coat of spray paint? It'd probably just rub off when you drive it the first time, or you could clean it off with laquer thinner. Just a couple ideas. __________________ Jason - '67 GMC swb \| '57 Bel-Air 4dr hardtop \| '56 210 4dr Wagon \| 2000 GMC Sierra

09-02-2002, 09:11 PM	#3
CE20934 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Help! I'm in an office park with its own network of freeways! Posts: 470	Grease or WD40 would work just fine. But you must clean it off before installing the rotors. Most pads will suck the oil right off the rotor as you cruise down the road. Then you're stuck with greasy pads that might not do their job when you really need them too. __________________ '67 C20--427 tall deck/SM420, 4.10 HO52 (Michigan has not been kind to the Old Man) '95 Caprice--355 LT1/T56/3.42 8.5" 10-bolt (daily driver, almost 300k on the chassis) '07 Outback--wife's car. 125k & counting. No head gasket or transmission issues yet. fingers crossed

09-02-2002, 09:17 PM	#4
Mike C Registered User Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Austin, TX, USA Posts: 7,739	2 can quickly turn to 10... I would just buy the high temp rotor paint from Eastwood Co. and paint the whole thing. Then when everything else is done, take 'em to the parts store and have them lightly skimmed with the cutter. That way everything that might rust gets painted including the vent fins. __________________ 44 Willys MB 52 M38A1 64 Corvette Coupe 68 Camaro 'vert LT1 & TH700 69 Z/28 355 12.6's @110 69 Chevy Short Step 4 1/2"/7" drop 72 Jimmy 4WD 4spd 4" & 35's 02 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Duramax

09-02-2002, 11:07 PM	#6
Stroker Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Moore, Ok Posts: 1,149	Thanks for the ideas. I've done the painting of all but the friction area with some high temp paint. I think I'll just leave out the pads and protect with some sort of lube. Now if I can straighted out the problem with the spindle nut I'll at least beable to roll it around and set the engine and tranny in place. Thanks again.....Stroker __________________ 72 SWB parts and pieces Oklahoma

09-02-2002, 09:45 PM	#5
Shane Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: over yonder Posts: 14,270	I am in the same boat....at least a year before back on the road and my brake rotors (all 4 - front & rear )are the same way......but I'm not worried about he "friction area" of the rotor...first time you hit the brakes, you will get a rusty-colored little cloud of dust and your rotors will look like new. As for the "hub" area and the area around the outside circumference of the rotor, I used some bomb can black until i can paint with body color. Hope this helps...

09-02-2002, 11:30 PM	#7
racedvl Account Suspended Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 7,020	You could get some crap rotors from the bone yard, and keep your nice one aside.



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