Brake Rust...

[robcarter]

Does anyone have any hints on getting rid of rust on the brake hub - it may be due to lack of use over the winter. It looks a bit unsightly so would be keen to get it gone!

 

I am sure someone will share some wisdom!

[sellman]

I'm looking at painting mine once the weather gets better. I was going to prime and paint with normal spray paint after masking but am unsure weather it will cope wit the temperatures.

[DaveyT]

Currently doing a resto on my s3 esprit, and after lots of research I'm using this stuff:

http://www.rust.co.uk/fe-123-rust-converter/c28125/

as the first part of the rust conversion/ prevention system, before spraying with epoxy mastic.

The beauty of this stuff is that you need to leave some rust on there for it to convert, so it could be great for your purpose. Give them a call re operating temps though.

It's thin, so gets nicely into any crevices...done the fuel tanks already and the coating after application of this stuff seemed nice & tough.

[robcarter]

Will find a way to give it a go sometime!

[the83man]

Ask Silverstone Lotus. I just got my car back from its annual service and the discs are devoid of rust (not that they were too bad, but they are definitely cleaner than when it went in to them - and no, I haven't had new discs fitted)

[j2 lot]

MMC normally tidy up the discs with a re-paint when they have cars in for service too.

[Al]

Keith are you sure and do you mean the callipers?  

 

I know they use a rust removing agent on the discs as mine welded tight on after a brief use then leaving for 2 days in January.  Craig said it was the rust remover used and as I was a pussy on the way home on the M9 and then parked it up wet I hadn't given them a good use and worn it all off.

 

When I actually had black callipers sprayed red properly on my 3rd car a few years ago it was a) bloody expensive and a car off the road for a few days as they were removed and cleaned before about 6 coats of paint and laquer.  They can't just be sprayed in situ either due to the Lotus writing being paint free if you look.

[Bibs]

It's the centre of the discs, the hub which the bolts pass through that rusts. 

[the83man]

Yes, what he said......

[Al]

A-ha.  Speed reading!  Clearer now.  Now I'll have to have a look and see if I was done in Jan.  I'm changing back to the summers when I get home on the 16th.

[RichardC]

I'm painting the rusty centres of the rear brake discs on my 400 for the 2nd time now. My method is to use a wire brush to get most of the rust off and then a quick couple of spray coats of matt black exhaust paint. I don't bother masking off the disc surfaces as any overspray soon wears off.

My front brake disc centres seem to be made of stainless steel and don't go rusty. It's just the back ones that are corroding and look rubbish. What's that all about Lotus? Are all Evoras like that? Are rear discs with non-rusting centre available from anywhere?

[Bravo73]

Interesting. I’m surprised that the bells aren’t made out of aluminium (or an alloy of some sort). If they’re made out of steel, it negates one of the main advantages of 2-piece rotors. 

[Bravo73]

On 19/06/2018 at 20:06, RichardC said:

My front brake disc centres seem to be made of stainless steel and don't go rusty. It's just the back ones that are corroding and look rubbish. What's that all about Lotus? Are all Evoras like that? Are rear discs with non-rusting centre available from anywhere?

I thought that I would check my 400 bells with a magnet test. I got slightly surprising results:

The front bell ‘failed’ ie it is made out of aluminium or an alloy of some sort. However, the rear bell ‘passed’ ie it is made out of ferrous material, ie steel. 

Now why would AP/Lotus do that? Why not just have ali(?) bells on the rear too?

[RichardC]

Googling the part number stamped onto my non-rusting front brake disc bells, it seems that they are a Brembo manufactured part. My thinking is that Lotus have used off-the-shelf brake discs and bells, and that the size that they wanted for the rears wasn't available in alloy/stainless. That's my theory anyway. Hopefully by the time that I need to replace my discs, someone will be making aftermarket ones with alloy bells, as the yearly de-rust is a bit of a chore.

[JAWS]

At a guess I'd say it is due to the fact the rear has a handbrake drum and a steel bell would have a more stable expansion rate than aluminium? It would also need to have a surface that would mate well to the pad of the handbrake that wouldn't be a compromise? 

[Bravo73]

@RichardC - the brakes are definitely AP units (although AP are now owned by Brembo). 

[RichardC]

True that the rubbing surfaces for the rear parking brake shoes would need to be made out of steel/iron, but alloy brake drums have been around for yonks e.g. MiniFins. No reason why the Evora couldn't have alloy rear bells with a steel insert for the brake shoes to act on.