Wipe my discs with white spirit? Amateur Q

[ericg]

Hey,

I just got my new EBC ultimax discs and DS2500ish pads from Bill and remember reading somewhere (a guide I think) to wipe the discs with white spirit...

...does this need to be done?

Im just asking as I am unsure if it may damage the disc if it is not needed!!

I suspect it wont damage anything but its always better to be sure and all that.

Cheers

Eric

 

[ben1413]

Brake cleaner would be ideal but white spirit shouldn't do any harm.

Brake discs have a coating of oil on them from the factory to stop them rusting and to make sure they are effective this needs to be removed.

Ben

 

[mrwookie]

Not sure about white spirit but if fitting your self disks will need to be cleaned when fitted. Get some brake cleaner from Halfrauds for a couple of quid and maybe get some copper grease while you are at it, apply to rear of pads, to prevent any squeaks.

 

[ScoobyJawa]

Depends - read the instructions with the disc's. The rears I fitted to mine had strict instructions not to clean them off first as the covering aided with bedding in.....

 

[ibizacupra]

a quick wipe over to degrease is fine.. not a problem.
ease the brake into new use.. bed them in.. I have posted the how to in my badger section

 

[ericg]

Cool.


I'll give 'em a wipe!
I'm just about to go and start the disc/pad change now!
Wish me luck!

Eric

 

[tegwin]

White spirit is not a degreaser.....


Parafin, break cleaner or fairy liquid would be a far better solution!

 

[ericg]

You know,

I dont think there were instructions with the pads!

Im getting confused now about what I should wipe them with!!

I'll just brush em with white spirt and see what happens...its probably better than using copper grease to clean them!

 

[Jimski]

Dont clean your discs with copper grease you numpty! Use a dabble on the back of the pads to stop squeeky squeely noises!


Jimski

 

[mrwookie]

its probably better than using copper grease to clean them!

 

[mike2926]

using copper grease on his discs will defiantly make them last longer......its quite hard to use the brakes when you have just inserted your car into a lamp post lol

 

[Muttley]

tegwin wrote

White spirit is not a degreaser.....

Oh yes it is. In days gone by it was used as a dry-cleaning fluid.


Parafin, break cleaner or fairy liquid would be a far better solution!



Paraffin is not noted as a solvent. It is more likely to leave a waxy coating behind.

Brake cleaner is a catch-all term for various mixtures of solvents, which may include some or all of the following: toluene, xylene, propane, hexane, heptane, methyl alcohol, methyl acetate, acetone, trichlorethane, benzene. Ingredients vary with the manufacturer, each having their own recipe.

Fairy Liquid is a "detergent". The active components are -
Ethanol - solvent (less than 5%)
Sodium Laureth Suphate - surfactant - emulsifies grease and allows the water to carry it away. (about 30%)
Alkyl dimethyl amines - antibacterial agents (about 5%)

The key thing about a detergent, of course, is that you have to use water to carry the emulsified grease away.

White spirit would be a good choice compared to paraffin or Fairy Liquid, but brake cleaner would be better, which should come as no surprise.

I'm not a chemist, just able to read MSDS sheets.

 

[Muttley]

ericg wrote

I dont think there were instructions with the pads!
Im getting confused now about what I should wipe them with!!

You don't wipe the pads with anything. Sometimes a smear of copper grease between the back of the pad and the piston can help reduce squealing. Otherwise keep them clean - in fact when installing them, keep your greasy fingers away from the pad surface.

I'll just brush em with white spirt and see what happens...

No harm will come to the disks or your pads if you wipe the disks with white spirit and then wipe them clean afterwards. The reason for doing so, as people have already said, is to dissolve and wipe away any waxy or oily coating, used to stop the disks going rusty on the shelf.

its probably better than using copper grease to clean them!

Oh yes. Grease and oil need to be kept away from the braking surfaces.

 

[Dyscontinued]

Didn't wipe mine when I did them last weekend, were terrible for 10 miles but then got steadily better and still are at 150 miles. Guessing even better in another 150.

 

[Teasy]

White spirit is not a degreaser.....


Parafin, break cleaner or fairy liquid would be a far better solution!

White Spirit or Turps ARE de-greasers, painters rub handrails with these to remove grease off peoples hands & it evaporates if any is left on after rubbing off with a dry cloth....so a good cheap de-greaser

(ex-painter & decorator)