Means and methods for cleaning rust from calipers

The brake caliper is part of the car's braking system, so it must work properly.

If corrosion appears on a part, this negatively affects the functioning of the brakes as a whole.

Read the article about how to clean rust from calipers and how to prevent it from reappearing.

When and why should you clean?

You need to clean the calipers from rust as it appears. You need to start the procedure as soon as the first signs of corrosion appear.

What you need to pay attention to:

• discrepancy between the brakes of 2 wheels by 20% or more;
• the appearance of squeaking during braking;
• car skidding when pressing the brake;
• the appearance of vibration when braking.

If you ignore rust, the caliper will jam, which will affect speed and braking power. As a result, the system will begin to overheat and fail.

That's why Cleaning for preventive purposes is carried out at least once a year, as well as every time you replace the brake pads.

Cleaning Rules

There are two ways to get rid of corrosion. The first is to remove the part and clean it, and the second is to remove oxides without disassembling the brake system. You can cope with corrosion using improvised means and with the help of specialized compounds.

How to clean the removed ones?

To remove oxides from removed parts, you can use folk remedies.The easiest and cheapest way to remove plaque is to use vinegar. Acid is an excellent rust dissolver.

Procedure:

1. Remove the caliper from the car.
2. Pour warm water into a bucket and dissolve 9% vinegar in it. For 10 liters of water you will need 0.3-0.5 liters of acid. The larger the layer of rust, the more concentrated the solution should be.
3. Remove loose rust using sandpaper.
4. Immerse the part in the solution.
5. After 15-30 minutes, remove it and inspect it. If the rust has not come off, then the product is soaked for another 1-2 hours.
6. After cleaning is completed, the caliper is rinsed with water, dried and treated with any anti-corrosion compound.

By analogy with vinegar they use citric acid. For 10 liters, 2 sachets of powder, 80 g each, are enough.

Procedure:

• fill a plastic bowl with sparkling water;
• completely immerse the part in the drink;
• leave for 12 hours;
• Remove the caliper, rinse with clean water and dry.

Cola allows you to cope with even a thick layer of rust, but for this the exposure time needs to be doubled.

How to remove corrosion without removing the part?

If you do not plan to remove the calipers, then it will be more convenient to use a professional rust remover in the form of a spray. Top 3 store products:

1. Rust Remover 0.5 l. The spray is sprayed over the surface of the part. After the chemical reaction is completed, a film is formed on the metal that will protect it from rust. The price of the composition is 250 rubles.
2. Autoprofi converter. The product is sprayed onto the part, left for 15 minutes, the resulting layer is cleaned off with a rag and the procedure is repeated again.

   After the reaction is complete, the surface is treated with a non-metallic brush with stiff bristles. Price - 225 rubles.

3. Hi-Gear Converter. It is applied to metal that has been stripped of rust, left for 20 minutes, rubbed with a non-metallic brush, after which the procedure is repeated 1-2 more times. There is no need to rinse off the composition. Price - 400 rub.

All of the above products not only clean the calipers from rust, but also prevent its reappearance, as they form a protective film on the metal.

Preventing the appearance of rusty plaque

To prevent rust from appearing on the calipers, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

• Operate the vehicle regularly and prevent it from being idle;
• monitor the humidity level in the garage;
• carry out preventive cleaning at least once a year;
• if long downtime is planned, all parts of the brake system are treated with anti-corrosion compounds.

Before you begin processing, the calipers must be cleaned. To do this, use a stiff brush or sandpaper. Converters should not be applied to flaking rust.

Helpful information

To make the cleaning procedure as effective and safe as possible, the following recommendations must be adhered to:

1. All work must be carried out outdoors or in a room with good ventilation.
2. Only plastic or glass containers can be used to soak parts. Metal basins are not suitable for this purpose.
3. Blackening of the metal or the liquid in which it is soaked is a normal reaction. It indicates that the cleaning process is active.
4. To speed up cleaning, you can heat the solution by lowering a boiler into it. In this case, inhalation of vapors should not be allowed.
5. If it was not possible to get rid of rust the first time, repeat the procedure 1-2 more times. If necessary, you can increase the exposure time.

You can learn about methods and techniques for removing rust from a car. here.

Video on the topic of the article

Cleaning calipers from rust in the video:

Conclusion

The caliper is the most important part of the car, without which the normal functioning of the braking system is impossible. The health and life of the driver and passengers depends on the quality of the brakes..

Therefore, it is so important to regularly clean the calipers from rust, preventing its excessive formation. Both improvised means and professional household chemicals will help you cope with this task.