DIY:Rotor Rust Removal, pics and process

i just had my first rotor cleaning encounter this weekend and thought i would post my sucess and process. this is an easy fix for a major eye sore. IMO every owner should /can do this.
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WHAT YOU NEED: Naval Jelly (1 bottle), Rags, Water Hose
there are two versions of naval jelly supplied by permatex, one that needs to be applied by a brush (8oz) $3.99 and one that comes in spray form (12oz) $4.99. i went with the spray version for simple application and larger volume, all for only one dollar more.




BEFORE:


PROCESS: this is straight foward and is written on the bottle. SHAKE WELL! don't forget to do this as its the most important step. apply jelly to rusted areas and let sit for 5mins. DO NOT LET JELLY SIT ON ANY PAINTED AREAS. if doing this with your wheels on like i did, place a rag under the rotor to collect all the jelly that will be pulled down by gravity. be sure to use a rag to quickly clean up any overspray that gets on unwanted areas.

DURING:


after the 5mins has elapsed, hose the area down.

AFTER:



wash off the jelly with the hose and your rotors are like new. drive the car around the block to remove residue and bring back the finish of your rotors to achieve the look pictured above.

the bottle instructs that multiple applications may be needed if the rust still exists. i used most of the bottle after going through the entire process twice on all four rotors. now your done and can enjoy a goodnight's sleep knowing that your rotors are rust free.

very impressive review!!
and i thank you- we needed a real rust removal with naval jelly process...

your before and aft pics show just how a pro rust removal is done-
gonna link this post in the "how to's" at the top of the board

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?act=S...=0#entry4209396

again, excellent job!!!

Wow! That's pretty cool. I might have to go check that bottle out at my local Pep Boy's. I would be real concerned about using it while the wheels are still on though.

i understand your concern about using it w/wheels on. the precautions i took worked well for me. i actually took off my wheels today to install springs and there was no damage to the clearcoat anywhere.

way more than any "normal" folks want to know:

http://hazard.com/msds/mf/perm/files/81287.TXT

but what i think it tells us is that naval jelly does contain some acids...
conclusion: best to take the wheels off of the car, but if you want to do this with the wheels on the car, just be really careful like s2k_9000rpm was above

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more info on naval jelly:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphoric_acid

This post has been edited by wanabe on Oct 1 2006, 06:54 PM

I could see doing this for a show or something, but wouldn't they just rust again the next time water hit them? Not even a rain storm, but just driving through a puddle?

And I'd have to take the wheels off. It's worth the extra 5 minutes to not risk the finish.

cad plated or other plated brakes will keep rust off longer...
the stockers do rust pretty quickly (which is why i got rid of them)
rain and puddles should not rust cause this happens usually when you are driving... when you drive you use the brakes. when you use the brakes they heat up and evaporate water- if its enough water, then they can stay wet as you mentioned-

this is usually a once a year sorta project- great for when you want the wheels, wheel wells and brakes to be new again (i detail the wheels off of the car, and do the wells and brakes at the same time)

i too have the cad plated rotors and its been two days since i've used the product and no rust has formed since. the cad rotors are a lot less prone to rusting than the stock rotors and with naval jelly being so cheap i wouldn't mind doing it twice a year if the rust were to come back.

I recommend after doing rust removal, to use a product called Boeshield which is an aircraft rust inhibitor that penetrates and leaves a waterproof coating. Not to the rotor face of course but to all the surrounding surfaces.

Looks great btw

Sorry for bumping this thread, but I'm a newbie who has been going over the detailing library.

Anyway, to prevent the rust in the first place, or to prevent it from coming back, just spray paint the entire rotor. The edges, face, etc... Don't worry about getting the paint on the part that touches the pads as it will wear off the first time you stop. I've done this on several vehicles I've owned and never had a problem.

If you have slotted or drilled rotors you could even get creative. Paint the surface that touches the pad red, and the reast black.

Do it once and you'll never have to worry about the rust again. Personally it bugs me to no end to see someone post a picture of their nicely painted calipers only to have a rusty rotor behind them.

I usually use a semi-flat black.

this wouldnt happen to be in the automotive cleaning section now would it? i went to autozone to get some but couldnt find any...

Looking for some also!

are you speaking of the cleaner i used?

i found my bottle at Pep Boys. i hear that you can also find this in marine shops.

Thanks, I'll be taking a look tomorrow!