Contaminated pads whilst bleeding my brakes.....

[beanbag]

I need a little advice. I accidentally spilt brake fluid on my pads whilst bleeding my brakes for the first time. I've tried to burn the oil off without any luck and the back brake performance is still very poor.

How would I go about cleaning and restoring the pads (they're almost new), and decontaminating the disc also?

[Kermit power]

Is it worth the effort?

Pads are about £15 or so, aren't they? Between the cost of buying any cleaning solution you need, the time to actually do it and the risk of it not actually working all that well, wouldn't it just be easier to stick in a new set?

As for the discs, would normal car brake cleaner do the job?

[Marcellus]

I did the same and sprayed both discs and pads with Brake cleaner and then went for a ride.... after a few heat cycles cleaned up nicely.... admittedly it wasn't a full on down hill hutter of a ride!!

[Parrot of Doom]

Mineral oil? Forget it, bin the pads and get new ones. I buy A2Z or Superstar pads from Ebay.

[beanbag]

Parrot of Doom said:

Mineral oil? Forget it, bin the pads and get new ones. I buy A2Z or Superstar pads from Ebay.

Nope, it's DOT 5.1.....

[Parrot of Doom]

Well if they won't clear up after braking (discs get hot), I'd still chuck them. For the discs, coarse sandpaper should do the trick.

[JeepJunkie]

Had same issue... just buy new pads.

Sandpaper, degeaser etc will do little...

Make life easy for yourself...

As a sidenote I now take pads out if giving bike a thorough clean cos I've cocked up two sets of pads now :-(

Cheers

[beanbag]

JeepJunkie said:

Had same issue... just buy new pads.

Sandpaper, degeaser etc will do little...

Make life easy for yourself...

As a sidenote I now take pads out if giving bike a thorough clean cos I've cocked up two sets of pads now :-(

Cheers

Yup....that I'll do. Had to re-bleed the system again as I screwed it up first time but it's perfect now.....aside from the pads. There's so much contamination, I can pedal forwards with the brake full on when in my lowest gear!!!!

[bazking69]

Chuck the pads and get some new ones. Wipe the discs over with brake cleaner.

Edited by bazking69 on Monday 24th August 16:02

[snotrag]

Your supposed to take them out when you bleed the brakes...

Remove the pads, reset the pistons with the system 'open'. Insert the little bleed block that you should have got with your bike (for Shimano, Avid, Magura etc,) or for hopes you use a box end wrench ziptied into place.

[beanbag]

snotrag said:

Your supposed to take them out when you bleed the brakes...

Remove the pads, reset the pistons with the system 'open'. Insert the little bleed block that you should have got with your bike (for Shimano, Avid, Magura etc,) or for hopes you use a box end wrench ziptied into place.

Yup.....realised this after I'd bled them..... (D'oh).....