Red Porsche Brake Caliper Cleaning

[MaKSiNG]

After my trip to the Ring my calipers are now looking very black. They obviously got very hot through use (they were smoking at one point when I got back to the car park ) but now I cannot get the brake dust off them anymore. They look really dull.

I wonder if it is something to do with the stuff I spray on my tyres. I might have got some overspray and this has now been superheated and is stuck to the caliper.

I have tried wheel cleaner but this is not shifting it.
Anybody any ideas of how to bring my baby back to its original lustre?

[9hellheaven]

Youve baked the brake dust on them basically!..

[Agent Orange]

Pretty normal , they go dark brown in the end and writing yellow...................average price to remove and repaint like new with words and refit £250
Or 2 pack and can be done by urself

[DanH]

I'd have a go at them with something like Meguires alloy wheel cleaner first although don't get it on the hoses/pads etc and don't leave it on for longer than directed. Might be easiest with the wheels off too and you'll need an alloy wheel cleaning brush to get into the nooks.

Also don't get that cleaner on your hands. It worked a treat on my wheels, but the skin peeled off the fingers that had been rubbing it on stubborn spots with a cloth 2 days later.

[cableguy]

Wonder Wheels is great for disolving Brake Dust, definately worth a try. I've also used T-Cut of all things on Brake Calipers with very good results, use a tooth brush to get into the awkward nooks and crannies.

C.

[DanH]

cableguy said:

Wonder Wheels is great for disolving Brake Dust, definately worth a try. I've also used T-Cut of all things on Brake Calipers with very good results, use a tooth brush to get into the awkward nooks and crannies.

C.

I don't like wonder wheels, does terrible things to lacquer etc. T-Cut works a treat though on all sorts of things as you say...

[TOENHEEL]

Agent Orange said:

Pretty normal , they go dark brown in the end and writing yellow...................average price to remove and repaint like new with words and refit £250
Or 2 pack and can be done by urself

£250 bloody hell. Cost me next to nothing with some paint from halfords and they look fab. Must make sure its nice and warm though otherwise the paint takes ages to go off and gets very tacky.

[MaKSiNG]

Thanks guys.
Think I will try T-Cut first.

I remember painting the calipers myself on my Corrado many moons ago (for that boy racer look). Not sure I would have a go at the Porsche ones, plus what would happen to the Porsche logo?

[TOENHEEL]

Its just a sticker the logo. You can but them from www.porshceshop.co.uk etc. You just simply stick on and then laquer over the top..jobs a good'un.

[minimanAC]

DanH said:

cableguy said:

Wonder Wheels is great for disolving Brake Dust, definately worth a try. I've also used T-Cut of all things on Brake Calipers with very good results, use a tooth brush to get into the awkward nooks and crannies.

C.

I don't like wonder wheels, does terrible things to lacquer etc. T-Cut works a treat though on all sorts of things as you say...

I second that, its basically an acid which will eat through lacquer. You can still use it but dilute it a fair bit and dont leave it on for too long

[ukwill]

must ask, why were your brakes smoking when you got back to the car park? that way lies the rocky road of warped discs.

[RDM]

cableguy said:

Wonder Wheels is great for disolving wheels

C.

[Agent Orange]

Guys if they re really that hot, sooner or later the actual colour will change ................they re baking in effect. Always denotes heavily tracked car when u see them like this .

[rick111s]

what about using tfr (traffic film remover). most dealership use it to clean their cars. i use in neat on all my wheels and it really gets all the brake dust off without even really needing to be cleaned by hand. i would remove the wheel, spray some on, leave for a few minutes then pressure wash off..

just a thought.

[anonymous-user]

Yes , wonder wheels is a very harsh product but if all else fails its certantly worth a try.

P

[MaKSiNG]

ukwill said:

must ask, why were your brakes smoking when you got back to the car park? that way lies the rocky road of warped discs.

Rubbish!
Do you know why brakes smoke?
It is something in the compound of the pads that gets superheated and burns away. This is part of the bedding in process, since the pads must be heated in order for the adhension process to take place. The adhesion process is where the pad material gets transfered to the rotor/disc creating a very sticky layer on the rotor/disc itself. The smoke will only occur the first few times the brakes are superheated, so used very hard.
My pads were still relatively new before I went out and I didn't really get a chance to bed them in properly using the adhesion process. This is basically 8 to 10 very hard braking procedures from 100mph down to 10mph or so, making sure not to come to a complete stop, since this would cause uneven pad material transfer onto the disc.

Warped discs occur when a part of the disc is cooled when another part is not allowed to cool. For instance, if you were to use the brakes very hard then apply the handbrake or sit in the car with the brake pedal depressed. That is why they say, during trackdays when parked up never use the handbrake. Simply leave it in gear.

Agent Orange said:

Guys if they re really that hot, sooner or later the actual colour will change ................they re baking in effect. Always denotes heavily tracked car when u see them like this .

Again I say Rubbish.
What sort of temperatures do you think Brembo test their brakes to?
Do you really think a track novice or rather someone who does not use the car to race as such could generate more heat than the Brembos were tested and indeed manufacturer for?

Just to let you all know as well, I ended up finding some brake cleaner in the garage and used that. Forgot I had it. It worked a treat. Calipers are looking like new again.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I am sure T-Cut would have worked too but would maybe have required a bit more elbow-grease.

[Agent Orange]

If the colour change is rubbish how do u explain brown coloured calipers and yellow script ??

[superlightr]

Agent Orange said:

If the colour change is rubbish how do u explain brown coloured calipers and yellow script ??

bumming an oriental person?

[ukwill]

MaKSiNG said:

ukwill said:

must ask, why were your brakes smoking when you got back to the car park? that way lies the rocky road of warped discs.

Rubbish!
Do you know why brakes smoke?
It is something in the compound of the pads that gets superheated and burns away. This is part of the bedding in process, since the pads must be heated in order for the adhension process to take place. The adhesion process is where the pad material gets transfered to the rotor/disc creating a very sticky layer on the rotor/disc itself. The smoke will only occur the first few times the brakes are superheated, so used very hard.
My pads were still relatively new before I went out and I didn't really get a chance to bed them in properly using the adhesion process. This is basically 8 to 10 very hard braking procedures from 100mph down to 10mph or so, making sure not to come to a complete stop, since this would cause uneven pad material transfer onto the disc.

Warped discs occur when a part of the disc is cooled when another part is not allowed to cool. For instance, if you were to use the brakes very hard then apply the handbrake or sit in the car with the brake pedal depressed. That is why they say, during trackdays when parked up never use the handbrake. Simply leave it in gear.

Agent Orange said:

Guys if they re really that hot, sooner or later the actual colour will change ................they re baking in effect. Always denotes heavily tracked car when u see them like this .

Again I say Rubbish.
What sort of temperatures do you think Brembo test their brakes to?
Do you really think a track novice or rather someone who does not use the car to race as such could generate more heat than the Brembos were tested and indeed manufacturer for?

Just to let you all know as well, I ended up finding some brake cleaner in the garage and used that. Forgot I had it. It worked a treat. Calipers are looking like new again.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I am sure T-Cut would have worked too but would maybe have required a bit more elbow-grease.

Damn it. I knew those Porsche Cup drivers at Bedford were lying to me about the importance of cool down laps.