Rusty OEM rotors...my little project to attack this subject>>>
 

Call it what you want but from day one I have been bothered by the rusty appearance of the Z51 rotors...yes they are cast iron but these rotors just rust more than many others... my Lotus Elise rotors barely rust and in fact look new after 2000+ miles. So I looked at options and decided to see if the cheap route might work (local powder coating place wanted $125 per rotor! so that fell off the option list). Here is what I did>>>

First the materials list
1 gal Oxysolve from Eastwood.com
blue loc tite
paint brush and '0' steel wool
13/16" socket drive
Acetone
bucket

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7.../Materials.jpg

You need to remove each brake caliper assembly therefore remove the two 13/16" (or 21mm) bolts holding on the caliper bracket
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...andbracket.jpg

When reinstalling the bracket will need the blue loc tite for the bolts.

Now this is what you will start with...pre treatment rotors front and rear>>>
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...orPreTreat.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...orpretreat.jpg

After removing the caliper brackets remove each rotor and soak/brush in the Oxisolve (place about 1/2 gal in the bucket). Also using the brush (with a catch container under each hub assembly) brush on Oxisolve several times...work heavier rust with steel wool

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...orinbucket.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...bposttreat.jpg

Takes about 15 minutes soaking for each rotor and then place on newspaper and dry off. Next using the Acetone with steel wool and paper towls (not too much...don't want the to have dripping clean off coating in holes and vanes) clean off brake pad contact surfaces (area will remain a dull greyish appearance and the little remaining on the contact surface with quickly burnish off on first brake application. On rear rotors make sure you do the emergency brake shoe contact areas inside the rotor.

Any way here is the post treatment appearance and every bit of the rust (inside vanes of rotors, holes etc) is gone. All the surfaces now are coated with zinc phosphate... quoting from the product label (and fully backed by Eastwood folks) OxiSolv is designed as a one step process to remove rust. At the same time it leaves a zinc phosphate coating which not only inhibits further rusting but also provides excellent primer adhesion.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...ntcomplete.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...rposttreat.jpg

After first drive here the pad contact areas starting to burnish up a bit>>>
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...terdriving.jpg

Long term...don't know since I just did this on Saturday, but I do know that the process removed a lot of rust from the rotors and IMO looks a hell of a lot better Total time: 1 hr per rotor (couple beers thrown in to boot)

Michael

Looks very good. I'd like to try that myself. What are the caliper bracket bolts torqued to? :thumbs:

Very nice post. You just might have saved me a whole lot of $. :cheers:


TRR

Wouldn't the contact surfaces just re-rust after the pads have rubbed off the coating?

I do understand that this would prevent to REST of the rotor from rusting...

Nice job...

Rick

Yes. I doubt the zinc phosphate crystals survive the first couple of brake applications. In the same way, rust will not be able to remain on the contact areas either. Powder coaters would also mask off the contact surfaces to preserve brake function. In any case, C6FirstVette's treatment DOES make a significant improvment in the hub appearance and rest of the rotor. Good info.

Nice Job!

Excellent post. I appreciate the top looking down photo on the rotor to see how the calipers are attached. I'm painting the calipers in a couple of weeks and this was very helpful. You saved me some time and surprise. Let us know how the treatment holds up. Thanks!

Nice job, thanks for the pictures

Thanks all...guess I better post torque numbers now...did a cross link post over on DC forum and one member got a little 'aggressive'...anyway I torqued to 120 lbs (mr aggressive says 125 lbs and MUST replace bolts each time you remove...assume he will explain the logic to that).
Michael

I read that exchange. That DC member is a well-qualifed Corvette technician, but I wouldn't take it personally if I were you. The torque numbers were covered on CF in a separate thread today. You offered valuable, useful information even without the torque numbers. Besides, on something as critical as calipers, I would not use torque numbers posted on the internet anyway...I would order the service manual and read it for myself. :thumbs:

Excellent post but ya got me dizzy when I looked into that bucket picture! Please let us know if it keeps the rust stains from occurring on the rims after washing the rotors during a car wash.
Thanks!

are you saying to use the steel wool and acetone on the rotor itself where the brake pads would touch?

I don't think the zinc phosphate wash will hold up over the long term. It's meant more as a surface prep prior to painting and to keep rust off parts over a short timeframe.

If you wanted to try something that might, after doing the cleanup you could mask off the braking surfaces and try a cold galvanizing spray paint. I'm not sure if it would hold up to the heat, though as I've never used it except on galvanized radiators at work. I also don't see why you couldn't use hi-heat spray paint.

The caliper bracket bolts (front and rear) are 129 ft-lbs. The caliper slide pins are 23 ft-lbs, and the manual does not indicate one time use only on either one.:thumbs:

DJ

Wow! a 5 year old thread :eek:

Happens everyday. :rofl:

Drove me nuts also. I just painted mine black. Drive for 5 mins and whatever excess paint I got on the rotors rubbed off. It has been 6 months now and still looks good!
:cool:

I sandblasted mine, acid etching primer, silver 2 stage paint, clear.


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my bad about the old thread, never really looked at the post dates. Good news is that I got enough feedback to give me ideas to do this project :)

Sounds about right, ive never personally "torqued" a brake caliper bracket though..

And you are correct, they are not torque to yield like head bolts, they are fine to re-use.