The brake rotors are one of the most vital components to ensure the safety and security of your vehicle. If you want to keep your vehicle in top condition, you must regularly clean your car’s brake rotors. We recommend washing it after a long drive. If you don’t clean it, it could get dirty and malfunction.
Cleaning brake rotors is a challenge as you may get irritated by the wheel. It is best to remove the car wheels and take out the brake rotor. However, it is a pain taking off the wheel of your car frequently. It may result in the loss of the bolt and nut on the wheel. Therefore, many of us want to know how to clean brake rotors without removing wheels.
How to Clean Brake Rotors without Removing Wheels? Here is a short Answer-
Cleaning the brake rotors without removing the vehicle’s wheel is somewhat challenging. You can apply a brake cleaner spray on the surface of soapy water and then a quick brushing, followed by cleaning the surface. Also, use a blower or a Daytona brush to blow off the dust from the rotors.
In this article, we will be discussing the methods to clean the brake rotors on your vehicle without removing wheels. Keep reading!
In simple, you can clean brake rotors on your vehicle without removing wheels using:
- Brake Rotor Rust Removal Spray
- Using Salt and Vinegar
- Leaf or Air Blower
- Soapy Water
Dirty Brake Rotors
Most of us understand the necessity of checking the brake pads, rotors, and brakes regularly to ensure they don’t wear down to a great extent. There are various ways because of which the brake rotors get dirty. These are:
Dust from brakes
As your brake pads get worn down, they create brake dust. This fine dust falls over the rotors and stays there until cleaned.
Brake fluid and oil
Your car may leak brake fluid or oil for a variety of reasons. This leaking brake fluid or the oil may drip on the rotors. Here it mixes with dust and oil particles resulting in gunk.
Rust
If you stay in a humid region and there is salt on the roads during the winter months, your car’s brake rotors will get rust and begin to erode.
Road grime
The road grime may stick to your brake rotors when you travel on a dirty route.
Importance of Cleaning Brake Rotors [Rusty Break Disc]
It’s a good idea to establish the habit of inspecting the brake rotors and washing them regularly. Cleaning the brake rotors is necessary since:
- Road grime and brake dust can mask other issues. So, if you have got a leaky brake caliper, it will be more evident once it is free of dirt.
- Dust from the brakes is the main reason for squealing brakes. The removal of the dust will reduce this squealing.
- It is convenient to put some brake grease onto the brake rotor while installing pads. It is obvious that you don’t want brake grease to be sprayed on your new brake pads. So, cleaning the rotors will help to avoid this.
When to Clean the Brake Rotors?
Here are some of the most common indicators of dirty brake rotors:
- Longer stopping distances.
- Squealing brakes.
- The steering wheel and brake pedal vibrate.
- The vehicle pulls towards one side on hard braking.
How To Clean the Brake Rotors Without Removing Wheel??
If you are looking for ways to clean brake rotors without removing the wheel, then you have come to the right location. Getting rust off on brake rotors without removing wheels is a simple procedure. However, it is dependent on the design of the wheel.
Brake Cleaners
There are various products ava
ilable to clean and degrease metallic surfaces, such as brake cleaners. You can use them to clean rust off brake rotors as well. It is available in liquid forms, and you can place it into a spray bottle. Simply connect the pipe of the spray bottle onto the rotor and then spray the cleaner. After spraying, please let it sit before washing it with normal water.This way, it is not necessary to take off or open the wheel because you will be able to effortlessly reach the rotor using the pipe from your spray bottle.
Leaf Blower or Air Blower
A leaf blower is an electrical air blower that is usually utilized to clear the backyard garden edges. It is strong enough to blow dust from the brake rotors effortlessly. One of the most significant advantages of having this blower is that its air can reach the entire rotor, even the latest wheel rim design.
Daytona Brush
Daytona brush is used for cleaning brake pads or wheels of the car. It is the best tool to remove dirt from the brake rotors. It is effortless to implement the method by being seated beside your vehicle. You can easily clean rust off the brake rotors on your car. All you will need is some water and a Daytona brush.
It is a long, flexible nylon-furry brush that has a plastic handle. The brush is large enough to reach the depth where you can not put any other cleaning material like cloth or a stiff brush. So it can clean the most complicated wheel design too. Simply grab the brush and place it in the empty spaces on the rim of the wheel.
Inspect the Brake Pads
Brake pads are a mechanical system that cleanses the brake rotor while driving. If it’s a large brake pad, it will cover the entire brake rotor completely. You will not require any tools to clean it separately. When it starts to decay, the rotor is pushed out, and, in the blank space, the rust and dust discover spots to adhere. It is crucial to inspect your pads once after a time.
Soapy water
The most economical tool is water and soap to wash the brake rotors. All you need is to prepare the soap and water solution and then apply it to the brake rotors in order get rust off the rotors without removing wheel.
You can use a hose pipe or a spray pipe fitted with a tiny motor. You will need to hang the pipe on the outside and apply water pressure on the rotating rotors. The water pressure will blow away the dust particles from the rotors, and the soap will wash it further by itself. The only thing you have to do is keep pipes in the correct direction and keep adjusting the angle.
Here are the Top 5 Brake Rotor Cleaners
- Brakleen® Brake Parts Cleaners – Overall Break part Cleaner
- Brake Buster Rotor Cleaner – Recommended Best Rotor Cleaner
- 3M 08180 High Power Brake Cleaner – Rotor Rust Cleaner
- Brakleen Non-Chlorinated Brake Parts Cleaner – Best Brake Rust Cleaner
- MITREAPEL’s Brake Parts Cleaner – Best Brake Cleaner for Rusty Brakes
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can you remove rust off rotors without removing the wheel?
Place a tray down to catch any runoff. Now spray some brake cleaner on the rotor. Let it dry completely, and then wipe it with a clean rag. If you see some remaining rust, apply more brake cleaner. You can clean the surface using a ball of steel wool or wire brush. Wipe off the rotor thoroughly. Make sure to complete the procedure in a well-ventilated area.
How to clean brakes without removing wheels?
Cleaning the brakes without removing the wheel can be somewhat challenging. You can apply a brake cleaner spray on the surface and then a quick brushing, followed by cleaning the surface.
What happens if you don’t clean new brake rotors?
If the new brake rotor has been put in place without cleaning the rust off, then the rotor may not be perfectly flush to the hub. Never use any anti-seize compound or abrasive materials for cleaning because they can hinder the fastener’s performance and the thread’s geometry.
What can I use instead of a brake cleaner to clean rotors?
You can use soap and warm water. It is the most cost-effective method to flush out the dirt and remove any trace of solvent residue.
Can I spray brake cleaner without removing the tire?
First, you need to spray the solution on the caliper/wheels, and then hose it off. You can use a small brush to apply brake dust remover or degreaser. Rinse the brush after agitating. Use the best wheel cleaner, spray it, let it foam up, and then rinse it off to remove all the brake dust.
Conclusion
If you can, performing these tasks yourself can save time and money for car maintenance. Certain components in modern cars are highly complex and, we recommend leaving the work to a professional. However, cleaning and washing the brake rotors is an easy task that every car enthusiast can do.
