Hypermiling ruined my brakes! Toast after only 25k km / 15k miles

[Shawn D.]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Do you have any information that a film of WD-40 won't "dissipate from the rotor with the first applications of the brake"?

Do you have any information that a film of Crisco won't "dissipate from the rotor with the first applications of the brake"? If not, that must mean it's perfectly safe to use too!

[Ryland]

I would get those rotors machined instead of buying new unless they do get to thin, the minimum thickness of them that is stamped in the side takes in to account the heat dissipation and so on and in my opinion it's better to use up a part that is of good quality then to replace it with a new Chinese made part, turning rotors around here costs $15 each, new ones around here are $28 each (for my civic), I'll stick with my old rotors that are rusty enough to make yours look like they belong on a show room floor.

[MetroMPG]

Shawn D: your response implied you have some information that the author lacks. I was only looking for it. Thanks for elevating the tone of the discussion.

[Shawn D.]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Shawn D: your response implied you have some information that the author lacks. I was only looking for it. Thanks for elevating the tone of the discussion.

Contaminated brake pads are UNSAFE. What is hard to understand about that?

[wagonman76]

I much prefer disc brakes. I have had enough drum brake problems that I converted all my a-bodies to rear disc using parts from the 84-88 6000 STE. I also converted both my trailers to custom disc setups I designed. Drum brakes trap water, salt, mud, everything and all the little springs and parts corrode, break, refuse to self adjust, etc.

My Celebrity sits all winter, my 6000 sits most of the summer, and I don't have disc problems like that. Even the 6000 snowplow wagon doesn't, and the brakes on that only get used when I plow my driveway in the winter. It sits 99.5% of the time. However all my pads are semi-metallic. It might be worth looking into if you don't already use them. My trailers have organic pads, but like you said eariler, they do brake much harder when they get used. Still, I have never seen corrosion like that even on those rotors.

When I do replace the rotors, I always just buy new. Around here it is $25 a piece to have them turned, new ones are less than that, plus my vehicle isn't out of commision while waiting for them to do it.

[MetroMPG]

So in the absense of actual information about the effect of a light film of WD-40 on the brake rotors - aside from a dramatic warning from Shawn D, a newspaper article suggeting it's OK, the same tip on the WD-40 web site, and numerous references to people using it when putting cars up for storage - I tried it.

Here's my experience, on a car with clean/smooth rotors, with only the outboard surface of each front rotor sprayed:

- No perceptible change in braking behaviour, including the first stop (on an empty road), from moderate speeds (70 km / 45 mph) using moderate pressure (not close to approaching lock up).

- The pedal felt neither grabby nor spongy. It did not feel like I was trying to stop on ice.

- The second time I braked, I deliberately tried to see if I could achieve lock up, again braking from 70 km/h / 45 mph. No problem achieving lock up. (Dry, clean asphalt.)

- The film did not "dissipate from the rotor with the first applications of the brake" - at least not from the speeds and the braking pressure I was using. It took a total of five moderate/hard stops in a row before the film was gone. (At that point the rotor was too hot to touch). Maybe if you verged on lockup from high speed, going downhill, to a full stop, it might work in one try.

Is it possible that controlled testing could reveal increased stopping distance, before the film has been heated off? Of course it could. Is it a dramatic difference? I suspect not. (Now feel free to debate the relativity of safety.)

Is it possible results would be different if both sides of the rotor were sprayed? Of course it is. I didn't try both sides.

After trying this, would I personally do this to my rotors if I knew I was going to leave my car parked outside for an extended time? I'd consider it. It's still a pain in the butt though, owing to the smooth wheel covers and accessing the inboard surfaces.

Would I advise anyone to do this? Of course not. It's clearly unsafe.

[metroschultz]

It is unsafe. I want a bumper sticker for my Metro that says;
"Safety is for Sissies"
But you are a big boy now, make your own decisions. If you are comfortable with it, I am not going to tell you not to do it. (that's the Gubmints job)
I will however, relate a story of when I was younger and just started my career as an auto tech.

Summer,
1978,
I was working as the Mechanic Trainee for an Esso (yes that is the correct spelling) station in Richmond VA.
A "Full Service" service station.
We had a regular customer who fancied himself a practical joker.
We also had a new boy working the pumps, kid just over 16 years old.
Customer comes in (Quite Swiftly)with is relatively new Corvette.
Tells the kid'
"Fill 'er up with premium, check the fluids and...........
My brakes were squeaking earlier, give 'em a shot of WD40, would Ya?"
(Do you see where this is going yet?)
So the kid does just that, I don't know how much he used, definitely used too much.
Customer finishes his purchase, get in the car and takes off like a bat out of he!!. Hits the brakes at the edge of the road and..................
....................NOTHING................
he crosses four lanes of traffic,
cars whizzing by,
every one else brakes squealing,
hits the parking lot of the store across the street,
skids sideways into the retaining island in the lot.
No real damage to the car, flat spots on the tires,
but boy is he pi$$ed.
The kid got fired, I laughed my A$$ off, the customer never came back.

Just a little note on what not to do.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by Shawn D.

WD-40 on brakes? Do the bad ideas never stop around here?


Just how would that keep you in position on a hill without using energy? Answer: it wouldn't.

Oh- you've done this?

[Shawn D.]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

So in the absense of actual information about the effect of a light film of WD-40 on the brake rotors - aside from a dramatic warning from Shawn D, a newspaper article suggeting it's OK, the same tip on the WD-40 web site, and numerous references to people using it when putting cars up for storage - I tried it.

Originally Posted by WD-40

Protects cast iron brake rotors when storing vehicle.

They're opening themselves up for serious liability with that one. Sure, it'll protect them (I never said otherwise), but doing so and not removing it and/or contaminating the pads is dangerous.

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Oh- you've done this?

No, I'm not so blithe as to intentionally contaminate my brakes. One does not have to personally fail or see exactly matching evidence to know an idea is bad.

[Frank Lee]

I think the bad idea is acting like you know for sure when you don't.