I'm A Master Mechanic, Alright...

[pdub]

The saga of Bubba's brakes continues. After the video tip that Beags posted on how to use a couple of bolts through the caliper threads to pop the rotors off of there. After about four days of beating on it. After I wore them down metal-to-metal to start with. Yep, I'm astute on upkeep and repair alright.

So I got the new rotors and pads on, and all is well. The manager at the local AutoZone, a guy who maybe 5 folks at work have recommended as knowing his stuff...he told me...."These rotors have a protective coating on them to keep them from rusting on the shelf. You'll need to use brake cleaner or scrub them with detergent and steel wool or something to get that off of there, or, they will glaze your new pads and ruin them."

So I shot the new rotors with brake cleaner and danced around drunk because I was so glad to finally have those old rotors off, and then I put the new rotors on there. So now the pads are glazed. They grunt and groan coming to a stop and today I took one rear wheel apart to have a look. Yep, the pads are glazed. They look like a layer of cooked-on molasses or something. Real ugly.

I am SO talented. Another set of new pads tomorrow. Yep, I'm getting this car guy thing down to a science. I'm my own crew chief already, and other folks are wondering why I don't hire somebody else.

[Deaf Bob]

Just scruff the glaze off with fine sandpaper. "deglazing" is not just a cooking term

[Stewzer55]

What Bob said, it works. My old S10 had some glazing in the pads, but after sanding it off, that thing would lock up the brakes like nothing. Cheap tires may have had something to do with that too.

[Whelk]

When I swap rotors and pads I'll spray down the rotors with brakleen and scrub them with a green scotch pad. Then I'll go out and bed inn the pads in the giant church parking nlot across the street. That works pretty well for me. No glazing.

[Beagle]

since this is General and I can't help myself but trash it out...



Beer is a distraction best left to after brake repair duties.

now... you really don't need new pads. You already have them. Since I find myself repeating myself (awkward) I'll go into as much detail as my addled brain allows here. Follow the advice already given... or take them in the house and wash them with DAWN



DAWN I said

If it's good enough for a baby seal, it's good enough for pickup truck brakes. Dawn is the preferred dish soap for grease removal. Don't wash your car with it unless you want the wax removed.

Clean the with DAWN and Scotch-Brite (R) abrasive pads. Resist the urge to use cheaper inferior names - insist on Scotch-Brite(R). Green pads work well for this application.



Do not wash your car with Scotch-Brite(R) and Dawn unless you want the wax and the clear coat removed. These items are located conveniently close to each other in the grocery store in most civilized locations. It's in the cleaning aisle. Get new ones so Sue Unit doesn't beat your ass for taking hers or leaving one in the sink that looks like it belongs in the garage. Technically, it should be clean enough to use on dishes when you are done though.

Clean them (the pads and the rotors) thoroughly. Take used Scotch-Brite(R) pad back into the garage with you. Clean up your mess so Sue Unit doesn't beat your ass for trashing out her kitchen. Leave other two in the kitchen as a present. Hint: Don't take existing Scotch-Brite(R) from kitchen. Get new ones and leave the leftovers as proof that you didn't take the pan scrubber for your hotrod. Getting busted with the only pan scrubber in the house laying on your toolbox is a long lasting experience. You'll hear about it for years. If you have a stainless sink, make sure you didn't leave any evidence. In fact, if you scrub the sink to where it shines, the whole exercise can be written off as "I thought I'd polish the sink for you honey". If it's a ceramic sink, a sacrificial towel should be put down between it and the rotors so you don't leave marks on the sink. You'll hear about that for years too if you don't leave it cleaner than you found it.

ALWAYS get 2 new cans of brake cleaner when you are doing brakes. Why 2? Because you'll need more than one. That, and it sucks to run out in the middle of the job. Your grubby hands get on the rotors and they need to be cleaned of your grubby fingerprints and oily residues even after you've tediously labored to ensure their sterility. They should be so clean they rust in front of your face.

After you get everything assembled, spray the rotor parts you can see again. Rotate and do the same until they don't show any grease, fingerprints, etc.

Then follow the brake pad manufacturer's recommendations on bedding in the new pads.

[Beagle]

post script... I can't emphasize enough leaving the kitchen cleaner than you found it. "Honey, I found a new use for Scotch-Brite(R)" is typically answered with "Honey, I found a new use for a rolling pin!"

Some women have been known to wield a cast iron skillet instead of a rolling pin. Don't get LODGE imprinted on your forehead. For reference, it leaves a negative imprint that you can see correctly when you look in the mirror, but folks may want to know why you have EGDOL embedded into your face and it's embarrassing to explain.

hope this helps.

/edit -

oh yeah, another domestic tranquility tip. Don't spray the rotors or pads with brake cleaner in the house. It does not have what most women would consider to be a pleasing aroma. Personally, I think it smells like money. I shouldn't have to say this ... but some guys get confused about whether the car or the status of marriage is more important. It is admittedly easy to become confused sometimes and jeopardize your relationship by multi-purposing the kitchen. It's terribly easy to get overwhelmed with excitement at the discovery of getting more use from the most expensive room in the house. The really clever guys put a sink in the garage.

[SuperBuickGuy]

and don't forget to properly "bed" the brakes. Most brakes require some process to heat up the brakes then let them cool down completely to properly set them up... read the instructions from your brake pads for what the manufacturer recommends

[STINEY]

^^^ What these guys said...............and I'll add not to forget the motorcycle gas tank you tumbled clean in the dryer.

She gets real funny looking when she finds the dryer occupied by non-laundry items.

Turns out women are also adverse to car parts in the dryer.

I previously educated myself about the stove, freezer, and dishwasher - but apparently the dryer is off-limits as well.

[BigAL]

What brand brake pads are you using? I know the EBC pads I got had a break in coating on the face of the pad and you have to drive like 1000 miles before you do the "bed in" procedure. So you might want to read those instructions or look up the brand pads and see what the manufacturer says about bedding in the brake pads. Also if the pads are making noise or squealing, make sure the pads have an anti squeal shim that is on the back of the pad, some pads come with them, some don't and you have to buy the shim separately. Most times brake squeal isn't the pad contacting the rotor, it's the back of the pad rubbing on the caliper. They also sell sprays and lubes to put on the back of the pads, but that stuff doesn't work as good as the shims.

[Beagle]

He's not answering - must have put them in the dishwasher. Maybe we should take up a collection for pdub's recovery fund or Sue Unit's legal defense team in case she's buried him and the brake pads in the backyard.

[Beagle]

^^^ What these guys said...............and I'll add not to forget the motorcycle gas tank you tumbled clean in the dryer.

She gets real funny looking when she finds the dryer occupied by non-laundry items.

Turns out women are also adverse to car parts in the dryer.

I previously educated myself about the stove, freezer, and dishwasher - but apparently the dryer is off-limits as well.

I hadn't thought about the dryer... and was promptly informed that the dryer was most decidedly off limits as well. "It's not supposed to smell like gasoline"

Apparently the female of the species has no sense of humor either "But what if I used some of your dryer sheets?"

I'm thinking about this more and more, hell, she's just trying to move me out of the house. Garage needs an oven for powdercoating, sink for cleaning up various parts and if you have to get a drain, might was well put a head in there. I was just told to spend 50.00 for a "Garage" dryer which I'm guessing will be followed up with 50.00 washer to do the dirty rags in. Already have a garage fridge. I think I'm being pushed out of the house.

It's time to make a stand. I'm putting the cylinder head BACK on the coffee table. That's what I get for taking all the car parts out of the living room.

[STINEY]

. Already have a garage fridge. I think I'm being pushed out of the house.

It's time to make a stand. I'm putting the cylinder head BACK on the coffee table. That's what I get for taking all the car parts out of the living room.

That'll teach ya'. I've gotten so I leave random crap I don't care about laying around on purpose. I figure if she has that stuff to box up and put in the barn, well, it is delaying ME being boxed up and moved to the barn?

Example: the basement I am working so hard on making usable space? I made a stand, she was looking it over and mentioned which stuff could come down here. Now, except for laundry there is no female involvement in the space below ground level, and that is minimal. Generally I stuff the clothes from one box to the other and push the buttons. Anyways, my stand consisted of me saying I'm doing all the digging so I have a space for me SOMEWHERE within the space I pay tax upon.

The look I got was a mixture between pity and indifference. Strange new look, first time for everything though. However the statement I got was rather more clear, along the lines of "you can think that all you want, but there is no place within or under these walls that is not MINE."

Harsh man, harsh. Married a Ginger, I did.

[pdub]

Wow, this is the best thread I've read in a long time! Somewhere between the Car Monkey Garage and Dr. Phil!

And no, I haven't been answering because I've been laboriously attending to my all-day car parts money raising event (my job).

So now I'm free to get after it and to put the squeaky clean rotors and the sanded-off pads in the clothes dryer to dry them off, and that's something I would have NEVER thought of in my life, sans the less-than-subtle suggestion of such. This should play out to be a mighty fun afternoon at the Weeville abode for sure. Thanks guys!

[STINEY]

Be sure to stuff them in a duffel bag first, and then wrap the duffel bag with a blanket. Use duct tape to keep the blanket on with.

No need to bang up the dryer for no good reason!

[70chevyC-10]

Wow, this is the best thread I've read in a long time! Somewhere between the Car Monkey Garage and Dr. Phil!

And no, I haven't been answering because I've been laboriously attending to my all-day car parts money raising event (my job).

So now I'm free to get after it and to put the squeaky clean rotors and the sanded-off pads in the clothes dryer to dry them off, and that's something I would have NEVER thought of in my life, sans the less-than-subtle suggestion of such. This should play out to be a mighty fun afternoon at the Weeville abode for sure. Thanks guys!

Don't steal her turkey baster either - no tool box should be without one.