Contaminated brake discs and hubs

So the disco decided it wanted to block its own rear axle breather up and then after a 30 mile drive spat its EP 90 out through the hub seals causing the rear hubs discs wheels to have a lovely coating of oily cr@p all over. I have bought new pads and replaced the hub seals on each side, cleared the breather etc etc but whats the best way to get rid of all the remaining contamination?

Yes i could buy disc cleaning spray and fire it all over the thing but thats pricey, cant i just use some form of thinners/spirit in a pump spray bottle to degrease it all? or should i just go down the local jet wash and hit it with hot soapy high pressure water?

the pads arent fitted yet as i want to clean it all down before i stick em in.

suggestions please, ideally those that dont involve me having to find the time to buy disc cleaner as im mega busy this week.

Ta

Cant see why rubbing alcohol wouldnt work (or maybe white spirit) to clean it all off - any good degreaser should work.

Clean the discs with paper towel and any solvent such as White Spirits, petrol, paraffin. Paints thinners are a bit aggressive imo.

Dave

it is all over the callipers too, maybe you are right Dave, thinners might just screw the seals on the callipers.

Petrol maybe?

DiscoPol said:

it is all over the callipers too, maybe you are right Dave, thinners might just screw the seals on the callipers.

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If you come to England by car from time to time, grab yourself a dozen cans of "Tool Station" aerosol brake and clutch cleaner it's only about £2.50 per 400ml can and great to have in stock - that's what I do. They have depots all over the UK so you won't be far from one.

Dave

Meths or

I found this at a UPVC Cladding store recently and have started using it for most things, all cladding places sell it and its cheaper at the branch than advertised on the net.

Solvent Cleaner | Cleaning Products | Eurocell

A soapy jetwash first will get 90% of it off your hubs and calipers.

Wipe off best you can with cloths and fit new brake parts. It will be fine.

Hi

Toolstation, Brake cleaner spray, cheep and works great.

Regards

Jonathan

jonathanp said:

Hi

Toolstation, Brake cleaner spray, cheep and works great.

Regards

Jonathan

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Cheers for the heads up mate but I'm a bit far from my nearest branch, about 2000kms

Hi

If you can not get Brake cleaner the best will be to use an similar type solvent to the contamination, in this case petrol will be best and then clean off the petrol with rags and then clean with something like methylated spirits, and if needed a final wash with a soap/detergent solution then water and dry quickly.

You will not need the soap detergent / water if you use lots of petrol dry thoroughly with rags and and rinse thoroughly with methylated spirits and dry with clean rags

Each will remove approx. 95% of the previous substance but will leave a residue that is why you go to the next one in the chain. You can use diesel instead of petrol but it will leave a more oily residue

Steam clean it

just drive it thru the muddy puddles like ya usually do

I use rags, paraffin, rags, and mebe a douse of brake cleaner on the discs.

nrgserv said:

just drive it thru the muddy puddles like ya usually do

I use rags, paraffin, rags, and mebe a douse of brake cleaner on the discs.

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wish i could Neil but its noot really rained here for months so every where is dry and no bloody mud goona douse it all with something at the weekend and clean it off with rags etc and stick the new pads on.