On Oct 13, 6:10*am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
Friend of mine, has a Buick station wagon, 1993.

Last time he did front brakes and rotors, he neglected
to take the grease or wax or whatever off the rotors.

We aren't sure, but maybe that was part of why he
needed brake pads and rotors again so soon. Does
anyone know?

As he was about to put the rotor on, I *handed him some
spray solvent (carb cleaner; it's what I had). And paper
towels, he didn't know about degreasing the rotors. I'd
been told to degrease them, by several mechanics I know.

Does it make a big difference? Does leaving the grease on
contaminate the pads, and make the pads wear faster?

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org
.

Rubbers seals on the caliper pistons can sieze and get stuck. Then
the pads drag ALL the time. If you've got grease on the rotors, you
just won't get good braking with the residue it leaves after it burns
off. If anything, the pads won't wear as much. With a car that old,
probably replacing hoses and calipers along with the pads and rotors
would be a good thing. It'd be unusual if the hoses didn't have
cracks in them if they're still OEM. First thing I change out on a
used vehicle, after the engine oil. Pumping out all the sludge in the
brake lines comes after. I've rebuilt calipers that have had stuck
pistons, the rebuild kit ran about half the cost of a rebuilt caliper
and I STILL had a piston that stuck. Rebuilts usually ran about
$20-30 for the vehicles I've had. Pads make a difference, too. I've
used them all, the best I've found has been a ceramic pad. Gives good
braking and pretty decent life. It's about the most like the old
asbestos-filled jobbies, more expensive, of course. I never got more
than a year or two out of cheap pads.

Carb cleaner may be better than nothing, but most of those have some
residue. If you've got to use something other than brake cleaner,
acetone or VM&P naptha will do. There's ALWAYS some sort of
preservative on the machined surfaces of drums and rotors or they'd
rust up sitting on the shelf.

Stan