http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Contaminated disc brake pads - fixable? en Wed, 13 May 2026 05:02:31 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11237#post-126520 Mon, 30 Sep 2013 20:56:35 +0000 Greenroofer 126520@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks folks. It sounds like it's not worth the bother roasting the pads...</p> <p>@Roibeard: I can see that brake cleaner (I have some expensive spray) would work if there was an accidental spillage that I could get to quickly. However the problem is like @Cyclops describes: something got on the pads at some point, I carried on using the brakes and it's now sunk right in. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11237#post-126429 Mon, 30 Sep 2013 08:53:12 +0000 DaveC 126429@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've tried cleaner, burning in meths etc.. and camping gas stove. The camping cas stove method worked but the pad material crumbled and the glue holding them to the metal also melted. Bin them and get new ones. If it happens again get the hydrolic lines fixed or replaced. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11237#post-126427 Mon, 30 Sep 2013 08:48:19 +0000 Cyclops 126427@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The more the pads have been used after becoming contaminated, the harder it is to get any oil out. The pads heat during use allowing contaminants to penetrate into the pad. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11237#post-126426 Mon, 30 Sep 2013 08:42:25 +0000 Dave 126426@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've tried torching Avid pads over a flame but without any success. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11237#post-126421 Mon, 30 Sep 2013 07:38:12 +0000 Roibeard 126421@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Brake cleaner? Purely by analogy with motorised vehicles, but I expect the technology is very similar.</p> <p>I've successfully given my Magura pads a squirt following a foolish error during a (mineral oil) bleeding session...</p> <p>That said, they didn't really have time to absorb much brake fluid.</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11237#post-126411 Sun, 29 Sep 2013 23:40:31 +0000 kaputnik 126411@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think DaveC or perhaps Steveo, of this parish, roasted [his] disk brake pads on a camping stove or similar.</p> <p>No idea if it worked! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11237#post-126390 Sun, 29 Sep 2013 20:53:59 +0000 Greenroofer 126390@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have Shimano hydraulic disc brakes on my commuter bike. Something contaminated the rear brake, and it went from working to being squealing and ineffectual over a couple of days last week. I think it might be oil off the chain, but I don't know. Annoyingly this is a relatively new set of pads, so they would have had a lot of life in them.</p> <p>I've cleaned off the rotor and put some new pads on and all is working fine.</p> <p>Question is, can I rescue the old pads? They are 'metal' pads (Shimano calls them 'M06') and I've read all kinds of stuff on the internet saying I can recover them by setting them alight with meths, or roasting them in an oven. I think the idea is that it carbonises the oil or grease that's absorbed into the pad.</p> <p>Have you got any experience of this? Do you know if it actually <em>works</em>? Have you got any tips for recovering these pads, or should they just go in the bin?</p> <p>It's annoying, because they are quite expensive to replace (particularly because when I went online today to order a new pair of pads, I 'accidentally' bought some new pedals too...) </p>