How to Stop Brake Rotor Rust

Rust is common on a car's brake rotors. Because these parts are out of the sunlight, moisture can easily build up within the brakes and lead to rust. The good news is that rust on the brake rotors is not a big problem. There's little you can do to completely stop rust from forming, but it's very easy to keep that rust from building up.

Instructions

1

Drive the car frequently to give the brakes plenty of use, especially if you live in humid or rainy conditions. The rust will always begin to build up, but applying the brakes will remove the rust from the rotors.

2

Clean the rotors regularly. You will need to raise the car and remove the wheel to reach the rotors, and you might want to remove the caliper to clean the entire rotor. Use an aerosol brake cleaner with a pan underneath to catch the dripping residue; never use compressed air on brake parts because of the asbestos in them.

3

Use an oil-based lubricant on any parts of the rotor that don't touch the pads when driving. Apply this only if you notice rust beginning to build up. Use a aerosol-based lubricant like WD-40, wipe it and the rust away with a cloth. Make sure all the lubricant is gone from the rotors before driving.

4

Replace your brake rotors with ones that have special plating or coating like zinc or cadmium. Zinc may be the better option as cadmium contains poisons that can wear down onto the roads and can possibly cause environmental problems.