Preventing rust on rotors after a car wash

[General Lee]

Is there a product out there to spray on the rotors to avoid rust after a wash? I`ll wash my garage queen and put it away in the garage only to have rust on the rotors in hours. I`ll drive forward and back in the driveway after the wash to allow the pads to scuff the rotors but sometimes its not enough. I have a gravel driveway so I don`t go far after a wash because of the dust. I`d rather just spray something on the rotors.

[Setec Astronomy]

https://www.autopia-carcare.com/hydes-serum-rustopper.html#.X7CooWhKi70

[Accumulator]

Perhaps merely a coincidence, but after I used the Hyde stuff the previously OK oe finish on the A8`s front rotors was utterly ruined, requiring Pro refinishing to get back to OK. Also, I found the product of, uhm....modest...efficacy (to be generous). The best I can say is that "it sorta works but don`t use it on something you *really* care about (which would include all of my vehicles). <br>
<br>
I have a few bottles on the shelf that I oughta just throw away some time...every time I see them I think of the hassle of shipping off those rotors and the car being stuck on a lift for ages...<br><br><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;">So...no matter what, after I wash something I drive it enough for the pads to clean that surface rust off the rotors, and then I clean up the resulting mess with something.&nbsp; If I can`t drive it in the normal sense, I at least pull it back/forth a zillion times in the shop, which requires lots of floorspace.&nbsp; Yes, it`s a huge hassle but I`ve yet to come up with a real solution :(</span>

EDIT: And yeah, that "little bit of surface rust" can matter. I had to replace the S8`s rotors over it actually pitting their surface to the point of affecting the braking behavior.

[General Lee]

Thanks Accumulator, I`ve always respected your knowledge and opinion.

[The Guz]

Haven`t had an issue with hydes.

[Accumulator]

Haven`t had an issue with hydes.

Glad to hear that! I`d love it for everybody else to have positive experiences with the stuff. Then this can just be another of the many things that don`t work for [Accumulator] but do work fine for many others.

*I* had OK experiences with it until it cost me a [freakin`] fortune on the A8, and that could`ve *absolutely* just been, well...one of those things.

BUT note that even when I used it, I still had to somehow rotate the wheels/rotors to deal with the moisture trapped under the pads; failure to do that can result in the exact type of corrosion that killed the S8`s rotors (and has left others less-than-perfect too), so I sure wouldn`t skip it. Not a big deal, but it *kinda* defeats the whole idea of using the Hyde`s if the vehicle will just be sitting in the same place during/after the wash (unless you`re jacking it up anyhow).

So I`m sure not flaming the stuff, just mentioning some caveats and admitting that it wasn`t right for me. Do wish I hadn`t bought so much before rendering my judgement though :(

[Desertnate]

If it is a garage queen and you`re not able to move it around enough to knock rust off the rotors, I wonder if a waterless or rinseless washes might be a better choice. You can wash the car and the rotors will never get wet.

[dgage]

If it is a garage queen and you`re not able to move it around enough to knock rust off the rotors, I wonder if a waterless or rinseless washes might be a better choice. You can wash the car and the rotors will never get wet.

I don’t have a garage queen but I was doing a rinseless wash yesterday and thought that same exact thing about the rotors. Also made me think of something Mike Phillips posted for older cars that he won’t do a regular wash on them due to potential body rust issues. As a matter of fact, I did a rinseless yesterday and didn’t have much dripping on my driveway so for me, and I was considering a switch, I don’t personally see the need for waterless. I was using the Cobra Buff & Shine microfiber towels (blue/gray) with Wolfgang Uber SiO2 Rinseless and like I said, very little water hitting the ground. Definitely none on my rotors but in the warmer months I often do a regular wash but I may have to rethink that.

[Stokdgs]

I just use the Metro Master Blaster all over the vehicle, and especially on the wheels, rotors, tires, and I hardly ever have the issue. https://www.autopia-carcare.com/master-blaster.html#.X7TMo2WQH3g

But I live in California, so I also have better weather conditions..

Air movement and heat dries things, so having learned by living in the Pacific Northwest for 11 years, when you don`t have heat, use a lot of air movement to help dry things on/in vehicles..

I have 4 of these for each side of the floor of Interiors to help dry it faster after cleaning and extracting carpets, etc.. https://www.amazon.com/Air-King-3-Speed-Pivoting-Grounded/dp/B00009YV7B

Perhaps something like this pointed at your brakes for a bit could help dry the pads,etc.., ?

Dan F

[Accumulator]

Stokdgs- Some of my rotors flash-rust pretty much *instantly*. Noting that they get wet again right away since I use so much water, it`s almost like..."set down hose, grab airline, stare at the rust and say `why bother` ".

Desertnate- Oh man, if I could RW/etc. without marring my life would be *SO* much easier :o Though I gotta be careful about getting IUDJ on the rotors too.."it`ll just get wiped right off by the pads" but only after the first "stop that doesn`t happen", sure didn`t expect that!

[Desertnate]

Stokdgs- Some of my rotors flash-rust pretty much *instantly*. Noting that they get wet again right away since I use so much water, it`s almost like..."set down hose, grab airline, stare at the rust and say `why bother` ".

The rotors on my BMW are like that. Rust faster than anything I`ve ever owned...but the stop better than anything I`ve ever owned too... Mine too will start rusting while I`m drying off the car. Even on a foggy morning I`ll come out to my car after work and they will be nicely rusted up. Fortunately, a couple horrible sounding stabs of the brakes later and they are shiny again.


Desertnate- Oh man, if I could RW/etc. without marring my life would be *SO* much easier :o Though I gotta be careful about getting IUDJ on the rotors too.."it`ll just get wiped right off by the pads" but only after the first "stop that doesn`t happen", sure didn`t expect that!

Marring is a big concern for me with a waterless wash too and I`ve never tried a rinseless wash to form an opinion. My thoughts were a garage queen might not get dirty enough for marring to be the problem it is for us with our daily drivers. Hard to say since we`re not there, but it would be an alternative to a bucket/hose wash and rusty rotors.

Are you saying IUDJ effected braking when it got on your rotors?! Wow. I didn`t think any detailing product would last more than a brief moment to the heat and stress of a brake pad on a rotor.

[Accumulator]

Marring is a big concern for me with a waterless wash too and I`ve never tried a rinseless wash to form an opinion. My thoughts were a garage queen might not get dirty enough for marring to be the problem it is for us with our daily drivers. Hard to say..

Eh, I`ve had "mild garage dust" mar something awful, so I err on the side of caution. But then, I`m awfully fanatical about this and can`t expect everybody else to be. I do clean my wheels/tires often between washes, and *ON MY WHEELS* any resulting marring/etc. is OK with me. But yeah...I don`t get `em truly wet unless I have a plan for the rotors.



Are you saying IUDJ effected braking when it got on your rotors?! Wow. I didn`t think any detailing product would last more than a brief moment to the heat and stress of a brake pad on a rotor.

YES.

I *NEVER* expected that and would`ve scoffed at the mere suggestion. Live and learn...though it was more like "live to tell" as it was just incredibly severe. Never woulda thunk it...

[General Lee]

If it is a garage queen and you`re not able to move it around enough to knock rust off the rotors, I wonder if a waterless or rinseless washes might be a better choice. You can wash the car and the rotors will never get wet.

No, I wish. My driveway is a 1/3 of mile gravel road. Black shows the dust after EVERY trip in and out. To much dust where I would trust a waterless wash. I have thought about it.

[Accumulator]

No, I wish. My driveway is a 1/3 of mile gravel road.. I commend you on doing your best anyhow instead of just letting it go as "something you can`t work with". That`s gotta be a real, ongoing challenge.

[General Lee]

I commend you on doing your best anyhow instead of just letting it go as "something you can`t work with". That`s gotta be a real, ongoing challenge.

It definitely causes me not to drive it as much as I would like to. I am working on having a different mindset about it though. I will never say screw it and not care, maybe just try not to stress over washing it immediately after use before parking. Maybe it could wait a day or two or when I have a little more time :)