How to clean contaminated pads?

[Slick Rick]

Hi everyone, my first post on the site

I was cleaning my bike the other day and I must have got GT85 and possibly some tyre black spray on my disks. Now the bite in the brakes have seemed to have gone completely and will only stop when you press the lever hard. When it comes close to a stop the brakes start making a squeaking noise and the bike judders

How would I go about cleaning the pads? I sprayed the disk and caliper in bikehut disk brake cleaner but it didnt work. I dont really want to file the pads down, that will be a last resort. I head leaving them in warm water with washing up liquid for a few hours does the trick.

Any advice?

 

[barq]

This isn't first hand experience but some people report that washing in a dishwasher can help degrease them. I've also heard of people baking them in a hot oven. Given that your pads don't work now, you have nothing to loose by trying. You may end up having to replace the pads - if so be sure to compare prices online to get a good deal.

Good luck.

 

[tyred]

I've no experience of disk brakes on a bike but do know that it is virtually impossible to clean oil/fluid of car brake linings or clutch plates. The only thing I've ever seen that works occasionally is to cover them in petrol or lighter fluid and set fire to it (do this outside!). Would be difficult to do that on the much smaller sized pads on a bike so maybe the oven would be a good bet.

 

[spandex]

You can get good disk drake cleaner (finish line) but if you do not wish to buy any more get a pan put them in with some water and boil for 1 1/2 or 2 mins and leave the water to cool.

 

[RedBike]

Don't.
For the sake of the cost of a new set of pads it's just not worth the risk / expense of trying to clean them.

You could try lightly sanding them (and re-beding them in again after)
However, this wont work if the oil has soaked into the pads.

Before you fit a new set of pads you will need to clean your rotors. I use meths but there's probably a much better alternative.

 

[Ivan Ardon]

Many years ago I recovered a set of rear brake shoes from a MkII Escort after a rear cylinder leakage by boiling them in a saucepan with water and (clothes) washing powder for an hour.

Yes, it was a bodge and no, I wouldn't recommend it but it did work.

 

[Slick Rick]

I soaked the pads in hot water for a few hours with a few drops of washing up liquid, that cleaned them very well and the pads went from black to brown, how they used to look when new. After that I filed them down very slightly.
The pads have got their bite back but I havent tested the brakes properly as its been snowing!

 

[Euan Uzami]

change the pads and clean the rotor with meths

and don't do it again