Brake question. Should I be worried?

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MartDude · #1 Post by **MartDude** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:43 pm

While I was cleaning my front calipers, I noticed that the shiny SS spring thingies

have changed colour since I last looked at them properly - they're now a metallic beige, dark straw, sort of colour - a little darker than my link pipes. The colour is uniform on the insides, blotchy on the outsides. This suggests to me that the brakes have got quite hot at some time. The pistons & pads were moving freely before I cleaned the brakes, and I've never been aware of any drag. After I replaced the levers last year, I almost obsessively checked the brakes for symptoms of overheating, sticking, dragging for the first few rides, but all was well.

Anyone else had this? Am I being paranoid?

Nooj · #2 Post by **Nooj** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:13 pm

Just natural tarnishing and a smattering of brake dust, nothing to be concerned about.

slickliner6 · #3 Post by **slickliner6** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:19 pm

im thinking a tad paranoid.

MartDude · #4 Post by **MartDude** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:23 pm

They're stainless - shouldn't tarnish like that?

BikerGran · #5 Post by **BikerGran** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:29 pm

Haha! You think stainless doesn't stain?

Try cleaning my cooker!

Samray · #6 Post by **Samray** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:57 pm

If you translate stainless steel into any other european language it becomes rustless steel. I wonder why?

MartDude · #7 Post by **MartDude** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:04 pm

I take your points, Bobbi & Sam, but I'm sure they weren't like that last time I cleaned them thoroughly, last year sometime

Falcorob · #8 Post by **Falcorob** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:45 pm

They've had a year to get like that then.

Check out a stainless exhaust system that goes through the extreme heat cycles that your brakes do and you'll see that will be just as bad, if not worse, for tarnishing.

randomsquid · #9 Post by **randomsquid** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:48 pm

A quick and easy way to find out if they're rubbing is to stop without using the brake in question and quickly pat the disk with a naked hand. Anything involving pain and blisters points to a sticky brake.

MartDude · #10 Post by **MartDude** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:58 pm

But . . . but . . .

OK, I'm paranoid.

D-Rider · #11 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 10:28 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz_6jagv_D4

Nooj · #12 Post by **Nooj** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 10:31 pm

Probably not a very high grade of stainless steel. I can make them bright and shiny again, but it's a bit of a trek down here. You could post them to me I suppose

nteck uk · #13 Post by **nteck uk** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 11:33 pm

If you.want.them shiny again just clean them on when you remove the pads .
The Sv crowed use HG wheel cleaner on the stainless exhaust.

D-Rider · #14 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 11:47 pm

HG (and other places) sell some great stainless cleaner called Optiglanz - expensive but it is the bollox of the dog

http://www.hein-gericke.co.uk/hein-geri ... 50-ml.html

Great on Falco exhausts (not so great on your hands when you are not too careful with it ........)

MartDude · #15 Post by **MartDude** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:01 am

Not too bothered about the appearance; might get round to it if I sell the bike

HG (and other places) sell some great stainless cleaner called Optiglanz - expensive but it is the bollox of the dog

http://www.hein-gericke.co.uk/hein-geri ... 50-ml.html

Great on Falco exhausts (not so great on your hands when you are not too careful with it ........)

Thanks for that Andy - I was about to ask for recommendations for exhaust cleaning stuff.