is it ok to blast rotors to clean them up, then have them turned afterwards?

I have a set of rotors that I got off a junk yard axle, and they're covered in surface rust all over. they definitly need turned, which will clean up the contact area, but I'd also like to clean up the rest of it as well--maybe hit it with some paint on the non-contact areas.

but I thought I read on here where itwas not a good idea to sandblast disc rotors.

any truth to this? I don't see why it could be a problem, especially if you have them turned afterwards.

oh yea, and is there any way to "surface" brake pads? the pads that are with these brakes have a LOT of life left in them, but the fact that they haven't been used in over a year makes me wonder, and I'd feel better knowing that the pads had fresh smooth material to match what will be freshly turned discs--is there a way to do this? or are they simply to be thrown away?


...or is it ok to use pads that haven't been used in over a year, just resting up against the rotor?

If the rotors arent rusted away just turning them will clean them up.You could blast the non contact area as long as you dont hit the bearing races unless you change them.If the pads are junk yard I wouldnt trust them.New pads are less than 30 bucks so why chance your life to them.I paintes the hats on my rotors.Rocky

Hey Kaptain, my rotors were like yours, surface rusted, and basically "scummy," I bead blasted them, turned them, painted, then added new studs. I got my new pads from Parts America online, they were like $12 ??!!

Scrub the pads over a sheet of 80 grit sand paper laid on a flat surface.

I shot peaned and sand blasted my brake drums, then epoxy primed them and had them turned and they look great now.

I bead blast rotors all the time. I even do straight rotors and then don't have them cut.

I have bead blasted many sets of nasty looking rotors and have never had any issues. Doing this will make an old set look like new! And as said have done this to the rotor surfaces without turning them afterward and never one problem.

Here is an old rotor cleaned up. This was really bad and if you had seen the before pic you would have chucked them into the metal recycle pile.

How to you go about protecting the bearing area, for the grit and stuff?

I usually cover up the hubs with duct tape to minimize the media getting into the grease cavity. I then give them a very thorough cleaning in the solvent tank after hitting them with some air pressure. Throw a new set of bearings in and you are good to go, this is a great way to detail them if you so chose. I bought a set of early a-body disc brakes for my 66 dart last year and hit the calipers as well as the rotors before reassembly.

The finished product.

Protect the races, blast the rotors and calipers(while assembled and with the hole for the brake line plugged)sand the glaze off the pads with sand paper, clean everything with brake clean, put fresh seals on the calipers, paint the cast surfaces, and carefully put it back together. Check for any binding, warp or other signs of problems. These are your brakes after all.

You can also scuff the glaze off your rotors between pad changes. I have really never had rotors turned unless they are warped or heavily grooved. There is little real need, and it just makes them thinner/weaker. If they are warped or damaged, I just replace them with new ones as they are relatively cheap.

I also typically use cheap organic pads for the first 3-4k miles on new rotors , then swap in a fresh set of semi-metalic pads. It gives the organic pads a chance to burn off the oils etc from new rotors.

It is very important to bed your brakes in as well. You start by using multiple stops with light pedal pressure at low speed and gradually increase both speed and the stopping effort until you bed them in. Make sure to let them cool during the process. Don't let them get too hot while your doing this! You should also do this to your parking brake. It will hold a lot better afterwords.

Be careful and be smart, which it sounds like you already are.

Looks like you also rebuilt those calipers. I have always been curious about this. It is difficult? How easy/hard is it to get parts and complete? Can you provide detail on this?

I did my calipers, make sure the piston bores have no rust issues, and that the pistons aren't scored. If they are good, then clean them up, and lube them with brake fluid. The hardest part was putting the new boots over the pistons. I tried everything, they just wouldn't go on...........then an old mechanic friend told me to try compressed air through the bleed holes...........each side popped right in! So cool!