Bicycle Mechanics - WD40 mishap

seems that I somehow sprayed it on my disc brakes and now they brake only when i press really hard. I
tried and washed them with a degreaser but am not seeing any improvement. what should i do next? help please. :)

Brake cleaner is available at auto stores.

thx, should I remove the brakes and then spray them or can i just spray the whole mechanism?

I would guess your pads are contaminated. You could try removing them and using some kind of solvent to clean them. Personally, I would just buy new pads, not worth the risk.

Try using some dish soap and water, then rinse. It might take a few time but should work.

replace pads or bake them

If you ever meet a total scuzzball on a bicycle - Teflon-spray does a bang-up job on the rims & pads. Other than this - be very careful around your brake-pads when working with lubricants.

bm - you want bearings/pivots inside the brake caliper to remain lubed, and you don't want to damage the paint on your bike, so my suggestion would be this:
1) Remove rotors and thoroughly clean them with brake cleaner; when reinstalling, make sure to (a) tighten the bolts *in steps* (b) *in the crisscross pattern* and (c) to the manufacturer's spec torque.
2) (with wheel removed) Remove and discard old pads, install fresh ones.
3) Dispose of your can of WD-40 in a fire! :)

thank you all for the suggestions. I cannot get new pads at the moment, so i have washed the brakes a few more times and I can see improvement.

@mondoman: with my clumsiness I doubt step 3 would end with satisfaction but rather with 3rd degree burns. :)

Just ride. It will wear off eventually.

Don't dispose of the WD-40 in a fire! Just give it away, and don't buy any more. It has no legitimate purpose other than to deceive people into thinking that it's a substitute for all sorts of other, better things. All your bike needs is kerosene for cleaning, regular auto lithium grease for the bearings and regular auto multigrade oil for the chain. Buy anything else and you're just lining somebody's pockets.

It has no legitimate purpose other than to deceive people into thinking that it's a substitute for all sorts of other, better things.That's a lie. If you have some water that needs displacing, WD-40 is definitely what you want. Just don't be fooled into thinking that "water displacer #40" is a lubricant or anything else.

Perhaps I should have said "no legitimate purpose on a bicycle." I always understood the WD was for War Department.

Just ride. It will wear off eventually.

Here here! unless of course you got it super saturated, it should wear off within normal riding. Sure they might squeal like a banshee when you first start braking, but that's only for a little bit. If they don't stop squealing, you might have to replace but I'll bet you won't.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/317PKWWY7WL._SS400_.jpg
This will clean your brake discs and rims from WD-40 (and most petroleum products). Soak and wash the brake pads until you can replace them.


.

Here here! unless of course you got it super saturated, it should wear off within normal riding. Sure they might squeal like a banshee when you first start braking, but that's only for a little bit. If they don't stop squealing, you might have to replace but I'll bet you won't.

and how long would a little bit be?

I would say within a ride, Basically the contamination will be broken down by the heat generated by the friction of the brake pads contacting the disc. So clean off the excess WD-40 and ride for a bit, it has more to do with how hot you can make the brakes and less to do with duration of ride, though these two things sometimes correlate.

Perhaps I should have said "no legitimate purpose on a bicycle." I always understood the WD was for War Department.

WD-40 is good for cleaning gunked up components, particularly shifters. It will dissolve or thin hardened grease. Many of us have "repaired" brifters with WD-40.

The War Department became the Defense Department long before WD-40 came along. WD is short for water displacement.

You really need to get out more.

That's a lie. If you have some water that needs displacing, WD-40 is definitely what you want. Just don't be fooled into thinking that "water displacer #40" is a lubricant or anything else.

From one Neil to another....

In addition to displacing water and cleaning pretty effectively, WD-40 IS a lubricant.

Is it the BEST lubricant? No. It's pretty lightweight (read: short-lived).

But ... chemically ... it IS basically equivalent to home brew -- mineral spirits + lubrication.

There's a time and a place for WD. Just learn its limits and stay within them. Use it where you should. Don't use it where you shouldn't.

You really need to get out more.

He's British ... btw.

Aside from being very eloquent, I'm willing to let him slide on this one ;)

Not to worry. WD-40 is not a lubricant so your brakes will be OK in a few minutes as soon as the solvent dries.

Just Sayin.

Not to worry. WD-40 is not a lubricant so your brakes will be OK in a few minutes as soon as the solvent dries.

Just Sayin.

it still leaves behind an oily substance that should be removed.

Let the pads sit in some naphtha-based solvent. I suggest charcoal-lighter fluid. It's cheap, clean, and available all over. This will dissolve the oil in the WD-40. Voila! Now attach the pads and take a ride to check for any continuing problems.

replace pads or bake them

The friction material is glued on to the backing. I would not bake brake pads unless I knew what their max temperature is. 350? 450? who knows?

Just ride. It will wear off eventually.

This is what I do. The OP suggests that braking hard will have an effect. Well, just brake hard for a while so eventually you won't have to.

Don't dispose of the WD-40 in a fire! Just give it away, and don't buy any more. It has no legitimate purpose other than to deceive people into thinking that it's a substitute for all sorts of other, better things. All your bike needs is kerosene for cleaning, regular auto lithium grease for the bearings and regular auto multigrade oil for the chain. Buy anything else and you're just lining somebody's pockets.

Half of this is the biggest bunch of BS I read here in a long time.

I wouldn't use WD40 as chain lube or any other type of lube, but it works really good to disperse water and to clean dirty oil and crud off of stuff like chains and gears, spraying it on wet ignitions disperses the water so that cars can start, chases out water out of things so that A, it won't rust, and B, prepares the surface for a true lubricant. I wouldn't use it to clean your brake pads or disk on you bike, I would use a brake cleaner, it leaves no residue behind and evaporates away completly. If your lucky the pads will clean up, I would try that before buying new pads just to see if cleaning them works. You may need to clean the pads several times since pads can absorb oil then release it over time, but since it not subject to the same high tempertures car pads can reach they shouldn't crack due to the heat and oil, but keep an eye on them to make sure.

Multigrade automotive oil works in a pinch, but it attracks dirt like a magnet thus you would have to clean and relube your chain after every ride. You need a lube on your chain and gears like ProLink or the Finishline Products (not the wax base crap like Pedros or White Lightning because these only last about 60 to 100 miles max before you would have to reapply), these products are a dry lube which means they go on wet but a carrier carries the lube into the chain then evaporates away leaving a dry non wet chain after about 12 hours of waiting.

While lithium grease can work on bearings etc there is different kinds of lithium grease which can make it confusing as to which one to use. I've used Mobil 1 Synthetic grease on my bearings for years with no problems...when I say years I mean years...I have over 150,000 miles on my Trek's Suntour Superbe hubs and crank bearings and still going strong.

Using kerosene or mineral spirits which can work for cleaning along with a brush, but it can be messy so use it slowly as not to splatter it everywhere, plus kerosene is extremily flammable so use extreme caution. I like the little chain cleaning machines like the one that FinishLine Chain cleaning machine (which I think is the best on the market) because it cleans very well and it leaves hardly no mess. Do not use Simple green to clean chains because it will leave water behind unless your willing to bake the chain to evaporate the water.

My face is worth more (to me) than the cost of a set of brake pads...even with installation labor.

My face is worth more (to me) than the cost of a set of brake pads...even with installation labor.

Amen.

Don't get it ...

What applications is it ok to use wd40 on?

Here here!

Meta-discussion: Proper spelling is "Hear! Hear!" since you are telling everyone to listen up.

:innocent:

What applications is it ok to use wd40 on?

It's a good cleaner.

It's a great water displacer.

It's a pretty thin, light-weight, NOT long-lasting lubricant. You could use it for der pivot points, caliper pivots, etc. (and I'm not afraid to), but ... if you had a better lube ... you should use IT, instead.

If you can stay within those boundaries, you won't go wrong.

What applications is it ok to use wd40 on?


Cleans, protects and lubricates bells on antique sleighs
Lubricates screws in Christmas tree holders
Loosens stuck screws on overhead projectors
Removes rust from dog tags
Lubricates walkers for easier folding
Protects combination locks
Dissolves glues
Lubricates hinges of eyeglasses
Removes stickers from piano keys
Removes stickers on CD cases
Cleans wire rims on glasses
Cleans and protects shoelace eyelets
Cleans bobby pins
Cleans old coins
Shines doll shoes
Lubricates school locker latches
Quiets squeaky piano pedals
Lubricates end pins on cellos
Apply on the tip of dead ball point pen to clean
Lubricates boot zippers
Lubricates compact mirror hinges
Lubricates hinges on beer steins
Lubricates adjustment knobs on overhead projectors
Lubricates dog nail clippers
Lubricates latches on saxophone case
Removes gunk from lace hoops on work boots
Unsticks keys on baritone horns
Removes stickers from Hummel® figurines
Loosens rusty security gate hinges
Loosens stuck pocket knife blades
Frees stuck purse latches
Lubricates hinges on crawfish traps
Lubricates hinges of trick (folding) golf clubs
Lubricates guitar case latches
Lubricates flute joints and screws
Lubricates hinges and wheels on toy wagons
Lubricates leg brace hinges
Lubricates bi-fold door locks
Stops crutches from squeaking
Lubricates hinges of birdcage doors
Lubricates landing gear on model airplanes
Lubricates tuning gears on guitars
Lubricates robot joints
Loosens arm and leg joints on porcelain dolls
Lubricates stuck buttons on push-button calculators
Removes adhesive from sunglasses
Lubricates antique oil can levers
Polishes and shines seashells
Cleans ostrich eggs for craft use
Removes corrosion on outdoor on/off switches

Jolly useful stuff, then! I use it to spray inside the car door locks, especially in the winter, when it helps to keep out water which might freeze and stop the key being inserted. If I had a light oil which came in an aerosol can with a thin tube, I'd probably use that instead. It would lubricate for longer.

Hey, is Pagosa Springs a real place? Seem to remember it mentioned in the song "Wolf Creek Pass" as the final destination of the unfortunate semi.

My face is worth more (to me) than the cost of a set of brake pads...even with installation labor.

This is just pure nonsense as far as being able to clean the brakes. If your testing the brakes after properly cleaning them then where's the risk? The poster has already tested them and so far so good. Obviously posts about just ride it until the oil wears off is just pure ignorance; but if he cleans the brakes well, both the pads and the rotors with brake cleaner, use them for a few fast stops to heat up the pads then reclean after they've cooled, then there shouldn't be a problem. However if the problem still exist then obviously he needs new brake pads to save his face.

Look, I've cleaned my cars brakes with brake cleaner when oil got on them from leaking axle seals and blown slave cylinders and never had stopping issues; if I trust cleaning my car brakes and driving with my family in the car then I can certainly trust cleaning a bikes brakes!

The poster has already cleaned them once and experienced better stopping but still not up to what they were. He simply needs to reclean using brake cleaner from an auto parts store, then the brakes should be what they use to be.

Hey, is Pagosa Springs a real place? Seem to remember it mentioned in the song "Wolf Creek Pass" as the final destination of the unfortunate semi.Yep, it's real and the song is indeed about my town.


This is just pure nonsense as far as being able to clean the brakes. If your testing the brakes after properly cleaning them then where's the risk? The poster has already tested them and so far so good. Obviously posts about just ride it until the oil wears off is just pure ignorance; but if he cleans the brakes well, both the pads and the rotors with brake cleaner, use them for a few fast stops to heat up the pads then reclean after they've cooled, then there shouldn't be a problem. However if the problem still exist then obviously he needs new brake pads to save his face.

Look, I've cleaned my cars brakes with brake cleaner when oil got on them from leaking axle seals and blown slave cylinders and never had stopping issues; if I trust cleaning my car brakes and driving with my family in the car then I can certainly trust cleaning a bikes brakes!

The poster has already cleaned them once and experienced better stopping but still not up to what they were. He simply needs to reclean using brake cleaner from an auto parts store, then the brakes should be what they use to be.

It's a matter of penalty vs. risk.

Brake pads for a bicycle are typically $8-18 a set. How much does a trip to the auto parts cost? How much is brake cleaner? How much does the safety gear to use it cost? What does it do to the environment, either globally or locally? What if they don't come clean and you've wasted your time? How much is your time worth? What's the penalty if they fail?

Call me a pragmatist, but I wouldn't buy a refurbished bungee cord either. Brakes are cheap and are no place to be penny wise and pound foolish. Just my opinion though. You can risk whatever you'd like with yourself and your family.

Yep, it's real and the song is indeed about my town.



It's a matter of penalty vs. risk.

Brake pads for a bicycle are typically $8-18 a set. How much does a trip to the auto parts cost? How much is brake cleaner? How much does the safety gear to use it cost? What does it do to the environment, either globally or locally? What if they don't come clean and you've wasted your time? How much is your time worth? What's the penalty if they fail?

Call me a pragmatist, but I wouldn't buy a refurbished bungee cord either. Brakes are cheap and are no place to be penny wise and pound foolish. Just my opinion though. You can risk whatever you'd like with yourself and your family.

Somehow you think that a factory making brake pads is better for the environment then a couple of ounces of brake cleaner?

Safety gear? what rubber or latex gloves is too costly to buy?

A refurbished bungee cord? Your joking right? did I say for the poster to buy refurbished pads? Give me a break!

Though pads may only cost 8 to 18 dollars, brake cleaner is only $2 and the unused portion can be used later on other stuff.

And I know many professional mechanics who for many years simply clean the pads of any oil with brake cleaner, and none have EVER been sued for killing a family because the pads didn't clean up good enough. So again let's get real.

I agree the face comment was a little melodramatic. And I should know.

I dont think that baking would release the backing, since I think that brake pads get pretty hot when they are braking, that it wouldn't damage anything.