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Brake Residue


VincentBikes

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I have some residue from DT Swiss SwissStop brake pads on my front wheels braking surface (carbon). Anybody have some experience how to remove this as normal soap or handy andy does not work. The residue became quite hard from the temperature I think.

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I hear rubbing alcohol, lacquer thinners or acetone might work. They shouldn't do anything to the carbon fibre.

 

Are those carbon-specific brake pads? If not, you should consider changing them. Non-carbon-specific pads can melt due to heat build-up when used with carbon rims. This can seriously degrade braking performance as well as leaving melted rubber residue.

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I hear rubbing alcohol, lacquer thinners or acetone might work. They shouldn't do anything to the carbon fibre.

 

Are those carbon-specific brake pads? If not, you should consider changing them. Non-carbon-specific pads can melt due to heat build-up when used with carbon rims. This can seriously degrade braking performance as well as leaving melted rubber residue.

 

Thanks Edman - Yes they are the yellow carbon specific blocks. I thought that alcohol, thinners or acetone might do the trick but was just scared of damaging the carbon.

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The epoxy resin and the carbon ar pretty much inert when in contact with most common solvents. I would still start out checking it on a small patch of rim, though.

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The epoxy resin and the carbon ar pretty much inert when in contact with most common solvents. I would still start out checking it on a small patch of rim, though.

 

Will start with the alcohol as that is the least aggressive I think and yes will only try a small spot first.

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The alcohol did absolutely nothing but the acetone did the trick. Completely removed all the residue and brakes now work perfect no damage to carbon. Washed the rim completely afterwards with clean green just to make sure. Funny thing was only the front rim that had the problem.

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Funny thing was only the front rim that had the problem.

I reckon that might be because the front brakes take most of the braking load.

When you brake, the weight distribution shifts forward, putting more load on the front wheel and also giving it more traction; you can apply a much higher braking force on the front wheel before it locks up. This is the same reason why MTBs (and cars) have larger brake disks on the front brake than the the back.

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I reckon that might be because the front brakes take most of the braking load.

When you brake, the weight distribution shifts forward, putting more load on the front wheel and also giving it more traction; you can apply a much higher braking force on the front wheel before it locks up. This is the same reason why MTBs (and cars) have larger brake disks on the front brake than the the back.

Thanks Ed but I think the front brake blocks alignment was out which might have caused some localised overheating and hence the residue on the rim.

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Edman hit it on the head with his tip. Swiss Stop are definitely the best so you shouldnt have any problems although where alot of guys go wrong is not switching them out when using Alu rimms. This can cause little pieces of metal/dirt/residue to become embeeded in the brake block - not ideal for your carbon rimm.

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