Rust Resistant Front Brake Rotors and Pads

[More Power]

Hello All,

Sarah's 1994 Chevrolet 6.5TD Blazer needs new front rotors and pads. I want to get rust resistant parts due to the road de-icer MT uses during the winter. Anyone have any recommendations?

Thx,

[DmaxMaverick]

Any quality brand "Cryogenic" treated rotors are the thing. Chevy EV's come from the factory with them (as well as the calipers, and SS hardware), including the Volt. If they wear slower than they age, that's what works. Our 2017 Volt with 99K miles shows near zero brake wear, and the calipers and rotors still look new. The friction brakes are only used below about 5 MPH, panic, or very heavy braking. The regenerative braking soaks up to 60kW of energy, which is more than enough for most regular driving. We don't have any de-icers to deal with, but that's the word from the rust belt Volt owners. A few are being replaced due to rust after 10+ years, but most are still in service. They cost more, so you'll have to weigh the additional cost with the expected lifespan of traditional vs. cryo's. They typically last 2-3X longer, considering wear and corrosion.

[More Power]

Thanks. I've heard that the more aggressive pads, like ceramic, are better for the rust belt... it helps keep the rust off the rotors. I like the idea of SS hardware. Although, I bought a set of stainless license plate screws last year that turned into rusty messes in one winter. I think they were actually made from chinesium... not stainless.

Road de-icer is so awful. Sarah's older Malibu needed new rotors and pads a few years ago when she was an undergrad, and I didn't think we would be able to get the rotors off the hubs. Rust had nearly fused the aluminum wheels to the cast-iron rotors. We eventually got them off, but it was a challenge.

Here's a set I found yesterday... haven't ordered anything yet. Looks like the actual brake surface on the rotors are uncoated, but everywhere else is coated. That would help, but...

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=10700192&cc=1050736&pt=13824

[spongebob]

Stainless steel.

[Robyn]

Road deicer/salt should be banned from use on public roadways.......

This stuff is not good for the environment and ruins private property.....Thousands of vehicles each year succumb to the ravages of the deicer/salt.

And the unsuspecting used car buyer in States that do not use the stuff find out way too late that their recent purchase is a POS.

Be much easier to get the drivers to learn how to drive on the slick stuff.....Learn or stay off the road...

Another real debacle is that the younger generation has been totally indoctrinated to believe that the "Magic boxes" such as ABS, TRACTION CONTROL YADA YADA YADA are gonna save their bacon.

Once traction is lost between the tires surface and the road......then MA GRAVITY finds the hapless soul.....IT'S OVER....UNLESS the driver is adept at handing things....

Good traction tires and a bit of skill..... GOOD TO GO...

Here in Oregon the local fools toss on the studded tires as soon as the law allows...We get very very few days with HARD ice that studs will work on..

In the mean time the studded tires inhale the roads.......

Millions of $$$$$$ each year in damage due to the studs...

In places that actually get the type of weather to warrant studs they are great....

And studs don't rot out the vehicle and the components that operate down in the brine....

RANT OFF

[More Power]

Newer vehicles are better at resisting the effects of road de-icer. I changed the oil in our 2016 Malibu last Sunday. Aside from a rusty buildup on the leading edge of the oil pan - as a result of stone chips in the black coating, the car is pretty rust-free. But, there's a lot of plastic on it. The brake rotors don't look too bad for rust. That said, I've seen 2009+ GM pickups here in MT with rusted out fenders, rear bumpers and so on...

My opinion... either make the fed/state/city road departments begin using a more environmentally friendly road de-icer that doesn't cause rust or make the auto industry responsible for rust repairs.

[ToddMeister]

I've had my last three vehicle purchases rustproofed by Henderson Bros Rustproofing in Midland MI. I little pricey but they do free inspection/touch ups every three years.

The frame on my 2016 is still just like new after 6 michigan winters

https://www.hendersonbrorustproofing.com/

But I agree the road departments need to switch to a more environmentally friendly de-icing agent.

[JohnC]

A friend of mine from Colorado came East to visit a few years back. Apparently they use magnesium chloride instead of salt or calcium chloride. Doesn't rot the steel, but his chrome looked like it had a skin disease...

[DmaxMaverick]

Thinking out loud...
If rust is a real problem, and there is really no significant or cost-saving option for longevity, I think I'd just go cheap, and plan on replacing more often. Probably money ahead, in the end. Very good performance can be had from cheaper components, but they don't last long. If they're rusting anyway, that isn't really a factor.

[More Power]

I bought NAPA's Premium brake rotors and their Proformer disc pads. The rotors are coated everywhere that doesn't contact the brake pads. The cast iron used in the rotors appears to be a little different too - has a different sheen to it, where it's machined for the disc pads. I'll have a story about all this once the job is complete. I replaced the rear sets about 10 days ago because of metal on metal (caused by rust), but the front sets are scheduled...

You can see what I do for rust otherwise here: https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/tdpforum/showthread.php?46809-Rust