Cleaning up Brake Drums

[tp1gbw]

Anyone have any secret recipes for cleaning up aluminum brake drums (outside of drum) on my 280z ? Splash of diluted lemon juice, maybe some taco sauce or do I just paint em silver? - what has worked for you?

Thanks in advance for you input.

[Arne]

Mine were painted black by the PO, I plan to bead-blast them at some point in the future.

[TomoHawk]

You could de-rust them electrolytically, using your battery charger & some household laundry chemicals. Use the search feature. Then a little scuffing & paint.

[hls30.com]

If they are still raw aluminum...

Place them open side down,

Spray on your favorite Etching mag cleaner

Scrub with a brush if they are really bad off

Spray again and let sit 10 minutes or so

Rinse, rinse and rinse some more.

when dry, spray with clear, or have annodized clear-if you don't coat them, the aluminum will corrode extreemly fast as the mag claeaner has removed anything that could have protected the aluminum

WIll

[vercingetorix]

This is a bit off topic, but I am thinking of replacing my drums as well. My question is should I stay with the cast iron ones that are on it now or switch to aluminium. Is there any gain or loss with one or the other?

H Houghton

[JimmyZ]

Best to sandblast or bead blast them. This will also help smooth any gouges/scratches in the surface. Aircraft remover would be my second means of stripping. Electrolysis can eat aluminum once the paint is gone so be careful and watch over your parts if using this method. Research electrolysis on aluminum it if that's the way you want to go.

2c

[Nissanman]

vercingetorix

If you want to retain a drum brake rear, the later model aluminium finned drums are a better option over the plain old cast iron drums.

If you buy 2nd hand, make sure the inside diameter is not worn beyond the safety limit, branded on the drum as: -

MAX. DIA. 230.0MM 9.055"

tp1gbw

As far as restoring the aluminium drums is concerned, I would grit blast them then paint with a high temperature paint such as American Eagle Hi Temp Aluminium.

They look really great done that way, the paint gives them an as cast colour but it won't oxidise like bare aluminium

[beandip]

Anyone have any secret recipes for cleaning up aluminum brake drums (outside of drum) on my 280z ? Splash of diluted lemon juice, maybe some taco sauce or do I just paint em silver? - what has worked for you?

Thanks in advance for you input.

I just used a small stainless steel wire brush , one of those just larger than a tooth brush. I just scrubbed the aluminum fins and in between them. This brightens the aluminum and retains the cooling capacity . They may dull in time and even get dirty . But I do drive my Z and I clean it. I guess if you have a show car or a trailer queen this would be different. Then looks are more important than function. The drums like the radiator you paint them and they will not cool as well. Gary

[TomoHawk]

You might want to look onto plasma coating them with aluminum. Hot rodders do this to headers. It comes out kinda shiny.

thxZ

[jparkr2004]

you can derust them using the Electro method, then use any caliper paint of your choice on them. then bake them in the oven for 1hr at 400F to harden the ceramic. very cheap and a large improvment.

PS, while they are off spray out the shoes and springs with brakeclean.

[TomoHawk]

Since there are so many things on cars now, I'll bet there is a coating you could get that will protect the aluminum as well as allow heat to transfer to the air. According to the JTR book, the cast iron brake drums are better because they take the heat better and don't deform when you brake hard.