Preventing crummy brake rotors when parked outside?

[MetroMPG]

Is there a simple way to keep my brake rotors from going bad if I don't drive my car much?

Because I have only been using it a couple of times a month lately, they "thump-thump-thump" and the pedal pulses until I do a bunch of relatively hard stops to scrub them clean (which I hate to do, because hard stops = bad FE).

The car is parked outside. The wheel covers are already fully sealed, so its not a question of rain getting in (from the outside of the wheel, anyway). So it must just be atmospheric moisture doing this.

I suspect the easiest solution is to just go for a drive once a week or so and use the **** brake pedal. Am I wrong?

[dogncatboy]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

they "thump-thump-thump" and the pedal pulses until I do a bunch of relatively hard stops to scrub them clean (which I hate to do, because hard stops = bad FE).

As far as I know rotors shouldn't go bad from sitting, aside from a bit of surface rust. Thump, thump, thump sounds like they need to be turned. I don't think that they would need this from sitting, but I could be wrong.

[MetroMPG]

Well, it goes away with multiple hard brake applications, so I'm thinking it's just surface rust. It's not warped, just unevenly corroded

The longer I let it sit between drives, the more & harder stops I have to do to get the thumping & pulsing to go away.

clencher: in the past I've bought replacement rotors from the store that came with some kind of light waxy coating (which I assume is for rust prevention), but it would obviously be a pain in the *** to re-coat the rotors after every drive!

[SVOboy]

Get some aluminum rotors.

[MetroMPG]

No, really? If that's true, I'm sure I can't get them for this car anyway.

[dogncatboy]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Get some aluminum rotors.

Is aluminum robust enough for that application? I would think that the repeated heating and cooling would affect its integrity and that the aluminum surface would be too soft. I googled it and didn't find a whole lot.

EDIT: Ahh, I found some online.

[Gary Palmer]

I don't know if their is anything you can do. I do know that other than the thump's and noise, the rust doesn't seem to create any undue harm.

I've had a couple of cars which have been largely unused for extended periods of time. The first one, I took apart and sanded the rust off, before i used it. I got lazy the next time, so I just drove it and used the brakes, as I needed to. They seemed to clean up just fine. I don't think it will cause the rotors to warp, in any way.

[SVOboy]

The insight came with stock aluminum rotors, their cool, dunno if they can be found for the metro through.

Any metros come with rear discs?

[ezeedee]

wd40?

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by ezeedee

wd40?

NO!!! NEVER apply oil to your brake rotors or any part of your breaking system.

the oil soaks into the pads and your never stopping again.(try it on a bycycle)and then ya gotta buy new pads.

theres nohtign u can really do to prevent it anyways.