Rust on brake drums??

[Alysashley79]

Anyone else have this?? I have it on all four of mine. It's really ugly. I've got 4600 miles on my car it's about 6 weeks old and a p85. I've never seen any of my other cars do this before is it happening because of lack of use of the brakes or something else? I'm stopping by service tomorrow for them to look at my wiring I my sound system and do something about the fogging in my lights so will ask them but wanted to see if anyone else has this problem.

 

[yobigd20]

Very common. I have it. It's from lack of use of the brakes. Not really any issue other than cosmetic. You can clean it by slamming your brakes really hard from 80mph to 0.

 

[Alysashley79]

Very common. I have it. It's from lack of use of the brakes. Not really any issue other than cosmetic. You can clean it by slamming your brakes really hard from 80mph to 0.

thanks! Will enjoy trying this tomorrow!

 

[kevincwelch]

Are you talking about rust on the rotors or rust on the wheel hub/rotor hat?

If it's the latter, slamming on the brakes won't work. You'll have to use some products and elbow grease to get that off. Sometimes you'll need a grinder.

 

[Alysashley79]

Are you talking about rust on the rotors or rust on the wheel hub/rotor hat?

View attachment 39975


If it's the latter, slamming on the brakes won't work. You'll have to use some products and elbow grease to get that off. Sometimes you'll need a grinder.

Above picture is exactly what I'm talking about!! Why is this happening??? Is it truly because we DONT use our brakes? I've got a car with 180k+ miles on it and it has it's original rotors from the factory on it! And they don't even look like this. I'm a little bit disappointed that my $100k car looks like this on the wheels. She's absolutely gorgeous everywhere else.

 

[Lloyd]

Its due to road salt and this happens on every car. There are coatings you can apply to prevent this, but it is several hours of labor for each rotor.

 

[Alysashley79]

Service tech said its from road salts and snow but it can also be from the stuff detailers use on our tires or wheels to make them pretty and shine. They said that in the spring when I bring it in for service they will put more of the sealant on it no charge and it'll be silver. For anyone that has this and doesn't live in an area that has snow on the ground or will have it.

 

[SCW-Greg]

No issue here in the wet northwest. But we don't use road salt either.

Not sure if it would help, but get some good wheel cleaning brushes with flexible sticks on them, and get in there on every wash. Check amazon.

 

[FredTMC]

No issue here in the wet northwest. But we don't use road salt either.

Not sure if it would help, but get some good wheel cleaning brushes with flexible sticks on them, and get in there on every wash. Check amazon.

I have rust on hubs also. No snow or road salt here. I don't understand why these have rust. Agreed it looks ugly

 

[Cottonwood]

I have rust on hubs also. No snow or road salt here. I don't understand why these have rust. Agreed it looks ugly

As others have said, sometimes we Tesla owners just use Regen too much, and don't use the friction brakes enough. Every once in a while, break hard from 50 mph or higher with break pedal. If you don't have passengers, the pavement is good, and no one is behind you, slam on the brakes and see what it feels like; it's fun. Be wasteful, and heat up those discs! :wink:

 

[kevincwelch]

^How is the rust on the rotor hats going to go away with regular brake use? The calipers don't contact this area.

 

[Alysashley79]

^How is the rust on the rotor hats going to go away with regular brake use? The calipers don't contact this area.

You are correct it won't. But service can get rid of the ugly look of rust on the hats for you! If the pic you posted was from your caramel it's still under warranty they can seal the hats again and they'll look silver again. They said It takes about an hour per rotor.

Now ow they did also say that the rotors themselves will also get rusty because of lack of use so I'm guessing that's with everyone above ^^ is referring to with the stomping on there brakes at high speds. The service tech actually recommended to reverse and stomp on the he brakes. Said it will solve the problem faster and better than even 80 to 0.

 

[jerry33]

The other way to deal with this problem is aero wheels.

 

[jbruce]

Anyone else have this?? I have it on all four of mine. It's really ugly. I've got 4600 miles on my car it's about 6 weeks old and a p85. I've never seen any of my other cars do this before is it happening because of lack of use of the brakes or something else? I'm stopping by service tomorrow for them to look at my wiring I my sound system and do something about the fogging in my lights so will ask them but wanted to see if anyone else has this problem.

LOL. This forum can be pretty non-automotive for an automotive forum. Drum brakes are the precursor to modern disk brakes and definitely not to be found on a Model S. Drum brake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia if you want to learn more.

Only the swept area of the rotor will be cleared when you apply the brakes. You could paint the hub of your rotors with high-temp paint to prevent them from rusting. Under $20 from an auto parts store and you pull them off the car to paint or you mask off the hub. Another trick is to rub the rusted area with a thin coat of aluminized anti-seize compound which will leave it looking silver. I'm sure the aftermarket will eventually offer zinc plated rotors that won't rust or better yet multi-piece floating rotors with aluminum hats.

 

[Alysashley79]

LOL. This forum can be pretty non-automotive for an automotive forum. Drum brakes are the precursor to modern disk brakes and definitely not to be found on a Model S. Drum brake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia if you want to learn .

lol. I know. I would say. "I'm a girl" but I was told that's what they were by a guy friend that was admiring my MS. By the time I realized they weren't actually the drums but the rotors well I don't know how to change the topic name.