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  • rustyvw

    Feb. 21, 2011 6:33 p.m. rustyvw HalfDork

    I had a wheel cylinder leak on my Corvair, and now there is brake fluid all over the shoes. I hate to get new ones as these only have like a hundred miles on them. Is there some kind of solvent that won't destroy the friction material? I know that if there is a way, somebody on here knows what it is.

  • pres589

    Feb. 21, 2011 6:53 p.m. pres589 HalfDork

    The best way is to throw them away and replace. Your solvent fear? Already happened, just with brake fluid.

  • Datsun1500

    Feb. 21, 2011 6:55 p.m. Datsun1500 Dork

    There are products for this at the local store. That being said I have fixed the cylinders and put them back together, hit the brakes a few times and burned it off that way...

  • Johnboyjjb

    Feb. 21, 2011 7:42 p.m. Johnboyjjb Reader

    It is not uncommon for brake fluid soaked shoes to disbond from the backing. Chuck'em and start over or you make end up buying a drum too.

  • Dr. Hess

    Feb. 21, 2011 8:03 p.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork

    Best thing is to replace them with new. "If you really have to because you're broke" then try putting them in the oven for a few hours, or until they stop smoking. Best to do this when momma ain't around.

  • motomoron

    Feb. 21, 2011 8:59 p.m. motomoron HalfDork

    We used to used K2R spot lifter to get soaked-in castor oil out of balsa+plywood model airplanes so glue would stick for repairs.

    K2R - the magic spot lifter!

    Hose 'em down with some, brush off, heat, cool, install.

    Or buy new ones. That's what I did on the Sprite. Then I popped for new drums and wheel cylinders too...

  • ansonivan

    Feb. 21, 2011 11:54 p.m. ansonivan Dork

    Bear in mind what can happen when the friction material departs the backing plate, had this happen on my e150 after re-using a pair of gear oil soaked shoes. I like going sideways, I do not like going sideways in a 2 ton van in the snow on a double parked street.

  • 914Driver

    Feb. 22, 2011 5:46 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

    My Samurai dripped oil from the back of the head, down an inspection port and onto the clutch.

    Slippage occured.

    44Dwarf suggested filling a garden sprayer with Dawn dish detergent and hot hot hot water, spray it down.

    It worked.

    If you're going to toss the shoes anyway, try this.

    Dan

  • Datsun1500

    Feb. 22, 2011 8:00 a.m. Datsun1500 Dork

    Dr. Hess wrote:

    Best thing is to replace them with new. "If you really have to because you're broke"....

    Sometimes it's not a matter of being broke. It could just mean you are 6 hours from home and driving a 45 year old Japanese car.....

    I think the best part was when someone said "looks like you blew a seal" and 3 others said "nah, it's just ice cream" out of habit...

  • AngryCorvair

    Feb. 22, 2011 9:31 a.m. AngryCorvair SuperDork

    914Driver wrote:

    My Samurai dripped oil from the back of the head, down an inspection port and onto the clutch.

    Slippage occured.

    44Dwarf suggested filling a garden sprayer with Dawn dish detergent and hot hot hot water, spray it down.

    It worked.

    If you're going to toss the shoes anyway, try this.

    Dan

    Hmmm, if the clutch comes apart under heavy load, you're stranded. if brake shoes come apart under heavy load, you may be dead.

    having said that, i'm going to go out on a limb and ponder that perhaps brake shoes are tested to be structurally impervious to brake fluid, and that of all the available solvents, Dawn dishwashing detergent and hot water is pretty benign.

    now i'm going to come back off that limb because if you're talking about aftermarket parts, all bets are off. they might not even do dimensional checks before shipping. and since you're talking about a Corvair, you're definitely talking aftermarket shoes.

    i'm older and wiser and make more money than i used to. as such, i'd buy new.

  • neon4891

    Feb. 22, 2011 9:46 a.m. neon4891 SuperDork

    Datsun1500 wrote:

    Dr. Hess wrote:

    Best thing is to replace them with new. "If you really have to because you're broke"....

    Sometimes it's not a matter of being broke. It could just mean you are 6 hours from home and driving a 45 year old Japanese car.....

    I think the best part was when someone said "looks like you blew a seal" and you reponded "Just fix the damn thing and leave my private life out of it, OK pal."

 
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