I was installing a stage 2 brake kit today. I had loaned my car to my brother and he brought it back with the rear rotors grinding.
With all the metal and rust, and being that I have over 100k now on my 04, it was pretty dirty around there. So as usual when I get something torn apart I just had to clean everything thoroughly.

Luckily for my brother, I found the wear indicator had snapped off. But I had to clean those calipers before I put them back in. After I tried some brake cleaner on them the paint peeled. I figured out that non-chlorinated isn't the best for our brakes, but the damage was already done, so why not go ahead an paint the caliper I thought. So I spent the next several hours with a variety of implements including; wire brushes, sandpaper, steel wool, and for the drill - flap wheels, nylon wheels, and a wheel made by 3M that's a black abrasive hardened with epoxy that ended up working quiet well.

I was inspecting them after they were cleaned and found the radioactive sign stamped into the caliper. It was curious to me, but I quickly dismissed wanting to keep the job moving. Though after I finished up and came in for a shower, I coughed/sneezed/blew out the normal gunk that was grey from the grinding I had done.

After remembering the radioactive sign, it worried me a bit. I'm guessing that it's some element in the ore that the caliper body was cast from and that the sign is more of a formality. It probably wouldn't normally pose any danger to you unless you pull a dumbass move like me and inhale it.

Does anyone know any more about this and kind of risk this may be for me? Is there anything I should, or even can, do?

 

You should have taken a picture so we could see what you're talking about. I just went out and looked at my old OEM calipers and didn't see anything that remotely resembled a radioactivity warning sign.

 

u sure you know what a rad sign looks like?

 

who cares its not a radioactive sign they cant be.

 

OP probably has only a few hours left to live before he dies of cancer.

 

No, I guess I don't remember exactly what a radioactive symbol looked like. It is similar however. One minute and I'll post the photo.

 

i know what you talking about 3 tirangles but the radioactive sign isnt triangles and it has a circle in the middle.

 

Isn't that still a hazard symbol of some sort?

 

no its just part of the casting let it go

 

This is why I was associating it with radioactivity.

 

it should look like this my dad works for the NRC i have tons of stickers with the correct symbol

 

Send the calipers to me, I can do a complete radiation profile on it!

 

Is he in the Atlanta office? What does he do?

I'm with Westinghouse Nuclear.

 

Hes a safety inspector at the atlanta office. Im not entirely sure of his job title but he has been to quite a few reactors in the country and deals with the accidents that happen.

 

Good stuff.

 

@ Jarred

Just in case my post with the pics wasn't clear, I wasn't saying that was the symbol for radioactivity, but for a fallout shelter. I just thought you may have misunderstood me by beginning your post with "it should look like this".

That has to be why I was thinking of it being the sign for radioactivity though.

 

cool didnt mean to step on your toes. just thought id let you know.

 

you might know him. ill ask him next time i talk to him see if hes been to that plant.

 

Very observant. Wrong but observant.

 

In case of nuclear fallout, get in car, roll up windows, close A/C vents. Live happily with the roaches.