A brake washer is a parts washer built specifically for cleaning brake assemblies, drums, rotors, and driveline components. Brake work throws off fine dust and heavy grease, so a dedicated brake washer contains the mess and flushes parts with recirculated solvent — keeping the job fast, clean, and safer than blowing parts off with compressed air. Here is how to pick the right one.
Why use a dedicated brake washer?
Brake dust and grease do not rinse off easily, and spraying parts with aerosol cleaner is expensive and messy. A brake washer recirculates solvent through a flow brush or spout so you can scrub and flush over a contained basin, capturing the runoff instead of spreading it across the shop. That means less product wasted, a cleaner bay, and better results on stubborn grease.
Bench vs. mobile brake washers
The main choice is where and how you work:
- Bench / low-profile washers sit at a dedicated station and are ideal when brake work happens in one spot. See the Low-Profile Brake Washer.
- Mobile brake washers roll to the vehicle or bay so you clean parts where the work is. Build-All offers mobile units like the MRC21 mobile brake washer and the MAP5 mobile brake washer.
Solvent or aqueous for brake parts?
Most brake washers run solvent because it cuts baked-on grease and dries quickly. If your shop is moving away from solvent, an aqueous setup is possible — see Comparing Aqueous and Solvent Parts Cleaning to weigh the trade-offs for your operation.
What to look for
- Containment: a basin and splash guard that keep dust and runoff in the unit.
- Flow-through brush: lets you scrub and rinse in one motion.
- Mobility: casters if you work at the vehicle; a fixed bench if you have a dedicated station.
- Capacity: enough basin room for drums and rotors, not just small parts.
Explore Build-All brake washers
Build-All manufactures brake washers in Milwaukee in both bench and mobile configurations. Browse the full lineup of brake washers, or if you also clean other components, start with our guide to choosing the right parts washer. Questions about a specific application? Contact us.