Brand new brakes, few problems
01-18-2012, 04:38 PM
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Brand new brakes, few problems Bought a full set of 4 slotted rotors and 4 brake pads from that Brake Motive sale. Just installed them on my car yesterday. Things feel a little bit different. Was hoping to make sense of it.
After installing them my friend told me that the brake pedal will fall completely to the floor with almost no pressure, you have to pump the brakes in park to get the fluid back into the pistons. I did several pumps and felt them firm up a little bit and finally drove it around. The brakes still feel very loose, I have to push it down pretty far to get it to stop, although braking power feels stronger. Is this normal?
Also, when coming to a complete stop I can feel the brakes vibrating and kind of grinding. The sound is difficult to describe, but I know it's coming directly from the brakes. Is this normal for the break in period?
Lastly I have a faint squeaking sound coming from the back. I thought this was the brakes and was part of the reason I replaced them. The squeaking sound is still there. Any ideas on what it might be?
After installing them my friend told me that the brake pedal will fall completely to the floor with almost no pressure, you have to pump the brakes in park to get the fluid back into the pistons. I did several pumps and felt them firm up a little bit and finally drove it around. The brakes still feel very loose, I have to push it down pretty far to get it to stop, although braking power feels stronger. Is this normal?
Also, when coming to a complete stop I can feel the brakes vibrating and kind of grinding. The sound is difficult to describe, but I know it's coming directly from the brakes. Is this normal for the break in period?
Lastly I have a faint squeaking sound coming from the back. I thought this was the brakes and was part of the reason I replaced them. The squeaking sound is still there. Any ideas on what it might be?
01-18-2012, 04:52 PM
#2
Did you change your fluid? If you didn't, this is not normal because when you collapse the piston to install the pads, there are only a couple pumps you'll need before they will be back to full firmness. If you did change your fluid, it sounds like your didn't bleed the brakes properly and there is air in the system.
There shouldn't be any grinding, but it also sounds like you didn't put any grease on the contacting surfaces of the pad. For street brakes, wherever there is a connection to the surface of the caliper to the pad, there should be some hi-temp brake grease and grease on the pins to minimize noise and keep things moving properly. Vibration can be caused by the rotor not meeting flush to the hub, so beat the snot out of them with a rubber mallet to make sure they're set correctly.
There is no break-in period for brakes other than the initial bed-in process which is a few moderate brake applications down to a rolling speed followed by a few heavy stops down to a rolling speed before letting the car cool off. You want to build a layer of pad material on the rotor surface for adherent friction. People always say "brake-in miles" and stuff like that but there really aren't. I think it's only there to CYA for some companies. Once you've done that, you've properly broken in your pads and rotors. It's what I do everytime I go to the track and it's what I'm told by all the brake companies I deal with - StopTech, Hawk, DBA, Brembo, and Willwood.
- Kevin
There shouldn't be any grinding, but it also sounds like you didn't put any grease on the contacting surfaces of the pad. For street brakes, wherever there is a connection to the surface of the caliper to the pad, there should be some hi-temp brake grease and grease on the pins to minimize noise and keep things moving properly. Vibration can be caused by the rotor not meeting flush to the hub, so beat the snot out of them with a rubber mallet to make sure they're set correctly.
There is no break-in period for brakes other than the initial bed-in process which is a few moderate brake applications down to a rolling speed followed by a few heavy stops down to a rolling speed before letting the car cool off. You want to build a layer of pad material on the rotor surface for adherent friction. People always say "brake-in miles" and stuff like that but there really aren't. I think it's only there to CYA for some companies. Once you've done that, you've properly broken in your pads and rotors. It's what I do everytime I go to the track and it's what I'm told by all the brake companies I deal with - StopTech, Hawk, DBA, Brembo, and Willwood.
- Kevin
01-18-2012, 06:36 PM
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Did you change your fluid? If you didn't, this is not normal because when you collapse the piston to install the pads, there are only a couple pumps you'll need before they will be back to full firmness. If you did change your fluid, it sounds like your didn't bleed the brakes properly and there is air in the system.
There shouldn't be any grinding, but it also sounds like you didn't put any grease on the contacting surfaces of the pad. For street brakes, wherever there is a connection to the surface of the caliper to the pad, there should be some hi-temp brake grease and grease on the pins to minimize noise and keep things moving properly. Vibration can be caused by the rotor not meeting flush to the hub, so beat the snot out of them with a rubber mallet to make sure they're set correctly.
There is no break-in period for brakes other than the initial bed-in process which is a few moderate brake applications down to a rolling speed followed by a few heavy stops down to a rolling speed before letting the car cool off. You want to build a layer of pad material on the rotor surface for adherent friction. People always say "brake-in miles" and stuff like that but there really aren't. I think it's only there to CYA for some companies. Once you've done that, you've properly broken in your pads and rotors. It's what I do everytime I go to the track and it's what I'm told by all the brake companies I deal with - StopTech, Hawk, DBA, Brembo, and Willwood.
- Kevin
There shouldn't be any grinding, but it also sounds like you didn't put any grease on the contacting surfaces of the pad. For street brakes, wherever there is a connection to the surface of the caliper to the pad, there should be some hi-temp brake grease and grease on the pins to minimize noise and keep things moving properly. Vibration can be caused by the rotor not meeting flush to the hub, so beat the snot out of them with a rubber mallet to make sure they're set correctly.
There is no break-in period for brakes other than the initial bed-in process which is a few moderate brake applications down to a rolling speed followed by a few heavy stops down to a rolling speed before letting the car cool off. You want to build a layer of pad material on the rotor surface for adherent friction. People always say "brake-in miles" and stuff like that but there really aren't. I think it's only there to CYA for some companies. Once you've done that, you've properly broken in your pads and rotors. It's what I do everytime I go to the track and it's what I'm told by all the brake companies I deal with - StopTech, Hawk, DBA, Brembo, and Willwood.
- Kevin
As for the vibrating sound during stopping that's not normal either? You said I should add grease to them? What kind? And will I have to continuously reapply it over time?
01-19-2012, 11:35 AM
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As fo the vibration...could be a million things....the rotors might be warped, wheel not torqued down properly
As for the squeeking...it happens, sometimes brakes just frikin squeek. Lube everything with caliper grease, especially the back of the pads (but NOT the friction surfaces!!!!) and install the shims if the kit camewith it
01-19-2012, 03:02 PM
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It might be loose for the first pump or so but if its continually loose you have either bad old fluid or air in the system. After you swap brakes the pedal is usually firm and very high up.
As fo the vibration...could be a million things....the rotors might be warped, wheel not torqued down properly
As for the squeeking...it happens, sometimes brakes just frikin squeek. Lube everything with caliper grease, especially the back of the pads (but NOT the friction surfaces!!!!) and install the shims if the kit camewith it
As fo the vibration...could be a million things....the rotors might be warped, wheel not torqued down properly
As for the squeeking...it happens, sometimes brakes just frikin squeek. Lube everything with caliper grease, especially the back of the pads (but NOT the friction surfaces!!!!) and install the shims if the kit camewith it
The vibration for the most part has gone away. I only hear it once in a great while now, which is great. I doubt the rotors are warped already, I just installed them 2 days ago!
The car squeaked before the brakes and after the brakes, so it must be something else. I don't know what though...
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01-19-2012, 03:31 PM
#8
Yeah, I didn't bleed the brakes at all or add new fluid. So I guess there might be air in the system? What do I do to fix this? I'm not very familiar with bleeding the brakes. Do you suggest I get them bled and flushed with new fluid?
As for the vibrating sound during stopping that's not normal either? You said I should add grease to them? What kind? And will I have to continuously reapply it over time?
As for the vibrating sound during stopping that's not normal either? You said I should add grease to them? What kind? And will I have to continuously reapply it over time?
Vibration from your brake system is not normal. The rotors should be flush to the hub before re-installing the wheel. You absolutely don't want to get grease on the rotor, though. JUST THE CALIPER's moving parts and behind the brake pads where they touch the caliper. As for what kind, there should be a couple options called "Brake Caliper Grease" at the autoparts store and Disc Brake Quiet. The Disc Brake Quiet can be used for the back of the pads. Non of this stuff is really going to hold up to the heat of road racing, but it will limit the noise transferred through the pad.
- Kevin
01-19-2012, 03:37 PM
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Hey don't feel bad, I somehow put all the calipers on upside down so I was unable to get the air out when bleeding the system. Sounds like you have air in the system..
01-19-2012, 08:19 PM
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Okay, thanks a lot for all the help and suggestions guys. Think I'm going to get a professional to look at it and see if bleeding the brakes will be a good idea.
