Pad deposits question

[trickywoo]

Just wondering about the hard braking cure for pad deposits.

Is it the heat build up from repeated heavy braking which burns off the deposits or is it the extra friction wearing them off?

[GreenV8S]

What is the "hard braking cure for pad deposits"?

[Dave Brand]

I think it's the extra friction. When I've done it I've found that braking hard a few times from 70-ish has cured the problem - no way is that going to get the discs hot enough to burn anything off.

[trickywoo]

Dave Brand said:

I think it's the extra friction. When I've done it I've found that braking hard a few times from 70-ish has cured the problem - no way is that going to get the discs hot enough to burn anything off.

Thanks. I guess if you went mad and managed to cook the brakes it could cause other problems.

I've kind of come to the conclusion anyway that I have a run out / high spot issue so will lay off the big stops.

[GreenV8S]

Most likely you have either an uneven deposit of the pad material, or an overheated region of the disc which is starting to form cermentite, which will result in high spots over time. Both of these are more likely to happen if the brakes have been overheating and likely to be aggravated by further hard stops. The idea that further hard braking is going to somehow improve the situation seems fundamentally flawed.

In theory you could restore even braking by taking the surface off the rotor with garnet paper (or refinishing pads, if you have access to those) and then following the proper bedding-in procedure for your normal pads. More realistically, given the price of discs, it's probably more sensible just to replace the discs - and then bed the pads in properly.

[tapkaJohnD]

So many myths about brakes.
Read Carroll Smith: http://www.stoptech.com/technical-support/technica...

John

[Dave Brand]

GreenV8S said:

The idea that further hard braking is going to somehow improve the situation seems fundamentally flawed.

Fundamentally flawed or not, it worked for me on my Alfa 147. I was suffering from rumble when braking moderately from 70-ish. A few really hard stops got rid of it.

[PositronicRay]

Dave Brand said:

GreenV8S said:

The idea that further hard braking is going to somehow improve the situation seems fundamentally flawed.

Fundamentally flawed or not, it worked for me on my Alfa 147. I was suffering from rumble when braking moderately from 70-ish. A few really hard stops got rid of it.

It maybe depends on how bad they are, mine had a slight oscillation braking from speed. Like you a couple of hard stops sorted it.

I'm thinking nothing to lose, if it sorts it fine, if not time for new brakes.

[Mr2Mike]

tapkaJohnD said:

So many myths about brakes.
Read Carroll Smith: http://www.stoptech.com/technical-support/technica...

John

And Carroll Smith is only adding to them, judging by how frequently that bloody website is quoted. Warped brake discs can and do happen, even if it's much less common than pad deposit problems or material inconsistencies.