Posted: 6/9/2013 2:21:29 PM EDT
I did my brakes on my car yesterday. I have done hundreds of brake jobs before considering I used to do it for a living. Anyway, I changed calipers, pads, and rotors. I bled the shit out of the brakes also. This is the wear I am getting. The rotor is smooth so its not digging in. When I pump the brakes with the car off the pedal is hard as a rock. When I start the car and drive the pedal seems a little more spongy then it used to be. I used ceramic pads and only have driven around 30 miles. It's been a while since I have done a brake job so I was just wanting some input. Is the wear normal until the pads get broken in?
|
|
Could try a bed-in procedure to help the process.
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=85 |
|
Like someone else said, bed the pads. If you bedded them properly and got them hot enough, the edges of the rotor will be blue and the contact surface will be gray.
http://www.stoptech.com/technical-support/technical-white-papers/bed-in-theory-definitions-and-procedures/bed-in-faq |
|
Quoted:
Perfectly normal. The faces of the pads and rotors are never 100% perfect, so they won't fully settle in for a few hundred miles. Looks like a decent rotor, too judging by the non-directional finish. Kudos on using ceramic pads, too. +1 if they're Akebono.  What about the kind of spongy pedal? Should that improve? Like I said I bled the shit out of the brakes and the pedal is hard with engine off. |
|
Quoted:
The pads need to seat in. Also if you went from stock or normal pads to Ceramic they will Feel different due to the Coefficient of friction not being the same. OE pads were ceramic IIRC. ETA: Come to think about it I'm not sure what I used last time. But OE is ceramic. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Perfectly normal. The faces of the pads and rotors are never 100% perfect, so they won't fully settle in for a few hundred miles. Looks like a decent rotor, too judging by the non-directional finish. Kudos on using ceramic pads, too. +1 if they're Akebono. What about the kind of spongy pedal? Should that improve? Like I said I bled the shit out of the brakes and the pedal is hard with engine off. Is it a rear disc or drum system? Either way, make sure the rears are properly adjusted. Out-of-adjustment rears can cause a spongy pedal. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Perfectly normal. The faces of the pads and rotors are never 100% perfect, so they won't fully settle in for a few hundred miles. Looks like a decent rotor, too judging by the non-directional finish. Kudos on using ceramic pads, too. +1 if they're Akebono. What about the kind of spongy pedal? Should that improve? Like I said I bled the shit out of the brakes and the pedal is hard with engine off. Is it a rear disc or drum system? Either way, make sure the rears are properly adjusted. Out-of-adjustment rears can cause a spongy pedal. Disc |
|
Here you go, step-by-step brake bedding.
http://www.baer.com/tech-center/how-to-bed-your-pads They'll feel better once you do this. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Perfectly normal. The faces of the pads and rotors are never 100% perfect, so they won't fully settle in for a few hundred miles. Looks like a decent rotor, too judging by the non-directional finish. Kudos on using ceramic pads, too. +1 if they're Akebono. What about the kind of spongy pedal? Should that improve? Like I said I bled the shit out of the brakes and the pedal is hard with engine off. Is it a rear disc or drum system? Either way, make sure the rears are properly adjusted. Out-of-adjustment rears can cause a spongy pedal. Disc Disc... OK, IIRC, look for a bolt in the center of each rear caliper. Removing this bolt exposes the adjuster screw. I think it's a 5mm Allen. Tighten until you can't turn the rotor by hand, then back off just until it spins freely. |
|
Are your calipers oriented so the bleed screws are at the top?
Sometimes they give you two calipers for the right side or left side or sometimes calipers are put on the wrongs sides and this gets by the installer. This isn't possible on every vehicle but does happen. The bleed screws must be at the top of the calipers to bleed out any air. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Perfectly normal. The faces of the pads and rotors are never 100% perfect, so they won't fully settle in for a few hundred miles. Looks like a decent rotor, too judging by the non-directional finish. Kudos on using ceramic pads, too. +1 if they're Akebono. What about the kind of spongy pedal? Should that improve? Like I said I bled the shit out of the brakes and the pedal is hard with engine off. Is it a rear disc or drum system? Either way, make sure the rears are properly adjusted. Out-of-adjustment rears can cause a spongy pedal. Disc Disc... OK, IIRC, look for a bolt in the center of each rear caliper. Removing this bolt exposes the adjuster screw. I think it's a 5mm Allen. Tighten until you can't turn the rotor by hand, then back off just until it spins freely. Thanks. I'll do that next weekend. Why would that matter if I didn't touch the rear brakes though? |
|
Quoted:
Are your calipers oriented so the bleed screws are at the top? Sometimes they give you two calipers for the right side or left side or sometimes calipers are put on the wrongs sides and this gets by the installer. This isn't possible on every vehicle but does happen. The bleed screws must be at the top of the calipers to bleed out any air. They are the right ones. I checked the part #'s before I left NAPA and the bleeders are on the top. |
|
Quoted: I've seen NAPA calipers leak at the piston seal a few times, giving the pedal a spongy feel. Check your fluid level and make sure the disc and calipers don't look wet. Quoted: Are your calipers oriented so the bleed screws are at the top? Sometimes they give you two calipers for the right side or left side or sometimes calipers are put on the wrongs sides and this gets by the installer. This isn't possible on every vehicle but does happen. The bleed screws must be at the top of the calipers to bleed out any air. They are the right ones. I checked the part #'s before I left NAPA and the bleeders are on the top. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Perfectly normal. The faces of the pads and rotors are never 100% perfect, so they won't fully settle in for a few hundred miles. Looks like a decent rotor, too judging by the non-directional finish. Kudos on using ceramic pads, too. +1 if they're Akebono. What about the kind of spongy pedal? Should that improve? Like I said I bled the shit out of the brakes and the pedal is hard with engine off. Is it a rear disc or drum system? Either way, make sure the rears are properly adjusted. Out-of-adjustment rears can cause a spongy pedal. Disc Disc... OK, IIRC, look for a bolt in the center of each rear caliper. Removing this bolt exposes the adjuster screw. I think it's a 5mm Allen. Tighten until you can't turn the rotor by hand, then back off just until it spins freely. Thanks. I'll do that next weekend. Why would that matter if I didn't touch the rear brakes though? They could be out of adjustment through normal wear and tear. Was the pedal feeling good before the front CPR job? If so, there may still be a bubble somewhere. Having a helper hold the pedal while you open and close the bleeders works better than gravity bleeding. Also, tap the calipers with a hammer while bleeding to shake bubbles loose. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Perfectly normal. The faces of the pads and rotors are never 100% perfect, so they won't fully settle in for a few hundred miles. Looks like a decent rotor, too judging by the non-directional finish. Kudos on using ceramic pads, too. +1 if they're Akebono. What about the kind of spongy pedal? Should that improve? Like I said I bled the shit out of the brakes and the pedal is hard with engine off. Is it a rear disc or drum system? Either way, make sure the rears are properly adjusted. Out-of-adjustment rears can cause a spongy pedal. Disc Disc... OK, IIRC, look for a bolt in the center of each rear caliper. Removing this bolt exposes the adjuster screw. I think it's a 5mm Allen. Tighten until you can't turn the rotor by hand, then back off just until it spins freely. Thanks. I'll do that next weekend. Why would that matter if I didn't touch the rear brakes though? They could be out of adjustment through normal wear and tear. Was the pedal feeling good before the front CPR job? If so, there may still be a bubble somewhere. Having a helper hold the pedal while you open and close the bleeders works better than gravity bleeding. Also, tap the calipers with a hammer while bleeding to shake bubbles loose. Did that. I'm thinking the pedal should improve when the pads are fully seated. Since they aren't touching the outer edges I'm guessing there is a little play which is making the pedal spongy. |
| When you re-seated the caliper pistons, did you crack open the bleeder before you did? It's always a good idea to do this, so you don't push the old fluid back through the lines into the proportioning valve or ABS actuators. That could cause problems with valves sticking. |
|
Quoted:
Perfectly normal. The faces of the pads and rotors are never 100% perfect, so they won't fully settle in for a few hundred miles. Looks like a decent rotor, too judging by the non-directional finish. Kudos on using ceramic pads, too. +1 if they're Akebono. akebono are mediocre pads. Textar E-pad is a much better pad, if availible for your application. the Akdebono don't have quite the same grip. the E-pad is the only ceramic I know of that meets manufactures specifications for friction. they also fit (in my experiance) the calipers better. OP, those rotors and pads need to be bedded. ALWAYS DO THIS WITH NEW ROTORS http://www.stoptech.com/technical-support/technical-white-papers/-warped-brake-disc-and-other-myths |
|
Anytime I have done a brake job on my personal vehicles. I take a trip up in the mountains and drive it hard until I smell the brakes. Let it cool down for a few minutes and then do it one more time. Its basically the redneck way to "bed" your brakes. And a lot more fun. You might have a bubble or something in your ABS. Hit a gravel or dirt road, go about 40mph and slam on the brakes hard initiating the ABS system. I would bet money that would get rid of the spongy feel. ETA: Nice ride, mister. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
OP, what kind of vehicle is this on if you dont mind? My rice-a-roni Mazdaspeed Protege. Pictures of aforementioned Protege? I had a 2003.5 MSP awhile back. <a href="http://s15.photobucket.com/user/dragtillidie/media/frontfloor_zps93803283.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a378/dragtillidie/frontfloor_zps93803283.jpg</a><a href="http://s15.photobucket.com/user/dragtillidie/media/MSPNew1.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a378/dragtillidie/MSPNew1.jpg</a> Very cool. I had the same car. 
|
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Perfectly normal. The faces of the pads and rotors are never 100% perfect, so they won't fully settle in for a few hundred miles. Looks like a decent rotor, too judging by the non-directional finish. Kudos on using ceramic pads, too. +1 if they're Akebono. akebono are mediocre pads. Textar E-pad is a much better pad, if availible for your application. the Akdebono don't have quite the same grip. the E-pad is the only ceramic I know of that meets manufactures specifications for friction. they also fit (in my experiance) the calipers better. OP, those rotors and pads need to be bedded. ALWAYS DO THIS WITH NEW ROTORS http://www.stoptech.com/technical-support/technical-white-papers/-warped-brake-disc-and-other-myths Akebono is the OEM brake pad for many GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru and Isuzu vehicles. It's the only ceramic pad our stores carry. They are the only pad I would use for my wife's Accord and my Ram 2500. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
I've always bought the cheapest pads and rotors from the back door of Brake Check and always been satisfied.  why anyone would cheap out on what is probably the most important system [aside from drive train] of a car is beyond me. Maybe some people are satisfied with crap 
|