Are these pads toast?

[Random Asshole]

Hey guys, I was checking out my front pads leftover from last season and I noticed something that was a bit startling..

Its only this particular pad that is real beat up. I got a bout with Dave coming soon so I need a full day of brakes. If it were an autocross or something, then it might not bother me as much. So waddya say?

Fuck it or chuck it?


EDIT:

I think this about sums it up.

While staring at the first photo above, I noticed the crack that went along the length of the pad near the backing plate. Didn't take much for me to do this.

"Hello, Carbotech? Uhh yeah...This is the brake rapist calling again. No, it hasn't been more than two weeks since we last spoke. I was wondering if I can I cash in my frequent fryer miles.."

 

[1andonlywhitie]

I'm no brake pro but I work at Repco here in Australia...

They look like they should have heaps of bite left in them...(according to how thick the actual compund is...) ...however, those cracks, missing bits are quite concerning. How old are they?

Are all the pads fucked or just that one? If it's just one pad thats stuffed maybe there is something else causing it...

If you have been using street brakes on the track they may not be covered but if they are fairly new see if you can get replacements. If not, get a more heavy duty pad for the track. Bendix brakes (I assume you guys get those...) make both HD pads and SRT pads (Street Race Track)... maybe invest in some of those...

 

[DusterRT]

Nah, they're fine...just fill the cracks and build up the areas with missing chunks with some JB Weld or maybe some steel putty and you're set. The JB weld won't tear up your rotors too badly but you'll get some awesome bite with the steel putty!

 

[Philostang]

I say JB Weld it. =)

Seriously, are those Carbotech pads?

I originally switched from Hawk to Carbotech precisely because I had two sets of Hawk pads that ended up looking like that. Someone suggested to me that it happened because they were not properly bedded. It was also suggested that Hawk pads are a bit finicky with bedding and that the Carbotechs bed easily. I don't know for a fact any of this, I was just told this.

At any rate, I've never had this problem with the Carbotechs. Maybe I've gotten luck so far, but the last half-dozen sets have been a breeze to bed and simply wear rather than chunk.

Best,
-j

 

[STEVE_POE]

I've been runing hawk pads for years and I can say I've never had a pad look like that. My car is a purpose built track car. not street legal.

It's really hard for me to bed pads. 90% of the time I put them in and go. I've never seen mine do that.

 

[1andonlywhitie]

Wow, so clearly I don't know much.. Would you really just stick 'em back together? I'd be paranoid they would basically just fall apart all together and leave you completely stuffed with no brakes..

Oh well, I tried to help..

 

[Natural1]

Wow, so clearly I don't know much.. Would you really just stick 'em back together? I'd be paranoid they would basically just fall apart all together and leave you completely stuffed with no brakes..

Oh well, I tried to help..

It was a joke. Read these below about bed in proceedure.

http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml

I have had an old (Bendix?) pad do that on my Cobra. It was the first and only time I had ever seen something like that. My rotors were equally trashed, discolored from heat and stress cracked. My pad was cracked but wasn't damaged as bad as the one in the picture. It looks like it literally caught fire.

 

[Philostang]

+1!! It was a joke - please, please don't anyone take the JB Weld comment seriously. (Then again, if you do take it seriously, can I offer to sell you some property in Florida?)

Poe, you really don't bother bedding your Hawks? Do you at least kind of take it easy or do something noticeably different your first time out on them?

The first set of Hawk pads I had that looked like that didn't exactly crack apart like this, but they did look chunked up, like someone took a spoon and chiseled away at them. They just kind of fell apart (like they were disintegrating), and that was not from tracking, that was just from the bedding process.

For the record, I tried to follow the bedding procedure Hawk recommended. So even if I did it wrong (a strong possibility, I admit), I can't see how I could have done it so wrong as to warrant the damage they incurred. Also for the record, I sent Hawk pics of the pads and they replaced them for free, no questions asked (which maybe is a sign?). The next set were great, the set after had problems, so I went to Carbotech.

Best,
-j

 

[SoundGuyDave]

I'm another one that really doesn't bed the pads the "right" way... First session out on the new pads, I just drive at about 80%, and brake as hard as possible, until I JUST start to feel the pads getting "weird," then run a slow cool-down lap and park it. Brake ducts blocked, of course.

 

[19COBRA93]

Absolutely don't run those pads, they are done, garbage and spent.

 

[Random Asshole]

I say JB Weld it. =)

Seriously, are those Carbotech pads?

-j

Yes, they are XP8's. I think the reason is that it failed is because the backing plate bent. I've bent the backing plates and and cracked all the pads before, but never like this. My bed in procedure is usually on the last 2 miles on the way to the track I'm running that day and has worked pretty well thus far. Most of my pads also wear in a tapered fashion. I blame the calipers and me shoving the brake pedal through the firewall at every braking zone.

And the pads are leftovers from last year, but they didn't see all that much action. Basically a track day on them.

 

[Philostang]

I thought that backing plate looked funky! Man, my eyes aren't going completely screwy just yet...

I'm surprised you're only running XP8s...I would have thought 10's or 12's were more up your alley. I think our cars are just too damn heavy for hard use on the 8's. FWIW, I have a barely used set of XP10s I will be selling cheap (they've been bedded and run one day in the rain, so nothing heavy). PM me, if you're interested.

Best,
-j

 

[Random Asshole]

I thought that backing plate looked funky! Man, my eyes aren't going completely screwy just yet...

I'm surprised you're only running XP8s...I would have thought 10's or 12's were more up your alley. I think our cars are just too damn heavy for hard use on the 8's. FWIW, I have a barely used set of XP10s I will be selling cheap (they've been bedded and run one day in the rain, so nothing heavy). PM me, if you're interested.

Best,
-j

Yeah, I can't say if it's the wrong application or not. I just went with what the sales rep suggested. I appreciate the offer John. Bring them to autobahn if you are making an appearance and I'll take them.

 

[STEVE_POE]

Poe, you really don't bother bedding your Hawks? Do you at least kind of take it easy or do something noticeably different your first time out on them?

nope, I can't I don't have a place and track time is so limited. I put them on and go. If I can on a friday when we usually arrive I'll put a new set on and run up and down the parking lot a few times and let them sit overnight. That is no way proper though. I can get 3 to 4 weekends out of a front set and 4 or 5 out of the rear

 

[1andonlywhitie]

It was a joke. Read these below about bed in proceedure.

http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml

I have had an old (Bendix?) pad do that on my Cobra. It was the first and only time I had ever seen something like that. My rotors were equally trashed, discolored from heat and stress cracked. My pad was cracked but wasn't damaged as bad as the one in the picture. It looks like it literally caught fire.

Oh thank god... I was dead certain they were fucked but you wrote it with such conviction that it was true... haha. Ya got me, I was actually a bit concerned for a while there... Oh well, well done...