59 replies to this topic

[Che'_Moderator]

Had green stuff on mine.  Threw them in the bin, wouldn't put them on my bicycle.

Red Stuff would be better but Ferodo DS2500 are the Daddy if you can get them in the US.

Would not touch EBC personally. Would stick to Mintex or Porterfields.

[855T]

Had green stuff on mine.  Threw them in the bin, wouldn't put them on my bicycle.

Would not touch EBC personally. Would stick to Mintex or Porterfields.

Not to be a jerk, but useful posts, guys. Can you explain why you don't like the pads?

[T501]

Had green stuff on mine.  Threw them in the bin, wouldn't put them on my bicycle.

Would not touch EBC personally. Would stick to Mintex or Porterfields.

Not to be a jerk, but useful posts, guys. Can you explain why you don't like the pads?

Good point, I was gonna ask the same thing but you beat me to it.

[Che'_Moderator]

Had green stuff on mine.  Threw them in the bin, wouldn't put them on my bicycle.

Would not touch EBC personally. Would stick to Mintex or Porterfields.

Not to be a jerk, but useful posts, guys. Can you explain why you don't like the pads?

For one their are better pads out there. Proven time and time again so not even worth fighting over if there are better out there. Second they are actually pretty hard on rotors. All performance pads tend to be, but they seem to be a little worse. Nothing major, but if they are not the best, and do not wear slower why bother. Well other than the fact they are pretty cheap. The accelerated rotor wear may be worth it if the price were right. These pads are popular the same reason iPods are. A lot of hype. Not a bad product, but there are better out there.

[JCviggen]

whats the idea about metal masters ? compared to, for example, EBC green?

[gdizzle]

The reds are still consider street pads.  You aren't going to endanger your life or more importantly your car by running reds on the street.  The greens have better initial bite, but the reds have better fade resistance.  Our cars are heavy enough to heat up the pads sufficiently.

Thats right, these car's weight so much that Reds don't take long at all to heat up. So far, best pad I have had!

Also,
Just curious: Anyone running the EBC rotors too? If so how are they?

Thanks!

I have them on my golf, save your money.

[T501]

Had green stuff on mine.  Threw them in the bin, wouldn't put them on my bicycle.

Would not touch EBC personally. Would stick to Mintex or Porterfields.

Not to be a jerk, but useful posts, guys. Can you explain why you don't like the pads?

For one their are better pads out there. Proven time and time again so not even worth fighting over if there are better out there. Second they are actually pretty hard on rotors. All performance pads tend to be, but they seem to be a little worse. Nothing major, but if they are not the best, and do not wear slower why bother. Well other than the fact they are pretty cheap. The accelerated rotor wear may be worth it if the price were right. These pads are popular the same reason iPods are. A lot of hype. Not a bad product, but there are better out there.

I don't think 855T is looking to fight about it and neither am I. We just want just what you gave us this time, an explination. Next time I'll try the Porterfields and make a comparison. Thanks for your help!

[T501]

The reds are still consider street pads.  You aren't going to endanger your life or more importantly your car by running reds on the street.  The greens have better initial bite, but the reds have better fade resistance.  Our cars are heavy enough to heat up the pads sufficiently.

Thats right, these car's weight so much that Reds don't take long at all to heat up. So far, best pad I have had!

Also,
Just curious: Anyone running the EBC rotors too? If so how are they?

Thanks!

I have them on my golf, save your money.

Thanks for the heads up Greg. What do you like then? The Powerslots? I don't want to spend 2 or 3k on a big brake upgrade and I already have 302mm so when mine finaly wear I'm just gonna replace them with a better than OEM rotor of the same size.

[Che'_Moderator]

Had green stuff on mine.  Threw them in the bin, wouldn't put them on my bicycle.

Would not touch EBC personally. Would stick to Mintex or Porterfields.

Not to be a jerk, but useful posts, guys. Can you explain why you don't like the pads?

For one their are better pads out there. Proven time and time again so not even worth fighting over if there are better out there. Second they are actually pretty hard on rotors. All performance pads tend to be, but they seem to be a little worse. Nothing major, but if they are not the best, and do not wear slower why bother. Well other than the fact they are pretty cheap. The accelerated rotor wear may be worth it if the price were right. These pads are popular the same reason iPods are. A lot of hype. Not a bad product, but there are better out there.

I don't think 855T is looking to fight about it and neither am I. We just want just what you gave us this time, an explination. Next time I'll try the Porterfields and make a comparison. Thanks for your help!

Nothing to fight over and sorry if you took one of my posts the wrong way. I was just saying there are better preforming pads out there for what most of you want. I have used cheapo redbox pads. It all depends on your needs. But if your going for high end street performance I would look else where. If you want just a step up from stock they are a good way to go

[Volvoson]

Ok... Here is an update on my brakes:

I took my car into the shop today to have them re-grease the front pads (all over), and hopefully fix the squeel. [rant]First, they asked me to bring my car into the shop at 9:00am, which I did. I was told that it should be an hour worth of labor, AT MOST, to fix the front brakes. So, 1:30 came around, no call about my car. I decided to give them a call and ask if my car was ready, or close. They told me that they hadn't even put my car onto a lift yet to work on it, and that is wouldn't be ready until 5:00 or 5:30... I was upset by them telling me this, but had no other choice...

I sat around for a few hours doing nothing... So, it is almost 5:00 now, and I give them a call. They say "well, we are almost done with your car, but it will be ready by 6:30 at the latest". I was growing more and more frustrated, because I had to be at work by 6:30...

I call them at 6:10, right before I was going to leave for work. They said that my car was ready. I went down and picked it up, drove it off the lot, and everything seemed fine. As I was driving to work, as the brakes warmed up, I noticed the squeeling was comming back. Ever since I got my car back, the brakes don't have as much of a bite, and they still SQUEEL!!!

They said they cleaned the rotors using brakekleen, re-greased the pads, and then re-mounted everything. Could this just be a temporary squeel while the brakekleen is wearing off? I am considering just getting new pads, but could the rotors already be messed up from all of this?

Help please!

What a waste of money...

Edited by carson, 10 February 2005 - 08:18 AM.

[jross]

I don't believe Brakekleen leaves a residue. Sorry.

I'm too lazy to go back and reread everything at 12:30 am, so, quick checklist:
1) Are you sure the noise is from up front?
2) What's the condition of the rotors?
- if new, were they properly cleaned before install?
- if old, are they within spec and free of heavy grooves?
3) Did you break the pads in properly?
4) Are you sure you trust those yahoos did a decent job?

If the above all check out...

5) Are the pads chamfered?
6) Recheck everything

[Volvoson]

I don't believe Brakekleen leaves a residue. Sorry.

I'm too lazy to go back and reread everything at 12:30 am, so, quick checklist:
1) Are you sure the noise is from up front?
2) What's the condition of the rotors?
   - if new, were they properly cleaned before install?
   - if old, are they within spec and free of heavy grooves?
3) Did you break the pads in properly?
4) Are you sure you trust those yahoos did a decent job?

If the above all check out...

5) Are the pads chamfered?
6) Recheck everything

1) Yes, front is noticable, and still a little from the rear. The noise isn't as often as it was before, but at times, it can be worse then before...

2) New. When I first installed the rotors, my brother said I didn't need to use Brakekleen on them, just have to "bed" the rotors. A few short and quick brake checks to break through the cosmoline... I didn't know from experience, and he has done brake jobs before. He also did this on his old car (BMW), and no problems there...

3) Yes, I drove easy on the pads for quite some time (don't remember exactly how many miles). I didn't do any real panic braking or anything...

4) Not really, but my brother had his new car "inspected" there, and they are just a few blocks from my house...

5) Chamfered?

Edited by carson, 10 February 2005 - 08:38 AM.

[T501]

I don't believe Brakekleen leaves a residue. Sorry.

I'm too lazy to go back and reread everything at 12:30 am, so, quick checklist:
1) Are you sure the noise is from up front?
2) What's the condition of the rotors?
   - if new, were they properly cleaned before install?
   - if old, are they within spec and free of heavy grooves?
3) Did you break the pads in properly?
4) Are you sure you trust those yahoos did a decent job?

If the above all check out...

5) Are the pads chamfered?
6) Recheck everything

1) Yes, front is noticable, and still a little from the rear. The noise isn't as often as it was before, but at times, it can be worse then before...

2) New. When I first installed the rotors, my brother said I didn't need to use Brakekleen on them, just have to "bed" the rotors. A few short and quick brake checks to break through the cosmoline... I didn't know from experience, and he has done brake jobs before. He also did this on his old car (BMW), and no problems there...

3) Yes, I drove easy on the pads for quite some time (don't remember exactly how many miles). I didn't do any real panic braking or anything...

4) Not really, but my brother had his new car "inspected" there, and they are just a few blocks from my house...

5) Chamfered?

Sorry to tell you this but your Bro was wrong. Cleaning the rotors is a must. When I was a tech we had a guy in the shop that would try to save time by not cleaning them. He got tons of returns on brake jobs. I always cleaned them and I never got one return. Cleaning the rotors has nothing to do with bedding them its to remove a anti corosovie coating thats put there for storage and shelving the rotors without them rusting. If you don't get that off the rotors will always warp.

Chamfering is something the oem Volvo pads come with. The trailing and leading edges of the pad are shaved in a angle which is supposed to reduce noise. I didn't do it to my greens and so far so good.

Edited by T501, 10 February 2005 - 08:51 AM.

[Volvoson]

I don't believe Brakekleen leaves a residue. Sorry.

I'm too lazy to go back and reread everything at 12:30 am, so, quick checklist:
1) Are you sure the noise is from up front?
2) What's the condition of the rotors?
   - if new, were they properly cleaned before install?
   - if old, are they within spec and free of heavy grooves?
3) Did you break the pads in properly?
4) Are you sure you trust those yahoos did a decent job?

If the above all check out...

5) Are the pads chamfered?
6) Recheck everything

1) Yes, front is noticable, and still a little from the rear. The noise isn't as often as it was before, but at times, it can be worse then before...

2) New. When I first installed the rotors, my brother said I didn't need to use Brakekleen on them, just have to "bed" the rotors. A few short and quick brake checks to break through the cosmoline... I didn't know from experience, and he has done brake jobs before. He also did this on his old car (BMW), and no problems there...

3) Yes, I drove easy on the pads for quite some time (don't remember exactly how many miles). I didn't do any real panic braking or anything...

4) Not really, but my brother had his new car "inspected" there, and they are just a few blocks from my house...

5) Chamfered?

Sorry to tell you this but your Bro was wrong. Cleaning the rotors is a must. When I was a tech we had a guy in the shop that would try to save time by not cleaning them. He got tons of returns on brake jobs. I always cleaned them and I never got one return. Cleaning the rotors has nothing to do with bedding them its to remove a anti corosovie coating thats put there for storage and shelving the rotors without them rusting. If you don't get that off the rotors will always warp.

Chamfering is something the oem Volvo pads come with. The trailing and leading edges of the pad are shaved in a angle which is supposed to reduce noise. I didn't do it to my greens and so far so good.

So what would you guess the verdict is? I feel dumb for trying to do my own brakes, and if they are all fubar now Money wasted...

Also, when they gave me my car back, they said that they went over the pads and rotors to get all of the cosmoline off with brakekleen. Would that help, or did I do the damage to the rotors/pads by not using brakekleen in the first place?

[T501]

I don't believe Brakekleen leaves a residue. Sorry.

I'm too lazy to go back and reread everything at 12:30 am, so, quick checklist:
1) Are you sure the noise is from up front?
2) What's the condition of the rotors?
   - if new, were they properly cleaned before install?
   - if old, are they within spec and free of heavy grooves?
3) Did you break the pads in properly?
4) Are you sure you trust those yahoos did a decent job?

If the above all check out...

5) Are the pads chamfered?
6) Recheck everything

1) Yes, front is noticable, and still a little from the rear. The noise isn't as often as it was before, but at times, it can be worse then before...

2) New. When I first installed the rotors, my brother said I didn't need to use Brakekleen on them, just have to "bed" the rotors. A few short and quick brake checks to break through the cosmoline... I didn't know from experience, and he has done brake jobs before. He also did this on his old car (BMW), and no problems there...

3) Yes, I drove easy on the pads for quite some time (don't remember exactly how many miles). I didn't do any real panic braking or anything...

4) Not really, but my brother had his new car "inspected" there, and they are just a few blocks from my house...

5) Chamfered?

Sorry to tell you this but your Bro was wrong. Cleaning the rotors is a must. When I was a tech we had a guy in the shop that would try to save time by not cleaning them. He got tons of returns on brake jobs. I always cleaned them and I never got one return. Cleaning the rotors has nothing to do with bedding them its to remove a anti corosovie coating thats put there for storage and shelving the rotors without them rusting. If you don't get that off the rotors will always warp.

Chamfering is something the oem Volvo pads come with. The trailing and leading edges of the pad are shaved in a angle which is supposed to reduce noise. I didn't do it to my greens and so far so good.

So what would you guess the verdict is? I feel dumb for trying to do my own brakes, and if they are all fubar now Money wasted...

Also, when they gave me my car back, they said that they went over the pads and rotors to get all of the cosmoline off with brakekleen. Would that help, or did I do the damage to the rotors/pads by not using brakekleen in the first place?

I hate to have to tell this to you but the damage is probably already done. Like I said I don't have any first hand experience (knock wood) with brake problems caused by a poor install but I saw it happen many times in the hands of other techs. If you don't grease the pads you get squeel and if you don't clean the rotors you get warpage.

Are you getting high pitch squeel or shuddering or both?

shuddering is like and sometimes is vibration

Edited by T501, 10 February 2005 - 09:05 AM.

[Volvoson]

It varies... Sometimes I get high pitched squeeling, other times I get a low howling sound and a slight shudder... It all is based on the speed, pressure on the brakes, and how warm/cool they are...

Any chance Brembo will exchange rotors since I didn't have instructions saying to clean them (in the box)? FUBAR!

BBK time? haha... <--- not really laughing, just kicking myself for being an idiot.

[T501]

[quote=carson,Feb 10 2005, 05:08 AM]
It varies... Sometimes I get high pitched squeeling, other times I get a low howling sound and a slight shudder... It all is based on the speed, pressure on the brakes, and how warm/cool they are...

Any chance Brembo will exchange rotors since I didn't have instructions saying to clean them (in the box)? FUBAR!

BBK time? haha... <--- not really laughing, just kicking myself for being an idiot.

[/quote

Then they are warped.

I don't know but the worst they cand do is say no.

You're not an idiot unless you don't learn from your mistakes. I bet you'll clean the rotors next time.

Sorry you had so many problems with this, I know how it feels. It sucks but I always say its the price of learning. You spent a little more now but you'll save in the future b/c now you'll know how to do it right and you wont have to rely on the shop.

If you want to give it one last try you could always dis and then re-assemble everything re-doing all the cleaning and greasing.

One more thing....Always torque your wheel bolts to spec and tighten in a star pattern b/c that will warp your rotors also.

Best of Luck!

[T501]

One more thing....Always torque your wheel bolts to spec and tighten in a star pattern b/c that will warp your rotors also.

[/quote]

The shops don't do that unless you ask and sometimes then they don't, you have to watch them. Thats includes the dealers.

[Volvoson]

I don't want to accept that they are fubared yet... My mom is going to be mad, money wasted. My brother thinks I overreacted about the problem and thinks that I doubted his work... He keeps telling me "just give them time to break in, they will be fine".

I tell him about other peoples' experiences using Greenstuff pads, and how they didn't run into the problems I did.. He still won't accept that.

T501, thanks for the help /

Edited by carson, 10 February 2005 - 09:21 AM.

[Volvoson]

Oh ya, here are some of the things he said to me earlier tonight:

oh well, I don't feel bad if professionals can't make your stuff sound any better than me

ok....you seriously need to chill..... let things actually have a chance to settle in before you worry soo much

I am actually kinda annoyed I even helped you do your brakes in the first place, cuz you have been complaining about how annying they are, and how you don't think they got done right