More bad car parts

[Butcher]

Changed my brake pads the other day, because the garage said they were toast. Odd I though, they had plenty left on them last time I checked.

I was not wrong. Nor were they:



Have notified the manufacturer in case this is more than just a one off.

[Zak33]

which brand ?

[filbert]

How long have they been in? Looks like total neglect to me.

[Butcher]

18 months. I'm not sure what you mean by neglect, brake pads aren't parts that need much attention other than to be replaced when worn.

[GoNz0]

What make are they, only seen that happen with a handbrake shoe!

[filbert]

18 months. I'm not sure what you mean by neglect, brake pads aren't parts that need much attention other than to be replaced when worn.

Based on the fact I can only see 1 pad and what's been said, I don't know the car or any history and this is done over the net, I can't see the car.
18 months? If they were at the bottom of the canal I could understand, I don't know maybe they have been in only 18 months but I would say that is not the fault of the pad, my guess on seeing that kind of thing on several occasions would be the pads were badly fitted and other parts of the brake system is faulty or in need of maintenance.
Brakes can and do need maintenance before they are worn out, brake pads/ shoes are a moving item they need to move every time the brake is applied and again when released, that pad looks like it was seized in the caliper and overheated.

[Saracen999]

Can you clarify that I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing, Butcher ....

1) Some weird surface spotting,
2) What looks to be strange wear, or disintegration, on the right-hand lower corner
3) By far the most disturbing, the abrasive section completely detached from the metal backplate.

Unless they've been in a car that's stood unused for a very long time I struggle to see any reason for the abrasive bit detaching from the metal plate that doesn't involve faulty parts.

And while the braking system certainly needs maintenance from time to time, and ensuring that pistons, etc, aren't seized, I can't imagine what maintenance might prevent a breakup between abrasive and backing plate.

About the only maintenance I ever did on pads was to check them once, maybe twice, a year (for wear) and maybe whip 'em out, brush off any loose dust, a smear of copper grease on the squeally bits, and whip 'em back in. That, of course, was bsck in the day when "maintenance" didn't just involve booking it in and paying the bill.

[DanceswithUnix]

I presume the top one is supposed to have lugs to locate it like the lower one?

I wonder if that is acting as a sacrificial anode, which would imply wrong material choice as it should be closer in properties to the surrounding metal.

[Butcher]

Can you clarify that I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing, Butcher ....

1) Some weird surface spotting,
2) What looks to be strange wear, or disintegration, on the right-hand lower corner
3) By far the most disturbing, the abrasive section completely detached from the metal backplate.

Unless they've been in a car that's stood unused for a very long time I struggle to see any reason for the abrasive bit detaching from the metal plate that doesn't involve faulty parts.

And while the braking system certainly needs maintenance from time to time, and ensuring that pistons, etc, aren't seized, I can't imagine what maintenance might prevent a breakup between abrasive and backing plate.

About the only maintenance I ever did on pads was to check them once, maybe twice, a year (for wear) and maybe whip 'em out, brush off any loose dust, a smear of copper grease on the squeally bits, and whip 'em back in. That, of course, was bsck in the day when "maintenance" didn't just involve booking it in and paying the bill.

1) Weird surface spotting is after removal - it was raining, the surface had slightly corroded between the time of removal and the time of taking the picture.
2) Yes, that's disintegration of the friction material.
3) Again, correct, the friction material is separated from the backplate.

The car is a daily driver, it's not been stood for any length of time. The tabs were greased with high temp grease before fitting to prevent sticking in the calipers.
That's the piston side pad.

Also worth noting that the car is serviced about every 6-7 months and had an MOT in September which found no issues.

I presume the top one is supposed to have lugs to locate it like the lower one?

I wonder if that is acting as a sacrificial anode, which would imply wrong material choice as it should be closer in properties to the surrounding metal.

There's only one pad there, in two pieces. Everything should be similar metals, it's a braking system, it's mostly iron and steel.
They were fitted using a non-metallic grease on the tabs.

Extra bonus pic of the full set of pads:



You can see the opposite side pad material is also starting to separate from the backing plate. The outer pads are fine though.

[DanceswithUnix]

There's only one pad there, in two pieces. Everything should be similar metals, it's a braking system, it's mostly iron and steel.
They were fitted using a non-metallic grease on the tabs.

OK, now I get what I'm seeing.

I'm just surprised to see corrosion like that. I'm used to seeing overheated pads, my wife likes her track days They don't look like that.

Non metallic grease? Ceramic grease is common, grey stuff supposedly better that copper slip "for ABS brakes" (which is all of them these days lets face it).

[Butcher]

I'm using this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mintex-Cera.../dp/B007IZ4VOG

I think that's ceramic grease. Seems to work, and it is better than copper slip.

[Saracen999]

....

Non metallic grease? Ceramic grease is common, grey stuff supposedly better that copper slip "for ABS brakes" (which is all of them these days lets face it).

In my defence of using copper grease, I think the last time was when my Capri 2.8i Special was brand new. I think after that, Fred Flintstone ran the service agent I used.

[philehidiot]

Copper grease on brakes to "stop them squealing" is apparently an old wives tale and many people now see the risk of people applying it wrong and getting it on the friction surfaces to outweigh any potential benefits.

Myself, I love a bit of copper grease wherever I can get it. After a while it starts to look like rust if you apply it right and it adds to the "total piece of..." look I'm going for with my bike.

The mechanical parts are sound. it's recently had well over a grand of overhaul and everything critical gets maintained properly. But it is held together with yellowing cable ties on a black bike and anywhere that can be left to accumulate filth is busy accumulating.

Also, it has a sock as a vibration damper.

No one has ever tried to steal my bike.

As for those, even poor installation shouldn't do that (and I actually can't think of a way to install pads poorly unless they're the wrong ones - they either go in or they don't). I expect the irregular wear is secondary to them falling apart rather than poor fitting causing sheer forces at an odd angle. Just a thought, were those pads definitely the correct ones for that car and specced for the braking loads the calipers were capable of applying?

It is possible a majorly screwed calliper would do this but you or your mechanic would have seen that as it'd be obvious when they / you removed the pads and reset the pots for the new pads.

If you get no decent response from the manufacturer I'd be considering going to VOSA as a recall may be required.

[Saracen999]

It may be an old wives tale but, on several occasions, brakes that were squealling before ceased squealling after application. It worked for me. More than that ai cannot say.

As for not getting it on the friction surfaces, I completely agree. But then, anyone working on brakes without at least a modicum of common sense probably deserves what happens to them. If the only thing bringing your ton-point-five of car to a prompt and safe stop is the friction between disk/drum and pad/shoe ..... don't apply a lubricant there.

[[GSV]Trig]

I grease the back of my pads, old habit and all that, give most pads have rubber backs these days its probably not needed anymore, I also use it on the T part of the pad where it sits in the carrier.

[Hoonigan]

What brand of pads are these? The fact you haven't specified, that I can see, suggests to me that you may have skimped and bought cheapo ones. I hope I'm wrong, thought also kinda don't.