1996 HX, new master cylinder 20,000 miles ago, new pads about 19,000 miles ago. 248,000 on the car. Brake feel is fine, car brakes fine, doesnt dive to one side or the other. It just has this faint metallic brake sound that goes away when I apply the brakes, and a noticeable burnt brake smell when I stop the car (can only smell from outside of car). The rotors are always hot to the touch when I stop, but never blue.

So I took a break from studying to at least pop my tire off and I stand corrected, my pads ARE dragging on the rotor (see pic below). At least thats the way it looks in the pic. And it sounds like it when I spin the wheel - there is a small amount of drag.

Both front pads are doing this. The thing is, I've had this sound and smell ever since I put these pads in, its just been subtle and I've been smelling a burning clutch so I havent noticed it. Now that everything else is fixed its more obvious now. AND these pads have about 19000 miles on them - and they still look pretty thick, despite dragging.

They are Performance Friction pads - I use them on my Jeep, and they work great. But they were really hard (read: quite a squeeze) to get them to fit into those brakes. I wonder if the pads are the wrong type. If I should just go back to OEM pads...No brake hoses look pinched either, master cylinder brake fluid is full and clear. And I still have to try to bleed each side, but I dont have time right now (I know it may only take 10 minutes but I cant take the chance of messing up my car right now) I've gotta get back to the books...

So some questions:

1. Pads or caliper, based on pic (if you can tell)? Maybe I messed up when I put in the pads?

2. If pads, anybody have some suggestions on other aftermarket pads, cheap but good that dont leave brake dust like OEM?

3. Can overtightening the lower caliper bolt make the pads rub as shown?

thanks sorry for the long post

 

Nothing looks out of the ordinary by that pic. See if the caliper sliders aren't seized and then compress the piston into the caliper. If everything is sliding freely and the piston compresses through without too much problems then I'd go with getting an OEM set of pads and go from there.

 

Thanks..yeah, I'm going to take it apart and try to lube up the piston and make sure it presses all the way back in easily (it was kinda hard to recompress when I put it back together) and put the pads back on then.

But is the pad supposed to be touching the rotor, as in the pic, w/o the brake pedal being compressed?

thanks

 

The pad always looks like it's touching the rotor. The distance from the pad to the rotor is like .003" away from the rotor. You can't lube the piston so it goes in easier, it either compresses with difficulty or it doesn't. I have the same problem on my car in the front (squealing while driving, stops when brakes are pressed) because my rotors are warped a little and my pads squeal like a mofo. My next set of pads are going to be OEM.

 

Ok cool thanks for the clarification. I've only taken apart brakes twice (I hate bleeding the things, so I try to avoid brakes even though I think I have some work in my future on these), so I couldnt remember what it was supposed to look like.

Yeah, I really want to think it is a warped rotor, esp b/c I had a pebble stuck in between rotor and caliper for about an hour until I figured I'd better stop to see what it was before my brakes failed coming down a mountain road. Maybe that tore the back side up, I cant really tell.

Thing is, I dont really get that wobble that you are supposed to get w/ a warped rotor - unless its really subtle...could be there if it is really subtle.

Well when all these tests are over I'm gonna just tear it apart and see whats happening...

Though if anyone has any suggestions on aftermarket pads that do not leave a ton of dust like the OEM ones please let me know! I love the PF pads otherwise - no dust and they stop better than the OEMs that were on there previous to the PF pads.

 

my brother used axxis and he liked them. im using vgx pads and there alright