I know this is more often discussed,

But i changed the front disk brake pads of my 69' 88.
My lokal brake shop did have a set i need to fit my olds.

I live in the netherlands so it was a small wonder that a brake shop within 2 miles had a set that fits my delta.

So i changed the pads, and did a little test drive down the street.
I was a little disappointed in the brake performance.

Stupid as i am i read that i put on some ceramic pads.
Do they have a brake in period?

The previous pads could block my front tires in a emergensy stop.
This set would'nt in the short test i did.

did i make a mistake when putting those ceramics?

 

Shoud have break-in procedures w/the pads - they're all different!
Imperative to have the rotors cut w/ceramics, too!

 

no i don't want to cut my rotors.

They are real scarse to get.
Want to use it as long as possible.

I hear positive as negative things about ceramic pads, so i don't know anymore.
Thinking of oreder me some semi/metalic or organic.

i wish i new what the old ones are, they were realy good.
gonna take the oldones to the brakeshop tomorow.

 

As the pads wear, the rotors wear as well, and the two develop a pattern of grooves that match. After many miles you can feel them. If you put on new pads, they will be flat, with no grooves, and so they will only touch the high points of the rotors, giving much less braking power when applied, until they have worn to the shape of the rotors. Ceramic pads are much harder than the old kind, though, and do not wear as quickly, so they sit above the rotor, on the high points, for a long time. Also, ceramic pads work best when hot, so need to be warmed up for best performance - not very helpful if a child runs in front of your car as you pull out of your driveway.

- Eric

 

X2 with Eric, they will need time to mate with the wear on the rotors.

 

Disc pads have to be bedded in with several heat and cool cycles before they work well.
Ceramic pads are used on the majority of the new cars and they aren't like they used to be where they needed to be heated up to work anymore.
When you break in pads your transferring material from the pad to the rotor, that's what makes them grab , not the steel of the rotor directly.

http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/....jsp?techid=85

There were probably organic pads on there before, if you go to ceramic you have to turn the rotors. You can get away without doing it if you use the same type pads that you had.
I wouldn't mess with the rotors if you don't have to either.
My Vista has the original rotors on it, I had them cleaned up because they had surface rust from sitting for 15 years, never turned before.
I change my regular car's pads every six months if they need it or not, '03 and '04 and the rotors have never been touched.

 

Every 6 months?????

 

Thanks for your help,

i know i must be a little more patient, feeling a bit stupid over here.

Saterday i putted the pads on, drove it and tested the brake.
even so hard that my rear shoes smoked a bit.
putting the car back in the garage

Did'nt understand it, but the real stupid thing is.
I washed and cleaned my car carfully becouse i had the top down.
and wanted to put some full in.

and you guess, i had same brake power as before

so your right, i had to drive those pads in.

even the sponsy brake after pulling the brakecilinder back is gone

 

All pads will have a period of time where they will not have full contact with the rotors especially if the rotors were not turned or replaced. Ceramic pads are fine but make sure the rotors will handle the harder friction material. Police cars and taxis that come with uprated brakes have the harder rotors that will wear better. The newer metallic pads will chew through a rotor to be used with organic pads.

 

Steve C - I've never heard of 'harder' rotors, unless it's something new offered by dealers!
In all the time I've been in the parts end of dealerships, and wholesale warehouses, I've never seen a rotor specified for police or taxis!!
I used to order the rotors, by the palletload, from 5 manufacturers, for one of the biggest distributors in the Chicagoland area!
And some of my largest customers were Police Depts. and Taxi Co's.

 

Me neither, though it sometimes seems to me that some companies make softer ones, and others make harder ones .

- Eric