Hi all,
I took my mate to pick his new car up yesterday and naturally, came a scenic route back. Because of this, I asked a fair bit of the brakes.
I was coming down the East Lancs road (big straight dual carriageway) and had to brake fairly hard when someone cut me up. When this happened, I noticed a groaning from the brakes. Quite loud too.
When I got out, I could smell what I can only assume to be brakes!
The car was left for a few hours and it had cooled down a lot by then. On the way home, I braked hard again (safely obviously) and couldn't replicate the sound. The brakes don't squeak and it wasn't all that long ago I had new discs and pads. I can get them to bite very hard too.
Whilst I don't sit on the brakes, I do ask a lot of them as my mate lives in a rural(ish) area and I can't help hammering it on the way there - it's almost like a track with chicanes and sweeping gradients. Even then though, I can't see that having eaten the pads down to the metal.
So, my question, if you haven't guessed already, is, what the hell was the groaning? Surely not the pads worn completely. Is it?
Many thanks,
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>>what the hell was the groaning?
Not completely,but pads may well be low.
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Steve
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I was afraid you were going to say that Steve.
Thanks for the help though,
Adam
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>>I asked a fair bit of the brakes.When I got out, I could smell what I can only assume to be brakes!
>>it wasn't all that long ago I had new discs and pads. I can get them to bite very hard too.Whilst I don't sit on the brakes, I do ask a lot of them then though, I can't see that having eaten the pads down to the metal. Surely not the pads worn completely. Is it?
Thanks for sharing that.
May I ask how many miles the pads have survived?
Could you offer an approx area that you grace with you vehicle. Only asking. ;-(
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Maybe it's because I'm tired Henry but I can't work out if you're just joking or hinting that I'm dangerous! Sorry if you are only messing. It's been a surprisingly long day.
It turns out that I've done probably around just over 20k on the pads. There's no "lip" on the discs - they're like brand new but without taking the wheel off and having a look (it was too dark) I can't check the pads.
I don't understand it. I drive on demanding roads every day and I'm not reckless at all but I do drive at NSL speeds on them. (They are NSL roads of course!). There's usually another person in the car too, a load of rubbish in the boot (if you've got it...) but I always double declutch into 3rd and even second sometimes so that engine braking takes some of the strain so I'd be very surprised if it was the pads.
I will point out, despite how it may come across, I'm not a stupid, dangerous driver - but similarly, I won't drive like a granny just to prolong the pads. If it is the pads, then I'll just have to accept that my driving style demands new pads every 20 thou.
I was thinking they may have glazed or something. No squeaks and didn't hear a noise at all when I went out earlier this evening. Braking seems fine too.
Whether it's related or not (it probably isn't) is that at 75ish, if you gently tap the brakes, the wheel will shake a little. I first thought this may be warped discs but as soon as you hit 70, it won't do it and doesn't do it at all at any lower speeds.
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Possibly caused by very slightly warped discs and harmonics at 70mph. Just a random fairly-educated guess, though.
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I'm going to catch Dad in a good mood and tell him then. How they've warped I don't know because I never keep my foot on them long enough to "create a footprint".
Thanks for your help.
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<< How they've warped I don't know .......
It's probably because.....
<< When I got out, I could smell what I can only assume to be << brakes!
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L\'escargot.
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No - it's always shook a little t 75. Slow to 70 - nothing. Perfect. In fact, if they hadn't groaned the other day, I'd say they were in tip top condition.
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Adam
The groaning is because they were hot. If you get them back up to the same temperature again they would probably groan again. It happens, as long as braking is ok its nothing to worry about.
You may have cooked them a bit, they might be slightly glazed, a couple of days normal driving will wear off the glaze. If you have a spare afternoon, whip out the pads and check and clean away the dust.
Next time, drive the car so that when you stop, there is a heat haze shimmering off the wheels, slight grey smoke, and a satisfying TIC TIC TIC as they cool down
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Thanks for that RF.
I don't need to get the TIC TIC noise - it's developed a whistle upon acceleration which sounds satisfyingly like I've got a turbo. It's great!
Thanks again for the help.
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