Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Brakes Rear Brakes not breaking in..

Hey Gang,

I installed new pads and rotors on all 4 corners with the BAT $180 Prem rotor and Mintex AF pads.

I did the rears first, drove about 100 miles and then finished the fronts (had to cut the rotors off). It's now been 250 miles on the fronts and 350 miles on the rear.

Fronts look like they are breaking in even across the rotor.

The rears however are only using about 3/4 the rotor on the drivers side and only 1/3 the rotor on the pass side. Starting from the outside edge going in. And the car is diffenitly not stopping as fast as it use to new.

Did I do something wrong in the rear? I used the special tool to rotate the pots back in and reassembled them but there was only 1 bolt to remove as the other side just got held in with a notch over a cotter pin. And no springs like the fronts had.

Any help would be great.. Couldn't find anyone else having this prob in a search.

TIA,
Ray

You should have another look at the rear brakes to make sure that you have everything installed correctly. If you do, then the pads may be made so that they do not fully contact the rotor. They will in time, but it may be faster to sand the pad to better match the rotor. I really most suspect that the pad is somehow cocked or that there is something between the caliper and the backing plate of the pad that keeps it from setting in place properly. If the pads have shims, are they properly installed?

I have this exact setup.

I assume you mean that only a portion of the pad is contacting the rotor. Note that much of the rotor is not touched even when the pad is at full contact.

Anyway, mine started at the outside edge, and slowly came into contact across the entire pad surface. I read two sets of instructions that said either 100 or 200 miles, but things still seemed not quite there. Everything is fine now, though.

What kind of miles are you putting on? Highway or city?

Hey Thanks for the imput guys.

When I installed the pads the old ones and the new ones both don't have shims. Just pads sitting on either side of the rotor and the caliper slips around them. with the notch lining up on the pot I'm guessing so it doesn't twist anymore.

As to RogerB yeap my are like yours.. Both start from the outer edge and work in... Drivers side is about 3/4 down the pad but the Pass side is only using like 1/2" of the pad on the outer edge. It's been now 560 miles on the rear. Mostly city but about 180 of it was freeway. Fronts seem to be totally fine and breaking in even across the pad.

I guess I'll have to wait till I get some time to pull the rears again to check them.

But with the lack of shims I don't know what I could have messed up.

Thanks,
Ray