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Brake dust EVERYWHERE

Posted: July 1st, 2005, 2:37 pm
by JoBoMX3
So I finally got my car on the road 2 days ago and got home late last night to find brake dust all over my rims. The silver rooms turned near gunmetal and my new rotors have black strips on them.

When I installed the new rotors (brembo) with my new pads (KVR) the pads would rub against the rotors at one spot on each wheel.

I'm trying to figure out why this could be. The new brake pads didn't come with new clips like most pads to for new vehicles. The pads seem pretty loose. I also had my calipers painted, but one of the wheels is rubbing and that caliper isn't even painted yet.

Any ideas?

Posted: July 1st, 2005, 2:39 pm
by JoBoMX3
One other thing. I did lower the car and havent got an alignment yet. I was waiting for my camber bolts what should be in after the long weekend (Canadian) It was lowered about 2 inches for now.

Posted: July 2nd, 2005, 4:33 am
by jschrauwen
Did you do the proper bedding in process with new pads/rotors? I just did a search for "bedding in" and couldn't find anything, but I'm sure I read something not too long ago on it.....anyone remember who or when it was posted?

Posted: July 2nd, 2005, 7:49 am
by neutral
Gro Harlem posted some FAQ info on brake maintenance, prep, and break-in awhile back. It's also on his website here: http://projectmazda.com/tech/brakefaq.htm

Also, are your brake return springs intact? I think they are called "M-springs" on the front discs and "V-springs" for the rears per Mazda Shop Manual - little pre-bent lengths of spring steel wire. They keep the pads from riding on the discs when you're not applying brake pressure. I had to replace the front ones on mine after they corroded and disintegrated with age.

Posted: July 2nd, 2005, 12:03 pm
by jschrauwen
Thanks Jim, now I remember....it's an age/memory thing....LOL

Posted: July 3rd, 2005, 6:50 pm
by JoBoMX3
The bleeding was done correctly and the springs are intact. Some guy told me it'll take about 1000K and it will go away, but I've never seen this much dust

Posted: July 3rd, 2005, 9:40 pm
by neutral
You mention "bleeding" but it's "bedding" the new pads and rotors, not "bleeding," that John was talking about and that the above link gives the 30/30/30 procedure on. If the calipers and sliding parts aren't hanging up from wear or are partially seized, and you've followed the brake parts lubrication and pad/rotor bedding/break-in procedure from the above link, plus your M&V return springs are in good shape, I don't have a clue. Hopefully someone else will though, or maybe you'll see a decrease in dust during that 1st 1000 miles. Sorry. :(

Posted: July 4th, 2005, 1:06 am
by JoBoMX3
Im going to do the bedding tomorrow for sure. Hopefully its not too late. I misread that earlier. Thanks for the help so far

Posted: July 4th, 2005, 1:57 pm
by Spinkx79
Brembos are cross drilled and slotted arent they?

Should you not expect more brake dust from accelerated pad wear?

KVR pads, what are they organic / semi-metalic?

Posted: July 4th, 2005, 2:23 pm
by neutral
I have x-drilled brembos. Normal brembos are solid like regular rotors & x-drilling and/or slotting is done as an aftermarket mod. Haven't really noticed more wear w/chamfered x-drilled holes. Slotting reportedly causes faster wear tho. JoBoMX3 doesn't say what type he has so I assume they are regular solid brembo rotors...?

Posted: July 5th, 2005, 12:53 am
by JoBoMX3
Hi, They are Cross Drilled Slotted Brembo's yes. With KVR Carbon Fibre pads. I got a good deal on the pads and figured Id try them out.

Posted: July 5th, 2005, 1:01 am
by PATDIESEL
I don't know about the dust amount from a CF pad, but you also need to check that the wheel's lugs are properly torqued with a ft/lb torque wrench. The lugs hold the rotor to the hub and if torqued differently from one lug ot another the wheel may be sitting crooked on the hub and thus the rotor crooked on the hub as well. This may be your problem for the scrubbing at one spot on the wheel's rotation and the reason you are getting so much brake dust. Loosen the lugs and torque them properly, make sure the brake clips are on propperly (if you don't have them get a set from Mazda, they are not that expensive) and bed your pads properly, also make sure the calipers were properly greased so that the pads don't get hung on the rotor and constanly rub. Could also be bent pad slides (the metal rod that goes through the pad from one side of the caliper to the other) if they are bent they will not allow the pad to move freely and the small pad clips aren't strong enough to force the pad to move on a bent rod. Those rods need to be lean and smooth, make sure to grease them alittle too so that the pad can glide smoothly, just make sure the grease coating is THIN, you don't want that grease on the rotor or pad.

Posted: July 5th, 2005, 8:28 pm
by JoBoMX3
Thank again for all your help guys. Im gunna keep pluggin. See what happens at the end of this week. Take off the wheel sand use some dust remover or something. Get it all off and see if its still doing it.