Odd Brake Dusting w/new Pads

[bamatt]

Ok I just got new Hawk HPS pads w/Brembo rotors installed last Friday (on all wheels). I washed the Mini Sunday so all 4 wheels were clean. This morning I notice that the passenger side rear wheel is very dirty w/brake dust while the other 3 wheels are almost clean

If I am gonna get dust shouldn't it be equal on both wheels on the same axle? I am thinking something is wrong & I am taking it back to the installer in the AM. I feel no pulling or any other odd thing when I am braking. I was just wondering if anyone had a clue what would cause only 1 wheel to dust.

Thanks

[bamatt]

Anybody? Anybody? or will I have to wait til the morn to quell my curiosity

[Red Scooter]

OK...I'll try. Just changed my brake pads for AMVIV Driving School (Green Stuff).

The fronts were fine. The rears had a squeak that would NOT go away.

Since then I've learned:

1. Front brake pads wear more on a MINI. Cause: front wheel drive
2. Pads made with metals squeak more
3. The suspension can effect squeak, wear, etc.

My rear pads sounded a lot like I might have a warped rotor but an instructor at the Driving School told me about the above three items.

Maybe you could/should check out your suspension. A minor adjustment (possibly a needed one) could 'fix' the uneven wear.

[bamatt]

Thanks for responding Red. The only thing is that there was no uneven wear prior to changing the pads on Friday. My front 2 wheels dusted heavier than the rears just like everyone does w/the OEM pads. Now only the one rear wheel is dusting. It's just odd.

[eMINI]

Sounds like an installation issue to me. I just did brakes for a friend's Cooper. If I had to guess, I'd say the backing plate on the outboard pad on that corner is too snug and may need to be filed just a little. I was suspicious of the fitment of those pads, but he's not having any unusual dusting.

I guess it could be a caliper thing, but that seems unlikely. Let us know what you find out.

[Capt_bj]

Originally Posted by eMINI

Sounds like an installation issue to me. I just did brakes for a friend's Cooper. If I had to guess, I'd say the backing plate on the outboard pad on that corner is too snug and may need to be filed just a little. I was suspicious of the fitment of those pads, but he's not having any unusual dusting.

I guess it could be a caliper thing, but that seems unlikely. Let us know what you find out.

ya - sounds like that pad is dragging ... could be a tight fit - or maybe the pad is binding someplace and not fully releasing. I usually clean up the flash on the backing plate casting with a file for just that reason....

[thulchatt]

Originally Posted by Red Scooter

OK...I'll try. Just changed my brake pads for AMVIV Driving School (Green Stuff).

The fronts were fine. The rears had a squeak that would NOT go away.

Since then I've learned:

1. Front brake pads wear more on a MINI. Cause: front wheel drive

No, front pads wear more because of weight transfer. braking shifts weight to the front wheels and front brakes do most of the work in almost all cars.

[bamatt]

Originally Posted by thulchatt

No, front pads wear more because of weight transfer. braking shifts weight to the front wheels and front brakes do most of the work in almost all cars.

I went ahead & replaced everything but... on the Mini it was the rears that were worn & had set off the idiot light. The fronts still had 1/2 the pad left. A little birdie had told me it would be the rears that wore down first & they were right

[bamatt]

Well I went to my installer yesterday afternoon. He took my wheel off & inspected everything & said it all looked just fine & normal. They started saying how some pads just dust <cough BS cough> & mentioned something about adjusting my parking brake if the dust came back. Well it's back My one rear wheel is very black & I have only driven 12 miles . I don't see how my parking brake could have anything to do with it when it was fine w/the OEM pads & rotors. Before the new rotors & pads my front wheels dusted badly & equally on both sides, my rear wheels dusted equally & only about 1/2 as heavy as the fronts. I also know that Hawk pads put off less dust & I have never driven a car where only one wheel got brake dust on it. I am starting to get a scary feeling in the pit of my stomach that this problem is going to be one of those ellusive ones

[eMINI]

Be persistent with them. Ask them politely to double check because this is not at all normal. Then, if they can't or won't pursue it to resolution, go elsewhere. It's probably something simple, but it can't be ignored.

[Wake|MCS]

Sorry to hear about your problem. Like others have said, its definitely not normal so ask the shop again. I don't have any suggestions sorry..

But, I am needing to replace my brakes and was thinking about Power Slot Rotors and Hawk HPS Pads... How are you liking the setup in terms of feel and stopping power? Also, are the pads loud or quiet? Well, other than the issue you are currently having... Thanks and good luck!

[bamatt]

Originally Posted by Wake|MCS

But, I am needing to replace my brakes and was thinking about Power Slot Rotors and Hawk HPS Pads... How are you liking the setup in terms of feel and stopping power? Also, are the pads loud or quiet? Well, other than the issue you are currently having... Thanks and good luck!

I know nothing mechanical & I don't race. I don't understand all the stuff people say about cold & hot & fade but here's my impression of the Hawks...

I like the Hawk HPS pads OK. Nothing wrong with them. They don't dust at all (well except for my mystery, screwed up rear wheel ). But to be honest the OEM pads had much more initial bite & felt like they could stop on a dime whereas the Hawks kinda feel like they have the same stopping power of every other vehicle I have owned. To me I would rather put up with the dusting of the OEM pads if that is what it takes to keep that killer stopping power I had

I have had my installer take my rear wheel off 2 times. He says it spins freely & nothing is wrong. He adjusted my parking brake but it didn't help. At this point I feel like i need to carry it somewhere else which means more money out of my pocket . MBE it's the caliper, I dunno. I am torn over should I try another well thought of local mechanic or drive 162 miles to GA & let the MINI delership look it over. If I knew that MINI would fix it for free I am all ready to go to GA but if they want me to pay, I am better off trying another local guy. This sucks

[eMINI]

Find a good local BMW or MINI shop, show them what's happening and I feel sure they can straighten this out. Don't give up. But don't drive to GA just yet either.

If you do go back to the MINI dealer, expect to pay for thier services.

[moreorless]

You've definitely got a pad dragging on that wheel. If the car is on a chassis lift when checking you may not reproduce the problem. Have them jack up just that wheel AT the wheel and then see if it spins freely.

...Les

Just had a thought. Perhaps you got a bad pad? Can they swap them to the other wheel?

[Wake|MCS]

Thanks for your impressions on the pads, I went ahead and ordered just the front because the brake dust becomes a huge problem for me. If the fronts perform well, then I'll buy the rears.

Hmm I'm with moreorless on this one, see if they can swap the brakes to the other rear wheel and see if it recreates the problem. That'll confirm or eliminate the bad caliper suggestion. If it recreates the problem on the other side then my guess is prolly a bad pad... Don't go to the dealer as they'll charge you about $90/hr of labor and they'll probably even charge you just to look at it. Try to find a good European car shop to help you out. Good Luck

[mitchman]

Maybe things aren't lubed properly? You should lightly lube all the points where the pad touches the caliper with high temp grease. This includes where it contacts the piston. Also, have them check the slider pins. They might need to be lubed as well. The front and rear calipers are "free floating" which means they need to move from side to side on the slider pins. If the lube is gone and they get hot, they might stick causing the pads to drag.

It's an easy thing to double check. I do all my own brake jobs.....this is a good example why.

BTW, there's a great HOW TO for doing brakes on NAM. That's what I used.

[bamatt]

Originally Posted by moreorless

Just had a thought. Perhaps you got a bad pad? Can they swap them to the other wheel?

I bought the pads from Detroit Tuned & that was the suggestion that Chad gave me for my installer. My installer took the Mini out back to do the pad swap but then he said it dawned on him that that the rear pads had been seated with the rotors & he could not swap them now. I dunno (as my mechanical knowledge is nil) but is that true & if so can the rotor with it's seated pad not be flipped right to left to see if it is a pad problem

[eMINI]

Find a new shop

Those who have suggested swapping the pads from left to right are right on. And, even though the pads have seated with the rotors, they will seat again with different rotors after a few hundred miles. Swapping the rotors is certainly possible but a bit more work.

This is not rocket science. The shop you've been working with is not providing the level of service you need. Further, if they can't/won't get your brakes right, don't let 'em do anything else.

Would someone in bamatt's area please recommend a new shop?

[bamatt]

Originally Posted by eMINI

Would someone in bamatt's area please recommend a new shop?

I already know one that lots of MINI people use & recommend. I am going as soon as I can but it's just hard to get the time off from work to go because it is not close enough to my office where I can just do a drop off

[eMINI]

[Capt_bj]

I've done pads on my 02 and a couple of other's cars.... I vote for swapping the pads and seeing if the problem goes with the pad

and/or

is it possible the installer did not rotate the piston on the dragging side causing the parking brake to no be properly releasing....where as accidentally it did rotate on the other side as it needs to??? This is a question for the experts....I know the 'rotation' of the piston can be an issue if you use the wrong sort of a tool to push the piston back during a swap....

inquiring minds want to know

I have the Harbor Freight tool and with it this is not an issue - for me anyway.

[mmatarella]

Originally Posted by bamatt

I went ahead & replaced everything but... on the Mini it was the rears that were worn & had set off the idiot light. The fronts still had 1/2 the pad left. A little birdie had told me it would be the rears that wore down first & they were right

You might have a caliper that sticks a bit but only when its heated up. I'd check for a warped rotor as well. That could perhaps cause excessive wear / dusting on one wheel.

Did the car have it's original pads up to this point? Or were the front's replaced once or more already? I ask because it's very unusual to have the rears wear out first, on any vehicle. I've replaced fronts 4 and 5 times on some cars before needing to do the rears. I'd consider that as much a clue as the one sided dusting. What's the birdie know?

[bamatt]

Originally Posted by mmatarella

You might have a caliper that sticks a bit but only when its heated up. I'd check for a warped rotor as well. That could perhaps cause excessive wear / dusting on one wheel.

Did the car have it's original pads up to this point? Or were the front's replaced once or more already? I ask because it's very unusual to have the rears wear out first, on any vehicle. I've replaced fronts 4 and 5 times on some cars before needing to do the rears. I'd consider that as much a clue as the one sided dusting. What's the birdie know?

Yea I know it could be the caliper but I was wanting to get everything else ruled out 1st.

The MINI had the original pads until this replacement. The rears were gone while the fronts were still at around 1/2 pad. I thought it was unusual to have the rears go 1st too but before I went in a MINI friend told me that the rears wore out 1st on his MINI too so I thought MBE it was normal to go that way on the MINI (even though it has been the fronts 1st on every other car I have owned).

[muggy]

I don't see how the rears wear out first, unless the oem rear pads are thinner than the fronts.

I mean, you even said urself, you saw more dusting on the front wheels, and cars use the front brakes more in any car.

Something here's gotta give. And I agree, that shop has to be able to find out what's wrong, otherwise you're gonna end up replacing that one pad over and over again.

[moreorless]

So what did we find?

Don't keep us in suspense....

....Les