Brakes are a bit rubbish.

[Tom]

Just noticed early whilst i was driving a bit quickly, my brakes are a bit crap for wht they should be. Feels as if the pads arent really gripping the disc? The pedal goes hard, i feel like im pushing really hard and its as if the discs are just gliding between the pads, abs still works, dodgy pads maybe? They are Ferodo DS2500 so i was expecting to be impressed

[powerandtorque]

Can't speak for them on a CTR, but Ferodo DS2500's I've had have always been fantastic.

[Tom]

Can't speak for them on a CTR, but Ferodo DS2500's I've had have always been fantastic.

This is what i thought, i havent took the brakes apart to confirm they are in there but they guy didnt strike me as the type to just bullshit me lol. Everyone seems to rate them well so im not sure why im having a problem

[rocker8742]

Maybe when the previous owner fitted them he didn't bed then in properly and they've glazed?

Or maybe the pistons are seized and not allowing full travel to the disc?

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Also Is the pedal spongy at all? Maybe need bleeding?

[Piggy]

If the pedal firms up, doesnt sound like air.

Does it brake straight? No pulling?

Does sound like glazing or just need roughing up, greasing in right places and rebedding in

[Tom]

I dont think its air, pedal does go solid. Brakes straight all fine.

Edit, just popped outside and had a look, discs are new, and pads are meaty. More evidence supporting the glaze theory i suppose :/

[Tom]

Anyone have more to add? Method for de glazing maybe?

[rocker8742]

Take the pads out and rough them up with some sand paper, or ask on the civic forum

[Tom]

Civic forum is shite. But yeah thats what i thought. Wheres Ripp these days? He seems to be a genius and this kind of thing! I've read about rubbing them on a concrete floor, and doing figures of eight on sandpaper

[Piggy]

Use some 80/100grit or similar paper and a good flat file.

Remove pads and wrap paper round file and with pads held in a vice nice n flat, rub across friction surface till glaze/gloss is gone and nice matt finish is returned. Shouldnt take much

Regrease all sliders, pad ears etc and bed in gently!

[Tom]

Done this today, pads out cleaned up, all sliders cleaned and greased, everything is as it should be now. The grooves in the pad surface were completely full of brake dust which was weird Ferodo say 25-30 4 second burst of 50% braking effort to bed the brakes in, i suppose its to get them red hot, they claim they're ready to race after this... So i done that, wheels were to hot to touch, pads were smoking, drove all the way home without touching the brakes, and left to cool. Going to have my tea then go out and see if they still work... Heres a pic of a pre and post sanded pad...

[Piggy]

There is some signs of glazing on that 'pre' pad

[Tom]

Ok brakes are heaps better, definately feel like they're working now!

[Tom]

This problem seems to have returned. I also removed the rear pads yesturday and roughed them up/cleaned and greased everything, got the handbrake actually working, the advice on the type r forum for adjusting handbrake is wind in the nut on the handbrake lever until it holds... Retards.

But yeah i can only assume its the fronts causing problems, surely DS2500 dont need to be ragged on to keep them working well? I noticed the other day i do drive like miss daisy most of the time but surely fast road, means they still work under road conditions? Also half tempted to do a brake fluid flush but not sure i want to keep spending money lol! Advice please xxx

[daddyfixit]

why not try a set of bog standard pads in ? you drive like I do, so no need for uprated pads.

[Kezzieboy]

Do they work better when up to temperature? As in, do they get better after each instance of harsh braking?

[Rippthrough]

Wheres Ripp these days?

Got a shitload of family health problems on at the minute, 's why I haven't been around much, can't remember the last time I actually made any shiny bits...

Anyway, yes, they can glaze over a little if they see a lot of light use, usually a spanking/rebedding session sorts it because it re-establishes the transfer film on the disc for the pad to bond to, but it shouldn't be to the point where the brakes are that bad, they usually just loose a little bit of initial bite and have the odd squeal when they need doing.
Outright power loss or lack of bite might be down to sticky sliders or similar with the pads knocking back slightly, give them a good clean and re-grease, same for the contact areas on the pads.

[Tom]

Hope you and your family are ok Ripp, thanks for the advice

I will try getting them hot again then!

All the sliders are free on all the callipers and all 4 corners have been dismantled, cleaned and regreased in the last 2weeks with no obvious faults.

[ozonehostile]

give them more abuse :p

ds2500 are fast road/trackday pads afterall

[strictly_perv]

From what I was taught at college, when pads aren't bedded in properly and used too hard initially, they glaze, which is caused by the hot temperatures between the pads and disk pulling the resin from the pads towards the surface. They need a gradual introduction to heat to prevent this.
Yours clearly have suffered this, and my guess is the the damage is too far gone so it's just reoccurring all the time.

I'd say get new pads.

[Tom]

From what I was taught at college, when pads aren't bedded in properly and used too hard initially, they glaze, which is caused by the hot temperatures between the pads and disk pulling the resin from the pads towards the surface. They need a gradual introduction to heat to prevent this.
Yours clearly have suffered this, and my guess is the the damage is too far gone so it's just reoccurring all the time.

I'd say get new pads.

This is what i always thought, but the bedding in procedure comes from Ferodo themselves about roasting them on the first go

[Rippthrough]

Were they fitted with new discs or old discs?

[Tom]

I didnt fit them so im not sure, but i would go with new, the discs have no lip atall on either side and just look new. That being said i cant be sure. Got them hot earlier aswell and then parked up on the drive, in gear (handbrake off), so maybe later they will be better?

[ADV_93]

Take the pads out, get a bit of sand paper to take the shine off the disc and rough the pad surface up a bit, and DS2500's squeal no matter what you do, it's just the type of pads

[Tom]

Take the pads out, get a bit of sand paper to take the shine off the disc and rough the pad surface up a bit, and DS2500's squeal no matter what you do, it's just the type of pads

Done all that... read the thread dude