Changed my brake bads... now not as firm!

[DaRKNT]

Hey all

I changed my pads today from OEM to Ferodo DS2500s at the front and an off-shelf Bendix replacement from Supercheap.

-Used a C clamp to push in the front piston, and a rewind tool for the rear.
-Used brake grease for all shims etc and everything was torqued to spec.
-Rotors weren't machined as there was no apparent warpage.

Prior to bedding in, I felt the brakes to be a little more spongy than earlier, as in the "bite point" was closer to the floor. Figured it would go away after bedding in.

I bedded in the pads with reference to Ferodo instructions. Went to an industrial area, did about 20-25 pulls from 80 to 40. When I got out to check, the brakes were a little smoky. It didn't get better on the way home... car is now parked, handbrake down.

So where did I go wrong?

More importantly, where to from here? I'm planning on bleeding the system tomorrow. Should that fix it?

[amee-reb]

when you push the pistons back in. the brake fluid will get pushed out. so try bleeding the system.. it should fix it.

[ZIPPIE Type-S]

Did your rotors have a lip on them at all???
New pads on non machined rotors that have wear lips will cause a spongy pedal.
If i fit new pads to non machined rotors with lips i usually put a champher the inner and outer edge of brake pads...

[DaRKNT]

Nah they're not grooved.

[tinkerbell]

Nah they're not grooved.

so they were machined flat?

[sleepingperformance]

You may have cooked the pads bedding them in by doing to many cycles. Sounds stupid but i have done this a couple of times.

Also did you pump up the brake pedal before you started the car after replacing the pads?

[cordz]

You mentioned that the "bite point" felt different. Explain how the brakes felt at the end of the bedding process.

The Ferodos have a higher operating temperature than your OEM pads, and would bite once they heat up. OEM pads would bite cold, but trade in high temp performance, mainly because Honda wanted punters to pull up at the first traffic light.

If this is the case, the brakes must of felt better toward the end of the bedding process once the system got some heat into em.

[cordz]

Prior to bedding in, I felt the brakes to be a little more spongy than earlier, as in the "bite point" was closer to the floor. Figured it would go away after bedding in.

I bedded in the pads with reference to Ferodo instructions. Went to an industrial area, did about 20-25 pulls from 80 to 40. When I got out to check, the brakes were a little smoky. It didn't get better on the way home...

Assessing the brakes on the way home wasn't the right place. They would of cooled down too much. Do a bed in again, and assess the the bite when the brakes are hot.