crispenigl

I recently checked my pads for wear, and after 3000 miles, all but 40 minutes of that was on the street. (I have not had the time to go to the track lately) I noticed that all 4 of my front pads had a crack right down the middle of the pad. (from top to bottom near the sensor)

Is this normal?


The pads were not very worn.

MarekN

Somebody here is bound to ask if you bedded the pads in, so it might as well be me.

So, have you bedded the pads in?

I think all sorts of bad things happen if you get on the brakes hard without bedding them in first if anything on them is new, pads or rotor or both.

Also, I read somewhere that if the pads get soaked in the rain and then suddenly get heated up past a critical point very fast, they may also crack. Can anybody confirm that?

flash1034

That would sure be a crappy thing to have on a 9k brake system. WTF?

Flash

997gt3north

i've gone through multiple sets of pads and haven't seen this

TrackDays247.com

Snap a picture and let's have a look -

Z06

My stock pads cracked with 80% pad remaining and only 1 mild trip to the track.
Since then I used the Pagid blacks and two set's of the P50 motorsport pads, no problems.

TrackDays247.com

Cris/Z06, pictures would be a good thing - let's check out the OEM pads -

Andrew D.

I've gone through many OEM pads with my PCCBs and never had a cracking problem. I always bed them in and they wear very well.

seefouress

I've seen numerous recommended bedding procedures (from pad manufacturers, etc.) and they all seem to differ a bit. Do you guys have a preferred method?

Andrew D.

I first apply gentle steady brake pressure at about 35-40mph for about a half-dozen stops. Then, I drive at freeway speeds, apply occasional gentle pressure and gradually build up to more sudden, forceful braking. Check your rear view mirror! This method has worked for me. I'm curious to hear what others have to say.

seefouress

I'm interested as well in other's opinions on this topic. Your procedure makes sense but, again, differs a bit from other methods I've read about. Surely there's one "best" way (?).

BobbyC

The objective of bedding-in new pads is 1) heat the pads enough to release green gasses and make them operational, and 2) to spread an even layer of pad material on the rotors to make braking more effective.

First do a few moderate braking stops from 50 mph down to 20 mph in quick succession to build some heat and not shock the system. Then do a few moderate braking stops from 80 mph down to 20 mph. Crusie for a couple of minutes to cool the brakes just a tad. Then do 3-4 full bloodied hard braking stops from 100 + mph down to 20 mph (of course this should be done only in a safe environment). At which point the smell of burning brakes should be evident. Proceed to cool down the brakes by crusing at highway speeds for 5-10 minutes without touching the brakes.

Bedding process complete.

crispenigl

Here are two pix of my pads, all of them have the same crack in the same spot. I thought I had bedded them in, but maybe not correctly.

Sorry for the bad quality, I took them with my cell phone.

TrackDays247.com

Judging by customer 'feedback' and other posts on Rennlist, the P50 pads appear to resist chunking and cracking better than the OEM pads.

At least yours aren't yet missing pieces of pad - others have posted that they strongly feel that when the OEM pads do this - the discs are at higher risk -

crispenigl

seems to me the oem pads are a mismatch and should not have come this way - o well..