I'm starting to think that my pads/discs are rubbish. I could've got OEM ones for a similar price, but Cafco is usually good value, and I could get them much quicker.
Trust me, total brake failure wouldn't be a huge problem, I probably wouldn't even notice it lol.
:-o, my dad reckons that they quite often take a long time to bed in. What could we have done wrong with the fitting? They just go in really don't they, there's nothing to adjust is there?
ROFL! Nah, my ones are normal. I wouldn't even consider performance ones because my original ones were brilliant (and performanace ones may need warming up like you say).
Oh dear. I hope its not been opened and the seal broken. If it has, its no good. Brake fluid is hydroscopic and will soak up water in the air thus lowering its boiling point and making it useless.
Do you even know when you've done it sufficiently?
Don't worry, I know, and it's all completely sealed.
I will do. I need 400ml, but I've got 1 litre. The rears need more (and are done first). I think the old fluid is likely to be a different colour too, so I should be able to see the difference. My old fluid is brown, I had to suck some out when I changed the brakes.
The invoice says Motor parts direct, I think they got taken over by motorparts direct or something. They're not on the net though. I know of at least two branches near where I live.
Your dad has some strange ideas. Judjing by his comments you've told us about in the past, you'd be better off heeding tha advice and comments you read here.
New pads on old discs certainly take a few miles before they work as well as they can. Even so, during the period of bedding in they should still work well enough to cause no real concern about stopping.
Providing they've been fitted correctly, new pads on new discs should work well immediately after fitting. That's my experience anyway. Despite that, I would still advise treating them gently for the first 100 miles or so.
Nope. It's almost a case of if they look right, they are right. Without seeing them, I'm still inclined to suspect the quality of the discs, pads, or both. Personally I've never heard of Cafco. Who are they? Maybe you should go back and complain. How do their prices compare to the ones on this website?
(petermcmillan snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
NEVER use brake fluid from anything but a brand new sealed container - it's hygroscopic, and absorbs moisture from the air. Terrible stuff. It's also perhaps the most effective paintstripper known to mechanics...
I've often wondered about this. I agree it's hygroscopic but I can't see how moisture is supposed to get past a tightly replaced cap.
And anyway, the reservoir on the braking system is vented and must breath slightly as the pedal's pushed and with thermal wossnames, so it'll be absorbing moisture from the moment you install it anyway.
A tiny amount of water enters the airspace and is promptly absorbed. The amount will be very small and won't get any worse by leaving it. What's the difference between leaving it tightly capped for a few months and the few minutes between toppings up when bleeding the brakes.
The amounts of moisture involved are so small compared to the potential for absorbtion when in use that I reckon it's not serious.
Take the wheels off and look at the discs to see what's happening. Look at the faces of the pads, too.
Re. "running in", just don't belt about like a loony braking heavily (except in emergencies, of course) for the first 50 miles or so. The major cause of disc warping is stopping suddenly from speed and keeping your foot on the brake.
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