3 years after installation?
Driving technique and its impact on pad deposits/"warped" rotors
- Thread starter TiGeo
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3 years after installation?
What is poor installation? Why every 2-3 years but not 1? I mean you bolt them on...I clean the hub surface with a wire wheel brush.
Set 1. Factory pads/rotors.
Vibration after 20k/2 years.
Set 2. Powers top drilled/slotted rotors/Centric Posi-Quiet pads. Vibration after 20k/2years.
Set 3. VW pads/Centric Posi-Quiet pads. Vibration after 20-25K/2-3 years
Heavy vehicles/soft-braking/stop/go traffic is the common denominator. I've had it happen on an XJ I had in similar conditions if you read the OP.
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Good thoughts. I've had Powers top rotors do it as well as OEM. Could try a different brand next...if there is a next...
My experience is the opposite of the OP's.
My brakes last longer with less brake/rotor pulsing due to driving easier.
When I was a more aggressive driver(younger), I would have to replace brakes sooner with more brake pulsing when braking.
When I say, "aggressive driver", my aggressive type of driving is more like having too much coffee, not as driving like an idiot.
However, it could be the vehicle or it could be the quality of materials, IDK!
My brakes last longer with less brake/rotor pulsing due to driving easier.
When I was a more aggressive driver(younger), I would have to replace brakes sooner with more brake pulsing when braking.
When I say, "aggressive driver", my aggressive type of driving is more like having too much coffee, not as driving like an idiot.
However, it could be the vehicle or it could be the quality of materials, IDK!
I drive my cars "aggressively" meaning later harder braking and never have this issue.
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how hot we talking? like hitting the car wash down the block from the track gate. lol
My wife drives the Tig like your wife the Atlas. I do take it out after a few days and do a re-bed, then some hard braking. Done this since we were married and haven't had brake issues on any of her vehicles. Modern VW pads are an interesting amalgam of material though. They seem to be primarily ceramic because lower dust (except on more performance oriented models, ie; GTI, R etc.) but still stop pretty well (semi-met in the mix) and are quiet. For me and the way I use my brakes (aka HARD)? Zimmerman rotors with higher carbon content and Pagid/Ate semi-metallics. And wash the wheels every 4 hours 
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.That method works to a point/I do that but it eventually stops working...when I replace them. On track the only time you'd have this issue is if you are a n00b and set your parking brake after coming in from a sessionMy wife drives the Tig like your wife the Atlas. I do take it out after a few days and do a re-bed, then some hard braking. Done this since we were married and haven't had brake issues on any of her vehicles. Modern VW pads are an interesting amalgam of material though. They seem to be primarily ceramic because lower dust (except on more performance oriented models, ie; GTI, R etc.) but still stop pretty well (semi-met in the mix) and are quiet. For me and the way I use my brakes (aka HARD)? Zimmerman rotors with higher carbon content and Pagid/Ate semi-metallics. And wash the wheels every 4 hours
Never have got to that point. Yet. Your better half must really gum them up.
That is the funniest thing to watch someone chiseling their pads off of the rotors.On track the only time you'd have this issue is if you are a n00b and set your parking brake after coming in from a session
Annnnnddddd I've done it. First event.
Her rotors look perfectly fine and smooth. Just that annoying vibration. Who knows. Thank goodness for FCP Euro!
I'll have to try them next go-around.
Some folks treat pads as a precious commodity and not a wear item. Never understood it myself, but I drive like a jerk.
On my pre-retirement commute I had a very long downhill (about 1/4 mile) with a stop light at the bottom. Perfect for brake pad deposition. All my cars at the time were manuals.One thing I've noted over multiple vehicles and many years is this....long/soft/"easy" braking is far worse for brakes than short/hard/"abrupt" braking. Now I realize that option 1 is a much more normal way to brake and drive and also won't agitate your passengers/make them sick
So I kept the car in gear and used as much engine braking as possible. Let up on the brakes while still rolling (just before stopping) so as to release the pads as much as possible (granny style driving), and then held my position using only the emergency brake.
Result - no brake pulsation on 4 different vehicles over a 17 year period.
Yes, that's fairly common.
Did you check for runout? If you're interested to solve this issue this is the first thing I'd do.
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I usually brake softly. I get deposit buildup over time on the front rotors of my loaded Chevy Express RV van that weighs 9600 lb. I notice the buildup when I do a long hard brake after the brakes get hot. The steering starts to wobble. I check the rotor runout for warp and there is none. The fix is to aggressively sand the rotors and the pads. Then rebed the brake pads . No more wobble for another 4-5 years. Have 100k on these pads and slotted rotors (Hawk)
I got Stoptech 309s on the front of my XJ
got it before first brands killed the 309s. Some cheap centrics that been through mud and back but never had any brake vibrations. Even did some "pace" laps at PBIR with them hahaThis post/comments are full of
Same. I go through a set of track pads every 3 track days and rotor rings every 10 so 3:1. On the street, my cars always have great smooth braking and that's with later-than-most-would-like slows/stops. I don't have excessive pad wear on the street using more aggressive "hybrid" pads.
I do not - the rotors are cheap enough but I don't get how if runout is an issue how it isn't an issue right off the bat? I'll admit ignorance here on this. So this would be the hub runout correct? Certainly could be and I can get the gauge to test.
