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I’ll preface this post by stating that this is not my first brake job, and that I used all of the correct lubricants in the right places. I’ve also watched all of the relevant ETCG videos concerning brake jobs/brake issues. The car in question is a 2004 dodge stratus se (2.4L DOHC with front disks and rear drums).
A few days ago I pulled my wheels off for a brake service (re-lube slide pins and new anti-seize on the moving surfaces (the caliper bracket and the metal edges of the pads). I ended up replacing the pads, rotors, and hardware with new stuff from autozone (Cmax gold ceramic pads/hardware with duralast rotors). While replacing things, I cleaned and re-lubed the slide pins with 3m silicone paste, and used Permatex 80078 anti-seize on the other moving surfaces that required it.
After the brake job, I bedded the pads by making several 30-5mph stops, then 45-5mph, and finally some 55-5mph stops. Once I got home, my brakes were visibly smoking and it smelled like the cosmoline was burning off the inside of the rotors (I did brakekleen the outside surfaces before installation). After letting them cool down for 20 min, I drove 40 miles round-trip (highway speeds with no traffic/heavy braking) to get my fiance from work. On this trip, no smoke or new pad smell. Yesterday, I drove around town at moderate/slow speeds (varying between 5-45mph), and no brake issues at all.
Today (driving to work) I had some smoking/burning smell. Its a 20 mile drive averaging between 55 and 70mph with sometimes frequent/hard braking (there are about 6-7 lights on this road and sometimes heavy traffic). I didn’t have any trouble until the end of my ride, while braking from 55mph to 0 (at my light/turnoff into work). At that point, I saw smoke rising visibly from the wheels (while sitting in the drivers seat). After sitting a minute or two at the light, the smoking/burning smell stopped. After turning into my work’s access road (sitting at another light, there was slight smoke, but not much of a smell.
Finally, after driving for half a mile (around 25mph) there was no smell and no smoking. Also, when the wheels do smoke, it is only immediately after braking (not all the time). Once I got to work today, I saw that some of the anti-seize that I applied oozed down the side of the outer brake pads a little (I might have used a little too much)
Since I didn’t make many high speed to zero stops while bedding in, I assume this smoking is the last bits of cosmoline burning off, maybe some of the above mentioned anti-seize burning off, or the near completion of my pads bedding in? As far as drive-ability, I don’t hear any dragging pads. The car also brakes in a straight line consistently, I have no brake pedal pulsations, and the pedal feels great. I’ll keep a close eye on this (as I have about 60 more miles of driving to do today).
Based on the about, is this something to worry about (assuming it clears up in a day or two)?
Thank you!
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If my memory serves me correctly, those C-Max pads have a special surface on them designed to bed them in quickly. It is very aggressive, and as a result heats up fast. I do not believe you are supposed to do any aggressive stopping with it to bed them in, just put them on, and drive normally. I think, until they have worn through that coating on the pads, that they are going to run a bit hot, and probably smell, and maybe even smoke a bit. Check the wheels for excessive heat, and make sure the calipers aren’t hanging up, and don’t worry about it too much, unless it is a long term thing.
Ok, I’ll keep an eye on it. The smoke and burning smell only happens on hard/frequent braking, so I think you’re probably right.
Ok, I’ve put about 100 miles on the new brakes since my last post. I can occasionally smell the pads still, but no smoking. Also, my wheels are warm to the touch but not blazing hot (after some hard braking/highway driving). Hopefully the issue is solved.
Thanks!
We had very similar results with those pads on my mothers Caravan. After a while, they won’t smell anymore either. Overall, I do like the way those pads work, nice confident stopping with them.
I believe I’ve pointed out this issue in several of my disc brake replacement videos. New rotors are coated with a rust inhibitor and as you use the brakes for the first few times, this inhibitor burns off and can cause the brakes to ‘smoke’. The smell may also be part of this.
In truth, you should wash new rotors with soap and water before installation to remove this coating and prevent it from contaminating the new brake pads. I’ve often just used brake cleaner to remove the coating before installing the pads. More info on brakes here.
I used a lot of brake clean on both replacement rotors, and I got all of it off of the exterior surfaces. I’m thinking whatever was burning off was on the inside (cooling vents) in the rotors. I have a feeling the smoking was also part of the pads bedding in. The only times they were visibly smoking was upon deceleration on a downward grade from cruising speed (65mph) to 0. It seems everything is fine now, but I’ll keep an eye on it.
Thanks!
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