Clean Brake Rotors or not

[rainman49]

One of my daughters has a 2013 Camry SE that I just put new rotors and pads on the rear and new rotors on the front. Akebono ACT pads on the front were barely worn. However, she is very sensitive to any changes in her vehicle and says the car is not stopping like it should. I went through the bedding process with the new rotors. Question is should I get more aggressive pads for the front and clean the rotors of the previous pad residue, go through the bedding procedure again or change out the brake fluid? Or all three?
Thanks in advance,
DR

 

[philipp10]

sounds to me they just need a bit more wear in time. They probably don't match the new rotor surface well. Bedding may help or just a little patience.
The brake fluid won't have any effect.

 

[The Critic]

Did you remove the front pads and run them across a sheet of 80-grit (or similar) sandpaper until the surface was flat and de-glazed? If not, that is your problem.

 

[skyactiv]

She wants brakes that require less pedal pressure to slow and stop. The average driver thinks such brakes equates to a vehicle that stops better.
I'd tell her to adjust to it. If you want feather touch brake pads, get EBC Ultimax2.
I spoke highly of them here on BITOG regarding a Camry one of my sisters once had.

https://ebcbrakes.com/product/ultimax-brake-pads/

 

[PandaBear]

In other word she wants bites / friction.

So the highest friction street pads then. I used Ultimax 1 back then and its bite is great, but very dusty.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

You replaced the front rotors without getting new pads?

 

[HangFire]

This is why I replace rotors with pads, and pads with rotors. They break-in together and work optimally.

Time may sort this out. Or you may have to move things along as The Critic said and sand the pads.

Bedding the pads will also help. A series of quick near-stops from good speed, until the brakes are hot. During the entire process don't come to a complete stop, keep the wheels rolling so you don't get pad imprinting more on one spot.

 

[Dave9]

The lesson here is don't put new pads on mostly worn out rotors, then you won't have a case where your pads are barely worn but the rotors are shot.

Before you decide what to do next, you should drive the car to see if it seems to be some problem or just that they need broken in more. You can accelerate that by sanding the pads flat as The Critic suggested, but it will still take some time until they're bedded in to match the rotors well.

No you don't need more aggressive pads, she is comparing how it stopped with the pads that are already on it. Did you clean off the new rotors before installation in case they had some oil or cosmoline/etc on them to retard rust in storage?

You can educate her that she should not have been laying on the brakes hard enough to notice the difference until they are bedded in better, and that she probably wouldn't have needed new rotors and pads on the rear yet if she always took it easier on the brakes... granted she might've have been putting on a crazy amount of city miles, but that's harder to do unless a job requires driving all day.

 

[benjy]

there are a lot of possibilities as mentioned but today like many things most rotors are cast in China, not always bad but it can be. the front does most of the braking so most important, unless rotors are very good replace them + every 5 years brake fluid should be flushed + replaced. i recently put EBC rotors + pads on my nissan frontier, rotors are higher carbon + your choice of pads. i went with a slightly dusty yellow pads + breaking is great.

 

[FlyNavyP3]

Lauren had a similar complaint with Akebono Pro ACT pads on her ES330 Lexus. Nothing I did resolved her dislike (and mine) of the tip in and moderate pedal pressure feel of the pads on braking performance. A panic stop would still get the car to ABS but the brakes weren't as confidence inspiring as the 65,000 mile CarQuest GMD (top of the line) ceramic pads that they replaced.

I finally gave up on the Akebono pads and replaced them with Raybestos EHT3 pads on the same Raybestos Advanced Technology rotors the Akebono pads had been running on. Even with no bedding in process the Raybestos pads were superior from the very first stop. The Raybestos pads were friction code GG as compared to the FF of the Akebono pads. As the new pads wore in they got even better. This is exactly why these pads have been my go to friction material ever since.

YMMV but I've since sworn off the ACT pads despite having used them for years as my go to pad, the EHT3 have replaced them. I bet I've installed a dozen sets for friends in the last 8 months alone.

 

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by rainman49
One of my daughters has a 2013 Camry SE that I just put new rotors and pads on the rear and new rotors on the front. Akebono ACT pads on the front were barely worn. However, she is very sensitive to any changes in her vehicle and says the car is not stopping like it should. I went through the bedding process with the new rotors. Question is should I get more aggressive pads for the front and clean the rotors of the previous pad residue, go through the bedding procedure again or change out the brake fluid? Or all three?
Thanks in advance, DR


If the brake fluid is the original one it's 7 yrs old CHANGE IT. I think Toyota tells you to change it every 3 yrs

 

[Hall]

Take it for a few hours, maybe bed the brakes again after re-prepping the rotors. If you have time, change the brake fluid. Then tell her "they felt great when I drove it". Unless you put the same pads and rotors back on that it had before, there will be differences. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong.

 

[t1snwrbrdr12]

I've always noticed that using akebono pads too. She'll get used to it. I don't especially like the minor loss of braking performance, but for the silent brake performance and lack of dust I can deal with it.

 

[WyrTwister]

You did the brake job , yourself ? Probably for free ?

Drive it & if it is safe , tell her she is welcome to pay to have it changed any way she wishes .

Instead of complaining , she should be thanking you .

If one drives like a sane person , you do not have to have brakes that stop in inches ( instead of feet ) . Sounds like the loose nut behind the steering wheel is ratteling around .

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by t1snwrbrdr12
I've always noticed that using akebono pads too. She'll get used to it. I don't especially like the minor loss of braking performance, but for the silent brake performance and lack of dust I can deal with it.


Noticed the same thing. Just slightly less braking performance than stock pads. I always thought the stock were a bit too grabby. Got used to it after a couple months and now I don't even notice it. Can't decide if I got used to it or if they got better after use. But I love how there's no dust. Factory always had the rims coated in black dust after a couple weeks. Stock wasn't noisy, just dusty.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I would freshen up the pads like the Critic said and renew the brake fluid like Pelican said.
Others may disagree, but when I renew the brake fluid, especially on older vehicles, the pedal firms up.

Good luck.

 

[Omahaug]

Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by t1snwrbrdr12
I've always noticed that using akebono pads too. She'll get used to it. I don't especially like the minor loss of braking performance, but for the silent brake performance and lack of dust I can deal with it.


Noticed the same thing. Just slightly less braking performance than stock pads. I always thought the stock were a bit too grabby. Got used to it after a couple months and now I don't even notice it. Can't decide if I got used to it or if they got better after use. But I love how there's no dust. Factory always had the rims coated in black dust after a couple weeks. Stock wasn't noisy, just dusty.

I guess it's somewhat subjective given that Akebono is stock on a bunch of makes and models (especially imports).

Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Drive it & if it is safe , tell her she is welcome to pay to have it changed any way she wishes .

Instead of complaining , she should be thanking you .

If one drives like a sane person , you do not have to have brakes that stop in inches ( instead of feet ) . Sounds like the loose nut behind the steering wheel is ratteling around .

I agree with this even though the OP probably doesn't want to hear it. That level of braking is unnecessary, if there's some kind of anxiety associated with it maybe slow down? Akebonos are nowhere near inferior or poor performing.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted by FlyNavyP3
I finally gave up on the Akebono pads and replaced them with Raybestos EHT3 pads on the same Raybestos Advanced Technology rotors the Akebono pads had been running on. Even with no bedding in process the Raybestos pads were superior from the very first stop. The Raybestos pads were friction code GG as compared to the FF of the Akebono pads. As the new pads wore in they got even better. This is exactly why these pads have been my go to friction material ever since.

________________________________________________________________

Hmmm, this is just my opinion and braking result. I have heard many here comment on how they like GG pads. I have had the exact opposite result with CoF GG pads. ATMOF, it's the GG pads in every single case that gave me the same results as the OPs daughter is getting on her Camry SE.

Now maybe the Raybestos EHT3 pads are different and I am certainly hearing good results from members here at Bob's.

I don't really care(sorta) what CoF the pads are, I just want OE type braking feel for the "normalness/everydayness of daily braking.
________________________________________________________________
rainman49,
How was the braking before you changed the Rear Brakes?
You mentioned that you had installed Akebono on the front and later, changed the rotors. Was all fine til the Rear change?
What did you use on the Rear?

 

[spasm3]

I have used new pads on worn rotors but never used new rotors with worn pads.

It will take some time for the pads to mate to the rotor, to wear down the high spots for good pad contact.

Its possible to that with the pads you used, that you have better hot braking ( once the pads are worn in) and a bit less cold bite. She may be noticing less cold bite.

My Hyundai was like this, really touchy brakes cold on the factory pads.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted by spasm3
I have used new pads on worn rotors but never used new rotors with worn pads.


I've done both. I have changed rotors several time with the same pads. Rotors kept warping/pulsing every 18-24 months and the pads never seemed to wear. Then on other vehicles, I've changed pads several time due to wear while the rotors never gave me issues. All with good results!