Is it normal for new brakes to smoke?

[Hairy]

Hi All,

I fitted my new front discs and Galfer 1055 pads today to my LCR. Once finished I drove over to my parents which was about 8 miles, when I pulled up I noticed quite a lot of smoke coming from the brakes on both sides. I’ve changed the pads before and not had this, but this is the first set of new discs I've had. Is it normal for them to smoke on the first run? (I wasn't driving particularly hard).

They are Brembo discs, Galfer 1055 pads, I used spray copper grease on the hub and a smear of normal copper grease on the back of the pads. (I cleaned the discs with white spirits before fitting them)

Cheers,

 

[mrcoyote]

Never had any problems when I fitted the 1055's to my old Ibiza, so I think the answer is no.

 

[m0rk]

new pads just getting flat

take it easy for 200 miles, and if they still burn then there is something amiss

 

[Hairy]

Nothing to do with the new discs then? this is my forth set of pads, none of the others did this.

 

[DPJ]

I recently fitted Galfer Tuning discs and 1055 pads. Although I managed to bed them in within 100 miles, I had no smoke or burning. (Mine's an LC though, so floating calipers,)

 

[m0rk]

Did you clean the new discs first? degrease them thoroughly? if not - then that'll have oil on them that hopefully you're burning off before it soaks into the pads

 

[Hairy]

Did you clean the new discs first? degrease them thoroughly? if not - then that'll have oil on them that hopefully you're burning off before it soaks into the pads

Yep, Gave them both a good clean with white spirit as advised in ruddmeister's guide on the main site (which is a top guide and made the whole thing very simple).

 

[helms]

i would defo get that check out by a mechanic mate, if theres one thing you always want to work.. it be your breaks!!!!

 

[Hairy]

Could it be the 'spray on' copper grease burning? This is the first time I've used the stuff and the first time I've had smoke, it was Halfords own brand spray grease as they were out the 'three in one' brand.

 

[m0rk]

when I've ever fitted pads its been them bedding in - they're not born flat, so it's all the 'rough' getting hot & coming off.

mechanics tend to know **** anyway, since you're confident enough to fit em - whip em off & double check if it's doing it - but I'll bet it's just bedding in

 

[DPJ]

Was it definitely smoking both sides?

 

[Hairy]

Was it definitely smoking both sides?

Yep.

 

[DPJ]

Like m0rk said then, just bedding in. (If it had been one side, I'd have been looking for a sticking pad).

 

[reaper]

Hi the smoking is the protective coating on discs to stop them going rusty in transit,ie on the shelf,I am a tech and work on volks brand,and always get it when new discs are fitted,nothing to worry about

 

[DPJ]

Hi the smoking is the protective coating on discs to stop them going rusty in transit,ie on the shelf,I am a tech and work on volks brand,and always get it when new discs are fitted,nothing to worry about

Don't you clean it off before fitting?

 

[Hairy]

I did clean the disc's first, I'll put it down to bedding in and just keep an eye on them. There was no smoke on the way home, but I was making sure I took it very easy.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[m0rk]

do continue to take it easy

as they bed in - they're making little contact with the disc - so you will still stop, but in my experience you'll only stop once or twice if they get warm

 

[quattroman]

Hairy you will be fine ,
just as everyone said coating on the discs to protect them from going rusty- otherwise they would look 2 years old -from new because of High Iron content in the O.E Brembo discs.
Any problems let me know ASAP and this is for everyone who likes going heavy with the 'copper slip' spray.
Copper Slip is not a High melting point grease and should only be used as an
Anti Fretting paste ie to stop two dissimilar metals from chemically bonding together
hence why people put it on the hub to wheel interface -hub is Steel and the wheel is generally Allloy compound.
Its to prevent corrosion,but if anyone uses it like in the pictures i have seen you are asking for trouble.
The reason its put onto the back of the pad is two fold -1)to stop pistons in calipers bonding to the pad backing and 2) prevent break squeel.
It is also used in very small amounts on the edges of the pad to stop binding.
This grease / paste was originally designed for use on splines to prevent wear on the splines themselves.

 

[Greg Kirby]

Smoking

Even though you cleaned the 'light oil' from the contact surfaces, there will be oil residue on the internal (vents in the disc sandwich) which will flash off eventually with time and heat - I personally don't think you should worry - does it stop OK?

 

[Hairy]

does it stop OK?

She's stopping fine, (thank god!, some twat pulled out right in front of me yesterday!). No more smoke either, although I haven't taken her on any decent runs since.