Brake fade...
16-09-2018, 10:42 PM
#1
Brake fade...
So, what are the main causes of brake fade?
car is a Mk3 Focus ST Estate.
Std Ford stuff I never noticed an issue. At the end of January the brakes were done so I replaced with Brembo disc and pads from Eurocarparts.
The brakes have never felt as good since. I have experienced brake fade on a few occasions now after a couple of heavy braking situations so I recently changed the brake fluid but this has not helped.
nearly binned it this morning , car going and slowing well then all of a sudden no brakes!
Is is it just the pads?
Do I need to replace with std Ford pads or what?
Car are is remapped and I don't hang about, so I want to stop the thing when I need to as well.
Thoughts please!
car is a Mk3 Focus ST Estate.
Std Ford stuff I never noticed an issue. At the end of January the brakes were done so I replaced with Brembo disc and pads from Eurocarparts.
The brakes have never felt as good since. I have experienced brake fade on a few occasions now after a couple of heavy braking situations so I recently changed the brake fluid but this has not helped.
nearly binned it this morning , car going and slowing well then all of a sudden no brakes!
Is is it just the pads?
Do I need to replace with std Ford pads or what?
Car are is remapped and I don't hang about, so I want to stop the thing when I need to as well.
Thoughts please!
17-09-2018, 05:17 AM
#2
Either the brake fluid is boiling or the pads are getting too hot. The boiling point of the brake fluid is different for different brands of brake fluid and the amount of moisture in the brake fluid also changes the boiling point. The dry boiling point is always higher than the wet boiling point.
17-09-2018, 07:54 AM
#3
PassionFord Post Whore!!
With normal fast road use I would be suprised if the brake fluid is boiling, sounds more like pad failure. When you lost the braking did the pedal still feel solid? When you changed the brake fluid I presume ( don't take this the wrong way ) you bled them properly afterwards.The Brembo discs are the same size as your standard Ford ones but are vetilated? so with good pads should be improving the braking over the standard set up.
17-09-2018, 12:00 PM
#6
14000+ post superhero
I don't know if Brembo are using cheaper/inferior grade materials in their range nowadays but I warped a new 350mm vented and drilled disc during some energetic road use a few months ago. the pagid discs and pads I replaced them with seems to feel much better.
Last edited by fuzzy; 17-09-2018 at 12:22 PM.
17-09-2018, 12:55 PM
#7
cheers guys.
Brembo discs
Brembo pads.
I have done all 4 corners with them too.
bled brakes using a vacuum bleeder on an air compressor
when they go off the pedal is still rock hard, so quite sure its not trapped air.
so kinda points to the pads imo
Brembo discs
Brembo pads.
I have done all 4 corners with them too.
bled brakes using a vacuum bleeder on an air compressor
when they go off the pedal is still rock hard, so quite sure its not trapped air.
so kinda points to the pads imo
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18-09-2018, 07:13 PM
#11
no car in fully working condition on a uk road should get brake fade, you just can't drive as fast and aggresive for enough time to get it! ( stolen cars or complete idiots exempted!)
My guess is the brake fluid is contamintaed or just old, replace completely and test again
Steve
My guess is the brake fluid is contamintaed or just old, replace completely and test again
Steve
18-09-2018, 08:30 PM
#13
10K+ Poster!!
I was always told to clean the new discs really well to remove the protective coating and when swapping pad compounds to swap the discs too as they contaminate. Also a lot of euro car type discs are inferior quality.
18-09-2018, 08:55 PM
#14
14000+ post superhero
surely any pad to disc contamination will burn away with brake use? id also doubt the quality of some ecp stuff If I can warp a vented drilled Brembo bought from there in road use.
18-09-2018, 09:02 PM
#15
10K+ Poster!!
I think the contamination can get baked in but I am only going off what Russel Lewis of RSR engineering told me and I do not doubt him as he ran all the Porsche race team for Porsche GB back in the day.
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Caddyshack (20-09-2018)
27-09-2018, 10:30 PM
#17
Petrol
I drive fast. Everywhere. So the idiot comment stands
brake fluid was recently changed.
Discs were cleaned thoroughly with petrol before fitting to remove anti rust coating.
These are not warped, and are no where near as sharp as they were before.
Its due due an mot at xmas so I'll get garage to replace brake fluid again too.
Failing that hat new pads from Ford I reckon!
Used pagid before and were OK, but the original brakes were really good.
no car in fully working condition on a uk road should get brake fade, you just can't drive as fast and aggresive for enough time to get it! ( stolen cars or complete idiots exempted!)
My guess is the brake fluid is contamintaed or just old, replace completely and test again
Steve
My guess is the brake fluid is contamintaed or just old, replace completely and test again
Steve
I drive fast. Everywhere. So the idiot comment stands
brake fluid was recently changed.
These are not warped, and are no where near as sharp as they were before.
Its due due an mot at xmas so I'll get garage to replace brake fluid again too.
Failing that hat new pads from Ford I reckon!
Used pagid before and were OK, but the original brakes were really good.
Last edited by Fudgey; 27-09-2018 at 10:32 PM.
27-09-2018, 10:39 PM
#18
PassionFord Post Troll
Does the pedal feel okay just now?
28-09-2018, 10:49 AM
#19
PassionFord Post Whore!!
Fudgey, You say you drive fast everywhere, the amount of traffic on the roads you drive on must be different to every where else!!!! I like using the power my car has but have to pick when and where that is possible.
28-09-2018, 05:44 PM
#20
14000+ post superhero
11-10-2018, 10:08 PM
#21
it must depend on where you live. opportunities for impromptu races often occur around my way ! I like a good natured random race when your both giving and taking swapping places then going again . last weekend at night I had a good one on the motorway with a golf gtd. we both hit well into 3 figures . obviously I mean 69.9 mph and not a bit more
this. I live in a small village and work in another approx 10 miles away..
one route has 3 long straights so overtaking happens a lot and heavy braking at the end of each. I can easily hit 130+ if pressing on along 2 of them, by the 3rd, no brakes!
12-10-2018, 10:19 AM
#22
PassionFord Post Whore!!
Good job there isn't 4 long straights then!!! I am glad you are not approaching me doing 130mph with no brakes!!! There is no way you should be losing your brakes after a few high speed stops, sounds like you need to get the brakes sorted asap!! Have you tried anything yet to improve them? Even with the standard Focus ST brakes you should not be having this problem and if you don't get it sorted you are putting yourself and other road users at risk!!!
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