SDiE60

Whats up everyone! So I recently got a service check for my front pads. I installed the Hawk HPS pads in November with approximately 59k miles on the car. 6500 miles later I get the service check. New sensors were installed and iDrive was reset immediately after installation as well. Is 6500 miles normal? I don't do any aggressive braking but I never did get rid of the brake squeak (I started a topic months ago). Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

turboawd

did you look at the pads to see if there was still a lot of pad material left?

pjinca

I have had my Hawks in the front for more than a year (~15k miles) no issues. Were they properly broken in? What condition were the rotors?

SDiE60

I haven't actually checked the pads yet since I just got the service check Sunday afternoon. I plan to though. All the rotors were swapped out with Zimmermann (?) blanks. The pads were broken in twice to try to get rid of the brake squeak. Up until this day, I get the squeak everytime I reverse out of the garage or come to a slow stop. I'm seriously thinking about switching back to OEM as much as I don't want to.

Gene

6500 is not normal lifespan, way too short...

were the sensors installed correctly?

regarding the squeal, did you use any anti squeal product prior to installing the pads?

(***edit, just read your other post and looks like you did apply an anti squeal product)

If the sensors are installed incorrectly, that also might be causing the brake squeal...

stoic1

This!

I've had this file tucked away unti I do my brakes. I'm not sure who the author of this was, StopTech I think but whoever it is, they get the credit.

Bedding allows your brakes to reach their full potential. Until they are bedded, your brakes simply do not work as well as they can. If you've installed a big brake kit, changed your pads and rotors, or even if you've purchased a brand new car, you should set aside some time to bed the brakes in by following the instructions below. Proper bedding will improve pedal feel, reduce or eliminate brake squeal, and extend the life of your pads and rotors. For more on the theory of bedding, please refer to this excellent article by StopTech: Removing the Mystery from Brake Pad Bed-In.

Caution: After installing new pads/rotors or a big brake kit, the first few applications of the brake pedal will result in almost no braking power. Gently apply the brakes a few times at low speed in order to build up some grip before blasting down the road at high speed. Otherwise, you may be in for a nasty surprise the first time you hit the brakes at 60 mph.

If you have just installed rotors with zinc or cadmium plating, or if the rotors have an anti-corrosion phosphate coating, you should postpone the bedding process until normal driving has allowed your brake pads to polish the rotors clean and removed all traces of the plating or coating.

Read and understand these instructions completely before starting. If you have any questions, give us a call or email. Do not substitute higher speeds for the 60mph called for in these instructions. The heat in your brakes goes up exponentially as you increase the speed from which you brake. If you make repeated stops from 80 or 90mph with street pads, you will overheat the brakes and may end up having to replace pads and/or rotors.
When following these instructions, avoid other vehicles. Bedding is often best done early in the morning, when traffic is light, since other drivers will have no idea what you are up to and will respond in a variety of ways ranging from fear to curiosity to aggression. A police officer will probably not understand when you try to explain why you were driving erratically! Zeckhausen Racing does not endorse speeding on public roads and takes no responsibility for any injuries or tickets you may receive while following these instructions.

1. From a speed of 60mph, gently apply the brakes a couple of times to bring them up to operating temperature. This prevents you from thermally shocking the rotors and pads in the next steps.

2. Make a series of eight near-stops from 60 to about 10 mph. Do it HARD by pressing the brakes firmly, but do not lock the wheels or engage ABS. At the end of each slowdown, immediately accelerate back to 60mph and then apply the brakes again. DO NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP! If you stop completely and sit there with your foot on the brake pedal, you will imprint pad material onto the hot rotors, which could lead to vibration, uneven braking, and even ruin the rotors.

3. The brakes may begin to fade after the 7th or 8th near-stop. This fade will stabilize, but not completely go away until the brakes have fully cooled. A strong smell from the brakes, and even smoke, is normal.

4. After the 8th near-stop, accelerate back up to speed and cruise for a while, using the brakes as little as possible. The brakes need about 5 minutes to cool down. Try not to become trapped in traffic or come to a complete stop while the brakes are still very hot.

5. If race pads, such as Hawk DTC-70 or Performance Friction 01 are being used, add four near-stops from 80 to 10mph.

6. After the break-in cycle, there should be a slight blue tint and a light gray film on the rotor face. The blue tint tells you the rotor has reached break-in temperature and the gray film is pad material starting to transfer onto the rotor face. This is what you are looking for. The best braking occurs when there is an even layer of of pad material deposited across the face of the rotors. This minimizes squealing, increases braking torque, and maximizes pad and rotor life.

7. After the first break in cycle shown above, the brakes may still not be fully broken in. A second bed-in cycle, AFTER the brakes have cooled down fully from the first cycle, may be necessary before the brakes really start to perform well. This is especially true if you have installed new pads on old rotors. If you've just installed a big brake kit, the pedal travel may not feel as firm as you expected. After the second cycle, the pedal will become noticeably firmer. If necessary, bleed the brakes to improve pedal firmness.

umichchris

my breaks squeak like a SON OF A BITCH! i installed Hawk HPS and R1 Concepts cross drilled & slotted rotors. yes i applied anti-squeak product prior to install following all the directions. yes i properly bedded the pads/rotors. matter of fact, only one side squeaks, the other is just fine. add to that, its the side w/o the break sensor (there's only one front and one rear on my Feb 2004 545i).

i dont know what to do. its so bad that i feel like everyone is looking at my car like its a bucket when i come to a stop at a light....i mean loud as hell! im seriously thinking about just taking them to a shop to see if they can get the problem resolved. its driving me crazy!!!!

(help)

pjinca

This can also happen if the brakes weren't cleaned prior to installing the new ones. When I installed my Hawks I cleaned the brakes thoroughly with brake parts cleaner, then applied anti-squeak, then reinstalled, then bedded them properly and have had no issues whatsoever. My rear OEMs? they squeak like a sonovabitch, pisses me off, it makes the car sound like I'm driving a 80's Chevy Cavalier :thumbsdown: I DETEST the OEM pads, and they were just replaced under warranty in Feb of this year - rotors and pads. :thumbsdown:

umichchris

yea, i def cleaned everything before i installed them with brake cleaner as well...

i dont know what the deal is.

on a side note....my R1 Concepts rotors are only a few weeks old, but the small portion where the pads do not come into contact with the rotor (lower portion near the hub) is totally rusted....i mean what a horrible eye sore. anyone else have that problem? i mean ugly reddish/orange rust juxtaposed with the shiny bright cross drilled clean part of the rotor...im not happy.

SDiE60

Thanks for the input guys!


I just got off the phone with Euroautospot (San Diego shop - anyone been there?). According to the mechanic, brake squeaks are common for aftermarket brake pads on BMW's. He's willing to evaluate my brakes for 50 bucks and if I decide to change my rotors/pads out he'll apply it towards the purchase. I mentioned that I only put 6500 miles on the pad. He said it has to do with driving style. Due to the annoying squeak, I found myself constantly "slamming" on the brakes rather than let it drag. If I let it drag to a stop, I would just start to squeal. I still plan to take a look at the pads myself. I love the Hawks because of the "no brake dust" but I may have to swich back to OEM. At this point, I almost prefer cleaning my wheels on a regular basis rather than deal with the squeaks. It's less embarassing....