Hi guys. Just had my mechanic install the Axxis Ultimate/PBR pads on my max. The rear pads turned out to be too big so he had to use this rotary machine to cut them a little. Is this okay?

Also, after these brakes got installed and i drove home it seems like I have to physically push the brake pedal further down in order for the car to stop. It seems liek it is much further than why I just had my new car with oem pads. I would only have to slightly depress the brake pedal in order for the car to break. With these new pads I have to press physically harder on the pedal in order to get the car to a complete stop, so it seems like there is muh less braking power.

Is this because the pads are new and it takes to break them in? Is this normal with these kind of pads? I awas under the impression that the braking power should be much better with these new pads. Thanks for your help/

 

bleed them......

 

They are going to be squishy for a day or so...Yes, bleed them, and give them a few days and the pedal will go back to normal.

 

Hey, guys....wait a minute here: if the brakes were not mushy before and they are mushy now after just a pad change, it's not likely that bleeding is not gonna fix anything. I'm of course assuming the mechanic who did the install is not an idiot and introduced some air into the system -which nothing in a normal pad replacement process should have caused...

To be sure, yes, go ahead and bleed them, but my guess is that the rotors were not turned and hence the rotors' surface is not conducive to the pads properly 'bedding in' and that's why the pedal feels squishy.

Buy any new, good rotor and you will see the surface is not polished glass-smooth. There is fine cross-hatching (same as a new cylinder bore) and fine lines which aid in properly 'bedding in' the pads. This is why you should turn rotors every time you replace pads -even if they are not warped....to get this fine, very slightly roughened surface that allows proper pad bedding in.

If the rotors are not warped, all it takes is cutting two thousands of an inch on each side of the rotor face with the brake lathe set at 'fine cut' to get the rotors' surface perfectly prepared to receive the new pads. If this was not done, he's gonna live with a squishy pedal for a loooooong time

 

oh man you guys are scaring me. I guess the mechanic is an idiot then lol. I dont think any air was introduced into the system. IW as wathcing him do the install the whole time. HE also did not turn the rottors and said I Dont need to sharpen them since They are not warped. Guys what s squishy feel? ITs not that its squishy its just that I have to push the pedal far down and then exert some physical force once the pedal goes all the way down to actually stop the car. Or is that squishy? lol.

Also what does it mean to "bleed" the brakes. Shoudl I just go fast and brake slowly for a lonbg time or what? I hope this will go away soon because sometimes I had to actually take my foot of the floor and use my whole leg to make it easier to stop the car on the brake pedal.

 

The other point is that all brake pads feel different. Some work better when they are heated up (and don't have much "bite" when cold)...this may be the case with the Axxis.....it's always a trade-off between high-performance and regular driving with mods.....

I am betting the Axxis pads simply have poor cold initial bite, compared with OEM pads, which operate well when cold, but not so well when hot.....

 

hmm but if it provides better stopping power, shouldnt it grip it right away. Also I dont think its normal for me to have to apply so much physical pressure to the pedal in order for the car to stop. Especially when its not moving fast. Also it seems like when Im at a light, in order for the car to be stopped the pedal has to be all the way down, and as soon as I release only a little tension of the pedal the car starts to move already...

So anyway, what is "bleeding" the brakes, and how can this help me? Also anything I can do tht will help the situation ebcause right now it feels like I am simply driving a big truck and have to start braking a mile away unless I want to apply extrmeemly heavy force to the brake in order for the car to stop.

 

Bleeding means letting air out of the system, so basically you have just fluid pushing the piston, then you have better stopping power, oh by the way turning the rotors will probably cost you more then brand new rotors from autozone or any other parts store, you should replace the oem rotors with cross sloted and drilled rotors, you can probably get a set of them from ebay for less then 200 bucks, also check your brake fluid level, plus ask your mechanic if he took the top of the master cylinder when he did your pads which lets air out when changing pads, also its alot easier to change pads when you do this, but bleeding it is the best option, go back to your mechanic and ask him if he bled the brakes or not, he should of by the way, also you should alllow atleast a week for the pads to settle in, two weeks at the most, brake slowly so that the pad sort of turns the rotor

 

My brakes are always mushy immediately after they are installed. After a few days, they are back to normal...I simply think that pads just need to be broken in.

 

Did the mechanic properly turn the rear caliper pistons as he pushed them in? Also, did he align the notches on the piston with the nub on the back of the inside pad?
If he didn't do both of these correctly, it will cause the issue you are describing.