[Big Daddy]

Hey all,

I bought a set of metal matrix pads from Dusty about a week and a half ago or so. I installed them last weekend with new factory rotors. Cleaned down the rotors with brake cleaner and bled the system twice to make sure all the bubbles were out. I took it easy for the first week or so with no hard braking. Lastnight i decided to put them to the test and see how they would hold up. I did a run to about 120mph and hit the brakes...i started freaking...so i pushed down on the pedal harder...still not stopping very quickly. I was like WTF how are my new brakes fading after they had just been installed. I tried doing this twice with the same outcome. I am just glad that we did this at 2am and there were no other cars in front of me. I then let a buddy drive it and he came out with the same outcome, but then i believe my pads were starting to smoke. I use valvoline synthetic fluid so it it should have overheated after just three hard brakes.

Has anyone else had problems with these pads before? Am i missing something here? why is this happening?

I figured i might try bleeding one more time but doubt that is the problem. If that doesnt solve it, i am going to put my stock pads back in and see how those hold up.

 

[supra400hptt]

These pads won't stop you from 120 without fade. I've had the same results. Need to move up to Hawks or maybe Porterfields. Slotted rotors may also help to let the gas formed escape from between the pad and rotor under hard braking.

 

[Parham]

I do a lot of brake jobs at work, and the only time I need to bleed the system is if I opened up the brake lines allowing air in the system. I have not yet done a brake job on my Supra, and I work for Ford, so there might be a different procedure in doing a brake job, but what I am getting at is if you just removed the pads and cut the rotors you do not need to bleed the brakes. If you did allow air to come in the system, and you tried to bleed the brakes and they still feel soft, or they do not work when you are in an ABS condition, then most likely you have are in the ABS model. There are different ways in bleeding the air out, but from my experience doing it the normal way does not. The reason for this is because you need to open and close the valves with in the ABS model. For Ford we use a scan tool called NGS, or a newer one called WDS. I don't know what Toyota’s procedure is, but if you allow air to go in, then that could be why you have poor braking. Like I said at first, I do not see why air would go in the system just by taking the calipers off of their mounts, unless you totally removed the calipers my also disconnecting the lines to them.

Hopefully I helped out in one way, or another. Good luck.

 

[Big Daddy]

Bleeding

Most of the reasoning for bleeding my brakes is to supply a fresh amount of fluid. I like to keep all my fluids clean, thus having a healthy car. I will bleed my brakes at least once a year to keep the fluid running clean. At that time i will get all air bubbles out of the system.

I am just kind of disappointed with these pads so far. I was under the impression that they were going to be high performance and provide good stopping ability at any speed. They still shouldnt fade as bad that they did over the weekend trying to slow down from 120 mph. I can understand some fade but that was rediculous.

 

[John Minert]

Re: Bleeding

Strange. I bought the same pads last year and ran them at the track for a total of probably 40 runs with zero problems, then sold the car. Every run meant stopping from 120+ mph. I also installed stainless brake lines, which I'm sure would help you quite a bit. Call Dusty and ask him for other tips he may have for you. Your pads should be fine.

 

[V8THIS]

They suck........

These pads suck ass bigtime. It's hard for me to compare them to stock because i bought brand new rotors all around along with stillen pads and motul 600 brake fluid. The braking sucked. The pads fade very easily. I am guessing they probably use the same compound (meaning same material, different size/fit) as for different cars and these pads weren't really geared to stop a near 3500 lbs object going 180mph. When I sold my car the new owner asked me to have the brakes done at the dealer at his expense. Rotors were cut all around, not sure what type of fluid they used, and stainless steel brake lines all around. The braking was night and day..... wish I had this done earlier but just got lazy. I've heard multiple comments that these pads are a good bit worse than OEM pads.


-Mike

 

[Big Daddy]

damn...wish i would have known this before i bought em. If that was the case i would have either went with the stock pads again for the Hawks. I wonder if they can be replaced since they are not working for shit...i am totally not happy with them.

 

[stlsupra]

i think there is an i told you so somewhere in here

 

[Big Daddy]

I think there is a kiss my ass somewhere around here too.

 

[supratt320]

Damn!!! I just bought a pair for the front. Haven't installed it yet.

Long,