hi all.
I have a question about the brakes on my 16v corrado. I recently had the front pads and disks replaced at my local Kwik Fit.
However when slowing from speed. I am finding that I am having to press the pedal alot harder and indeed further, to get the same results which I recieved from my old discs. Also, the brakes no longer feel as sharp as they did.
Is something that can be adjusted if I go back to Kwik fit and complain?
As you can imagine it's a litle sole destroying to fork out for new brakes and to notice a drop in braking performance.
The brakes have been on there for a month or so now.I was hoping that they were just bedding in which is why I haven't taken them back sooner.
Cheers
ROss
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Perhaps you need your brakes bleeding because air can sometimes get into the braking system causing what you describe.
I'm sure the lads will explain this further,
Mark.
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My mother once had a set of front brake pads fitted to her Citroen by a fast fit place. About a month later I drove the car and noticed the brakes were really bad - no bite at all. When I investigated, I found the new pads were jammed so solidly into the calipers that they couldn't move. Hence only the back brakes were actually working. Sometimes you find that new brake pads are a tight fit, and need the edges of the backing plates filing down slightly. The fast fit gorillas had obviously ignored the need to do this, and knocked the new pads in with a hammer. Could be that your car has the same problem - I would have expected new pads to bed in by now.
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> it's a litle sole destroying to fork out for new brakes
This problem sounds a bit fishy to me .... let's hope you get it sorted soon.
Jack
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I thought it shoe 'sole' destroying due to to excessive foot pressure! Seriously, there is a problem. Either the pads are tight as suggested, or more likely in my view, the pad and perhaps disc
material is not up to original spec, and the brakes just lack bite due to inferior materials. Were a good brand fitted such as brembo or lockheed? Brakes work by turning kinetic energy into heat energy, and the better they do this , the more effective they are. Yours are not making as much heat as they did. Not all materials are the same.
Take it back.
Regards
Mike
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It is most likely the quality of the pads. I have had a number of Saab 9000s. I bought a 2.0 turbo (second hand) and found the same symptoms as you describe - brakes felt totally different to the others I'd had, needing a much harder push on the pedal and even then getting inferior retardation. I found a then-recent receipt in the car from - guess where? - Kwik Fit. The pads were hardly worn, but I decided that I would try a set of genuine Saab pads, which I'd always used in the past. Fitted these and hey presto! Brakes were then fine.
If I were you I'd forget recriminations against Kwik Fit, but just quietly go out & get some pads from your local main dealer, having learned a salutory lesson.
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There is a piece of black plastic rubber covering the pad. Which has either mintex, or pintex written on it. Are these a good brand?
Ross
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So did my non-genuine ones. Forget it! Just buy "the real thing". Mintex are reputable but it still doesn't guarantee that the material is right for your car!
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Unless anyone has contrary opinions or experience, I would say that Mintex is a reputable make.
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Nothing wrong with Mintex IMHO - an old and well known name in brakes. One thought - how old is the car? I have just had to replace a rubber brake hose on my 1990 Audi because it had developed bulges at both ends. This increased the pedal travel, but because it happened gradually I didn't notice it. Now that I've replaced it, I have realised just how much pedal travel had developed. I will replace all the other hoses some time soon as a precaution.
Sounds as though you need to have the braking system inspected properly from end to end by a VW specialist, and not by another fast fit centre who will just try to sell you stuff you don't need. A Corrado is plenty quick and heavy enough to need decent brakes.
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I was given the wrong pads for my 997 Mini Cooper (yes, a long while ago). It had no servo and the pads were for the servo version. I was literally out of my seat standing on the pedal when I had to stop for a pedestrian crossing. The MOT found the problem, the hand brake reading was better! It was quite obvious the friction material was different when the two types were placed side by side. Are there different grades for the Corrado?
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Just because they're Mintex, doesn't mean they're the right material for your car. I read a report in a trade mag the other day that said aftermarket pads are only made in about 5 grades, whereas there are over 500 in use by the OEMs. So the chances of getting the right ones are remote. However, there is a new regulation now that means all pads for late vehicles have to meet certain spec, close to the OEM's. That's why you can't open the boxes any more unless you buy them.
I brought some Mintex pads for a Range Rover. Even though the OE's are probably made by Mintex, these didn't have the chamfer on the leading edge, nor the anti-squeel material on the back. I assume these two features are there for a reason, and are left off the replacements to save money. They sent the alloys black within about 1 mile, unlike the Land Rover genuine pads.
Simple rule is always use OE pads. A bit more money but you know what you're getting.
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www.mintex.co.uk
Look for the info on the E-Mark
In reality ±15% is a wide tolerance band and the standard should be seen as the minimum acceptable level. As an OE manufacturer TMD Friction will always aim to be very close to the OE level on all Mintex Brake Pads sold in the Aftermarket.
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Ross
Possibly using a fast fit is the problem. Try to find a "good" personally reccommended backs street fitter. I was pointed to one several years ago I have been no where else since and hes only 1/3 of a mile away.
Bill
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Mintex are a reputable manufacturer and the pads will be near to the quality of OE. It could be the discs themselves - cheapo material?? Find out the make of the discs. If they are reputable then the "air-in-the-lines" suggestion sounds highly likely.
If you really want more stopping power (after sorting out any problems) go get a set of EBC Green Stuff pads. These are a kevlar based "roadsport" mix. They will pull you up much quicker than just about any other OE or aftermarket pad and are kinder to discs and produce little dust. The downside is they wear out a little quicker, but heh pads are cheaper than discs. I use these on my Rover 800 Vitesse Sport - no lightweight at 1470kg, but can repeatedly stand on its nose from high 3 figure speeds. You do know what you're getting with OE, but that doesn't make it best.
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I would guess that because the corrado was a performance car the original pads would be rated to cope , fit the vw replacment pads , never cut costs on brakes or tyres
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HOW LONG AGO WAS THE CORRADO DEVELOPED? HOW LONG AGO DID IT GO OUT OF PRODUCTION. THINGS HAVE MOVED ON SINCE THEN.
ALSO, AFTER 18 YEARS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN ARENA IN BOTH OEM AND TIER 1 SUPPLY I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT NOT EVERYTHING THE OEM DOES IS BEST. THERE IS USUALLY SOME COMPROMISE INVOLVED (PARTICULARLY INVOLVING COST).
ANY ROADSPORT PADS WILL GIVE IMPROVED STOPPING POWER OVER THE ORIGINAL MIX. THE "COST" IS USUALLY A HIGHER WEAR RATE (SOMETIMES ON THE DISCS TOO) OR A HIGHER PURCHASE PRICE.
IN A DECADE OF RALLYING I USED MINTEX HIGH PERFORMANCE PADS AND ALWAYS FOUND THEM TO BE VERY GOOD. I'VE ALSO USED MINTEX ON MY ROADCARS AND FOUND THEM TO BE GOOD. THE EBC PADS I MENTIONED ARE THE BEST I'VE EVER USED ON A ROAD MACHINE - THEY GIVE EXCELLENT STOPPING POWER, WITH GOOD PROGRESSION, GIVE OFF VERY LITTLE DUST AND SO FAR I HAVE ABJECTLY FAILED TO GET THEM TO FADE - AND BELIEVE ME I'VE TRIED (AND A 200HP 1470KG ROVER TAKES SOME STOPPING). PAGID ARE ALSO VERY GOOD.
I TOO BELIEVE IN NEVER SKIMPING ON BRAKES OR TYRES, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN BLINDLY GOING TO THE OE DEALER WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE THROUGH INDEPENDANT / MOTORSPORT SPECIALISTS.
TO SAY IT'S "YOUR FAULT" FOR GOING TO KWIK FIT IS REDICULOUS. WHEREVER YOU GO YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPECT A GOOD STANDARD OF SERVICE AND QUALITY APPROPRIATE TO THE CAR IN QUESTION. ANY DECENT MECHANIC SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY PERIPHERAL PROBLEMS NOT ON THE JOB SHEET FOR RECTIFICATION. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SAME COIN IS THAT YOU WOULD ONLY EXPECT KWIK FIT TO USE "STANDARD" COMPONENTS -IF YOU WANT HIGH PERFORMANCE PARTS YOU NEED TO GO TO A SPECIALIST IN YOUR MODEL OR A MOTORSPORT ORIENTATED OUTLET.
ALL THIS DOES NOT SOLVE THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM THOUGH. IF NOT THE PADS IT COULD BE THE DISCS - NOT ALL DISCS ARE EQUAL, THE QUALITY OF THE STEEL AND ITS EXACT COMPOSITION ARE VITAL TO GOOD PERFORMANCE. FAILING THIS, AS SUGGESTED ELSEWHERE, AIR COULD BE PRESENT IN THE FLUID - HAVE THE SYSTEM BLED. ALSO CHECK ALL THE HOSES FOR ANY SIGNS OF SPLITTING OR BULGING. ALSO CONSIDER PUTTING A NEW SEAL SET IN THE MASTER CYLINDER - MANY OEs RECOMMEND THIS AT 5YRS OR 60K ANYWAY. SIMILARLY CONSIDER PUTTING NEW SEALS IN THE CALIPERS. ALSO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS "JUST SO" AT THE REAR TOO.
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Thank you for the upper case it saved me the trouble of getting the glasses out.
You seem to be upset about my post for some reason?
I understand Ross D is simply trying to get back to the position he was in prior to the repairs , that is a satisfactory braking system.
My suggestion is to fit the OE parts which may be dearer (and possibly no better) but did the job previously.Why do you have a problem with that? Are you associated with mintex or kwik fit , one wonders.
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It's your fault. You went to Kwik Fit.
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Pads are probably jammed in the calipers. Either the pads are a little too snug in the carrier or there is a build up of rust scale on the carrier where the pads sit.
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On my bike I've found that EBC pads are better than the OE Honda.
The Honda ones were prone to "grabbing" as brake pressure increased and I locked up the front wheel a couple of times with expensive (and painful) results.
The EBC ones are much smoother and more progressive.
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