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- This topic has 6 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 11 months ago by
Brian Robson.
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- February 26, 2007 at 11:55 pm #41967
David Watkins
ParticipantHey all,
I put a brand new set of pads and a new rotor on my TAG kart last week. I ran about 50 laps and I’ve already used a good 1/4 to 1/2 of my pads and my pedal has dissapeared. I started with about a 1/4″ gap from the pads to the rotor and I thoroughly bled the system before use. I now have a solid 1/2″ gap. Is this kind of wear normal? I guess I’ll just have to shim to keep my pedal up?
February 27, 2007 at 12:37 am #57000Bobby Sanchez
ParticipantMy question is did you buy the right pads for your rotor? They shouldn`t wear that much in one or two practices at any track.
February 27, 2007 at 1:35 am #57001Taylor Broekemeier
Participant@bhole wrote:
My question is did you buy the right pads for your rotor? They shouldn`t wear that much in one or two practices at any track.
Pads also come in different compounds from soft to hard that increase performance (soft pads) or increase pad life (hard). What kind of kart is it, or at least what brand of brake system? Some karts are notorious for brake gremlins. Also, you should have some brake shims on hand for this reason, as pads wear, you shim them so the distance they have to travel to the rotor is minimal. Keep in mind though, that as the rotor and pads heat up, they expand significantly (relatively speaking). So, it’s kind of an art to make your brakes work perfectly, it’s alot of trial and error until you know what your brakes need to be happy.
February 27, 2007 at 2:54 pm #57002David Watkins
ParticipantIt’s a 2004 Margay Brava 4 with Ital brakes. I got the pads from you about a month ago Bobby. I also bought shims. Were they just soft pads? I did notice I had awesome braking performance for the first half of my practice day. I’m learning that it may just be my weight. I’m at about 420 lbs with me in the kart. Maybe I just don’t have enough brakes?
February 27, 2007 at 3:30 pm #57003Anonymous
InactiveAps,
Check the condition of your rotor, if it is chewed up or has excessive pad material build up, it will eat through pads. You can get a scotch brite pad on a cordless drill and clean off the old brake pad meterial and it leaves a nice cross hatch in the rotor to seat the new pads.
Try this on your replacement pads and to seat them go out don’t be mean to them for 5-6 laps. Hit them fairly hard then let them cool well, repeat for those laps. Then come in and let them cool fully. Don’t over shim the pads as the brake fluid expands when it gets warm pushing the pads against the rotor compounding the heat problem.
Also the Track has hard braking zones close together, not allowing heat energy to disapate, you may have more brake issues there than any of the other circuits you’ll run.
Most rotors are coated, if that coating is breaking down, get another because the will shred pads in a session or two.
Hope this helps.
Rick
February 27, 2007 at 5:36 pm #57004Bobby Sanchez
ParticipantBlack pads hard , Yellow medium , & Red soft . I`m sure I gave you black.
February 27, 2007 at 6:04 pm #57005Brian Robson
ParticipantBedding your pads properly is the most critical thing you can do. Rick explained this very well. Although many people have different Ideas on how to do it, just be sure you bed them before you put them into race use.
BR
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