Brake Feel Question

[Matthew Ross]

Hey everyone,

I have a 2009 Civic with 140,000 miles.

A year ago I did a full brake job (all 4 wheels rotors and pads). I used Akebono ceramic brake pads. The job went without incident and my brakes worked fine. However, I noticed that the brakes felt a little weaker. The car stopped just fine, but it took just a little more effort. I immediately thought that I needed to bleed the brake lines. First, I use a hand pump to bleed the lines myself. I noticed no change. Then, I took the car to a very reputable Honda specialist shop. I paid for a complete brake fluid change. The brakes felt exactly the same. So here’s my question: Is it possible that the change in feel is due to the Ceramic pad material? It’s the first time I’ve used this material, so maybe I’m just not used to it. Also, could there be an issue with my master cylinder or brake booster? Again, car stops fine, but it takes a little more pushing.

Thanks,

Matt

Topic

[Daniel]

It’s the pads.
Ceramic pads are designed for heavier use. Not to say they aren’t suitable for your car.
Brakes stop a vehicle by transferring motion energy into heat energy. Ceramic doesn’t create as much heat, therefore they do not create as much friction under normal use.
Because they don’t create as much heat there is less of an issue with “brake fade.”

[Nankumar Seewdat]

Yea I agree that it’s the pads that make it feel a bit weaker. The ceramic material is really designed for “race” use mainly because they need to be heated up to really get some bite out of it.

[Cameron]

[quote=”matthewross1987″ post=136320]Hey everyone,

I have a 2009 Civic with 140,000 miles.

A year ago I did a full brake job (all 4 wheels rotors and pads). I used Akebono ceramic brake pads. The job went without incident and my brakes worked fine. However, I noticed that the brakes felt a little weaker. The car stopped just fine, but it took just a little more effort. I immediately thought that I needed to bleed the brake lines. First, I use a hand pump to bleed the lines myself. I noticed no change. Then, I took the car to a very reputable Honda specialist shop. I paid for a complete brake fluid change. The brakes felt exactly the same. So here’s my question: Is it possible that the change in feel is due to the Ceramic pad material? It’s the first time I’ve used this material, so maybe I’m just not used to it. Also, could there be an issue with my master cylinder or brake booster? Again, car stops fine, but it takes a little more pushing.

Thanks,

Matt[/quote]

Ceramic brake pads or not your braking should be better and the brake pressure no more with the new brake set up as long as you have used the correct street compound ceramic brake pad which I would expect you have, There are numerous different compounds in ceramic pads – one manufacturer alone I know does 8 different compounds for different applications.

If you are finding in your 140000 mile car that you are having to depress the brake pedal a bit harder I suggest you look at replacing the flexible brake hoses at least on the front first up. Over time and with multiple use the hoses will balloon a little more so that some brake pressure translates into rubber hose expansion. With new quality flexible rubber hoses just on the front to begin with you should find you need a little less effort for the same stopping performance if your current hoses are on their way out. On that car I would be changing them now anyway.

The master cylinder on your car should still be ok but there are many warnings about possible damage to the master cylinder seals when pushing the primary piston into the area where it would not normally travel. This happens when people bleed their brakes and depress the pedal way beyond where it would normally go (ie nearly all the way to the floor). The piston in the master cylinder also then moves beyond its normal range because of the pedal position and there is little resistance on the other end because the bleeder is open.. As a rule I do not depress the pedal farther than normal when bleeding as I don’t want to risk any damage to the seals even if the risk may be slight.

Basically I think these are the issues to consider on your 140000 mile Honda Civic and I suggest your minor brake pressure symptom has absolutely nothing to do with your pad choice if you have selected a pad with a compound designed specifically for street use which I am sure you have. However if in doubt about the pad performance insofar as brake pressure is concerned, I would contact the pad manufacturer, explain the issue and ask them for a view.

[Author]

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