They don’t look worn out but they sure loot dirty and contaminated
bazalenco on
Maybe you accidentally got some kind of lubricant on them. If you did they’ll never work properly again. New pads are not that expensive.
SeniorSwordfish636 on
Glazed brake material. Clean down with some emery paper.
Also deep clean the rotors with brake clean and again scuff up with (clean) emery paper. And check there is no fluid leak from the callipers.
But…. Often the contamination has soaked into the pad so need replacement.
Macken04 on
Your pads are contaminated, clean them, sand them and then burn off any oil. After that, clean the discs. Put the bleed blocks and and put pressure on the break system. Loook for leaks. If you can’t find the source of the contamination and it continues, you need to replace something
Skellingtoon on
Having just been through this:
1. Your pads are contaminated. Could be lots of causes – oil in a puddle that splashed your rotors, drink mix that sprayed, grease from your thru-axles, etc. You have two options.
2. Get some sandpaper and sand down the top layer of the pads. Then clean the shit out of it with isopropyl alcohol, then sand your brake rotors (with clean sandpaper) and clean them with isopropyl, and make sure that everything is pristine before you put it back together. This might solve your problem.
3. However, it’s possible that your brake pads (which are like sponges) have absorbed too much oil/grease, in which case, they’re done. Buy new ones, bin the old ones.
My last pair brake pads were too contaminated. I sanded them two or three times, but couldn’t get them to work. New pads (plus pristine rotors) solved everything.
Also clean your pistons and the inside of your brakes carefully. Cotton tips are your friend.
knuckles-and-claws on
I would soak them in rubbing alcohol or brake cleaner and sand them down a bit (put sandpaper on flat surface, rub the pads in circles on the paper). And see what happens. Also clean your rotors.
If that doesn’t work, replace them.
Sea_Working_6998 on
They are not worn out, but they seem extremely contaminated.
You can try taking off the top layer with sandpaper or a fine file. Then wipe the pads and rotors with some brake cleaner. The go ahead and bed-in the pads and you should be golden.
canuevendoublehaul on
Is the brake lever going all the way to the grip with little to no resistance?
mihellino on
I usually, if there is enough material on them, sand down just the surface, clean it good with alcohol, and then when the alcohol is still wet light it up with a lighter (be careful obviously) so they heat up. If they actually get clean after, they completely change color and look almost like new material. Then i test them on the bike and usually that does the job. If not… just replace
Mainely_A_SkiChick on
They look contaminated af.
Oshabeestie on
They look contaminated. You could try cleaning them and the disc with brake solvent but I would be inclined to renew them ( and clean the discs )
North_Rhubarb594 on
Get some 80 grit sandpaper and sand them down until smooth. Also sand down your rotors with 80 grit sandpaper paper to resurface them. Make sure you wear gloves.
razorree on
they look pretty new.
when the spring starts to touch your rotor (is flush with braking pad surface) – then they’re done
anton_z44 on
If replacing, sintered (metallic) pads are less prone to contamination / less absorbing / more cleanable though a bit noisier. If you ride in all-weather conditions they might be a better choice for you. Just make sure your rotor disk is compatible with a metal brake pad material too.
Kypwrlifter on
In addition to what others have said about cleaning your pads and discs, Your pistons look dirty AF too. Wipe those things down with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol so they can freely move the brake pad.
Think-Hospital761 on
Are these hydraulic discs? How is engagement when off bike? Spongy feel? Fluid may need a bleed. Btw, those pads are thicc.
Weak_Spinach7257 on
Alongside all the recs on pads you should just check the operation of the caliper by gently operating the brake as it is now to see if you get movement. Not too much as you could pop a piston out.
Air in the system will feel spongy/no bite/lots of lever travel for not much braking
AquaMarineAngler on
Treat it with isopropyl alcohol then sandpaper them then again isopropyl alcohol, let them dry. Clean the inside of the calipers with isopropyl alcohol before putting the pads. Clean the rotor with isopropyl alcohol then sandpaper the rotor then again isopropyl alcohol. If after all this you still have an issue then you will need to bleed the system.
wiggywiggywiggy on
I have glazed many pads in my life
If a pad gets too hot it melts the pad and causes its surface to become smooth. Is the surface of the pad smooth?
When this happens to me I install new pads…ive never tried sanding
It could be because you are overworking your brakes.
If so, you could potentially get a bigger rotor. Your pads will last way longer and have significantly better stopping power
Also are you heavy or on an e bike or doing canyon sized descents? I ended up getting kool stop e bike pads and they are doing pretty great for me
Rubbertutti on
Looks glazed I’m guessing from the finned pads you are using a 140-160mm freeza discs.
Sand them flat and re-bed. Check the disc for wet brake dust and clean with brake cleaner if necessary. Inspect the caliper for any signed of wetness if all good spray the calliper with brake cleaner and go bed in the pads.
biobaser on
Bake them in the oven at 250c for 20 minutes, it’ll make any oil evaporate
tokin247 on
Brake cleaner 👍🏻 go crazy with it
codeedog on
In Picture 3, the piston might show a leak at the bottom. Zooming in I see what could be some brake fluid coming through and brake dust and regular dirt mixed into it. Or, that could be an artifact of the metal brake housing. Try to examine that area closely before cleaning.
I have a small spray bottle filled with isopropyl alcohol that I use to soak the pistons and interior of the brake when the pads are out. Then I pull a clean bamboo towel through to remove the accumulated dust and dirt. Clean up that area really well and recondition your pad surfaces as others have suggested.
If it happens again, check that piston as a potential source of contamination.
holythatcarisfast on
Just contaminated my guy. I had pretty much the same thing on my bike.
Sanded the pads, sprayed on brake cleaner, allow to dry, sanded the rotors and sprayed those. Bed in brakes. Now they feel great!!!
24 Comments
They don’t look worn out but they sure loot dirty and contaminated
Maybe you accidentally got some kind of lubricant on them. If you did they’ll never work properly again. New pads are not that expensive.
Glazed brake material. Clean down with some emery paper.
Also deep clean the rotors with brake clean and again scuff up with (clean) emery paper. And check there is no fluid leak from the callipers.
But…. Often the contamination has soaked into the pad so need replacement.
Your pads are contaminated, clean them, sand them and then burn off any oil. After that, clean the discs. Put the bleed blocks and and put pressure on the break system. Loook for leaks. If you can’t find the source of the contamination and it continues, you need to replace something
Having just been through this:
1. Your pads are contaminated. Could be lots of causes – oil in a puddle that splashed your rotors, drink mix that sprayed, grease from your thru-axles, etc. You have two options.
2. Get some sandpaper and sand down the top layer of the pads. Then clean the shit out of it with isopropyl alcohol, then sand your brake rotors (with clean sandpaper) and clean them with isopropyl, and make sure that everything is pristine before you put it back together. This might solve your problem.
3. However, it’s possible that your brake pads (which are like sponges) have absorbed too much oil/grease, in which case, they’re done. Buy new ones, bin the old ones.
My last pair brake pads were too contaminated. I sanded them two or three times, but couldn’t get them to work. New pads (plus pristine rotors) solved everything.
Also clean your pistons and the inside of your brakes carefully. Cotton tips are your friend.
I would soak them in rubbing alcohol or brake cleaner and sand them down a bit (put sandpaper on flat surface, rub the pads in circles on the paper). And see what happens. Also clean your rotors.
If that doesn’t work, replace them.
They are not worn out, but they seem extremely contaminated.
You can try taking off the top layer with sandpaper or a fine file. Then wipe the pads and rotors with some brake cleaner. The go ahead and bed-in the pads and you should be golden.
Is the brake lever going all the way to the grip with little to no resistance?
I usually, if there is enough material on them, sand down just the surface, clean it good with alcohol, and then when the alcohol is still wet light it up with a lighter (be careful obviously) so they heat up. If they actually get clean after, they completely change color and look almost like new material. Then i test them on the bike and usually that does the job. If not… just replace
They look contaminated af.
They look contaminated. You could try cleaning them and the disc with brake solvent but I would be inclined to renew them ( and clean the discs )
Get some 80 grit sandpaper and sand them down until smooth. Also sand down your rotors with 80 grit sandpaper paper to resurface them. Make sure you wear gloves.
they look pretty new.
when the spring starts to touch your rotor (is flush with braking pad surface) – then they’re done
If replacing, sintered (metallic) pads are less prone to contamination / less absorbing / more cleanable though a bit noisier. If you ride in all-weather conditions they might be a better choice for you. Just make sure your rotor disk is compatible with a metal brake pad material too.
In addition to what others have said about cleaning your pads and discs, Your pistons look dirty AF too. Wipe those things down with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol so they can freely move the brake pad.
Are these hydraulic discs? How is engagement when off bike? Spongy feel? Fluid may need a bleed. Btw, those pads are thicc.
Alongside all the recs on pads you should just check the operation of the caliper by gently operating the brake as it is now to see if you get movement. Not too much as you could pop a piston out.
Air in the system will feel spongy/no bite/lots of lever travel for not much braking
Treat it with isopropyl alcohol then sandpaper them then again isopropyl alcohol, let them dry. Clean the inside of the calipers with isopropyl alcohol before putting the pads. Clean the rotor with isopropyl alcohol then sandpaper the rotor then again isopropyl alcohol. If after all this you still have an issue then you will need to bleed the system.
I have glazed many pads in my life
If a pad gets too hot it melts the pad and causes its surface to become smooth. Is the surface of the pad smooth?
When this happens to me I install new pads…ive never tried sanding
It could be because you are overworking your brakes.
If so, you could potentially get a bigger rotor. Your pads will last way longer and have significantly better stopping power
Also are you heavy or on an e bike or doing canyon sized descents? I ended up getting kool stop e bike pads and they are doing pretty great for me
Looks glazed I’m guessing from the finned pads you are using a 140-160mm freeza discs.
Sand them flat and re-bed. Check the disc for wet brake dust and clean with brake cleaner if necessary. Inspect the caliper for any signed of wetness if all good spray the calliper with brake cleaner and go bed in the pads.
Bake them in the oven at 250c for 20 minutes, it’ll make any oil evaporate
Brake cleaner 👍🏻 go crazy with it
In Picture 3, the piston might show a leak at the bottom. Zooming in I see what could be some brake fluid coming through and brake dust and regular dirt mixed into it. Or, that could be an artifact of the metal brake housing. Try to examine that area closely before cleaning.
I have a small spray bottle filled with isopropyl alcohol that I use to soak the pistons and interior of the brake when the pads are out. Then I pull a clean bamboo towel through to remove the accumulated dust and dirt. Clean up that area really well and recondition your pad surfaces as others have suggested.
If it happens again, check that piston as a potential source of contamination.
Just contaminated my guy. I had pretty much the same thing on my bike.
Sanded the pads, sprayed on brake cleaner, allow to dry, sanded the rotors and sprayed those. Bed in brakes. Now they feel great!!!