Powerstop Z36 Break in
06-12-2019, 08:32 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Powerstop Z36 Break in
Just finished rotor and pad install.
No instructions came with the kit for break in. I recall powerstop has a quirky sequence for the first drive. Does anyone who has installed the HD kit know what those are?
Also, the caliper piston boots would not retract normally. The rib/fold next to the piston would "bloat." Did anyone run into that?? Why would that happen?
Finally, I am afraid one of my pistons is binding on the front drivers side. I compressed them and then had to gently push on the brake to deal with the boot issue and only one piston came back out.
I am thinking it is a trip to the shop.
'16 has less than 50K miles!
No instructions came with the kit for break in. I recall powerstop has a quirky sequence for the first drive. Does anyone who has installed the HD kit know what those are?
Also, the caliper piston boots would not retract normally. The rib/fold next to the piston would "bloat." Did anyone run into that?? Why would that happen?
Finally, I am afraid one of my pistons is binding on the front drivers side. I compressed them and then had to gently push on the brake to deal with the boot issue and only one piston came back out.
I am thinking it is a trip to the shop.'16 has less than 50K miles!
The following users liked this post:
jwanck11 (06-13-2019)
06-12-2019, 10:56 PM
#3
Definitely follow the break-in/bed-in procedure.
If you're having caliper issues and you're comfortable replacing your own pads, I'd just get a set of remanufactured calipers and swap them. It's no more difficult to replace the calipers. Power Stop sells them, both OEM and painted versions if you want to style things up a bit.
While you're doing all that, you should flush the brake fluid. If you want to do it the cheap way, use a turkey baster to suck out everything you can from the reservoir. Fill it up with new fluid. Then, bleed each corner as you do the work until new fluid comes out, topping the reservoir up after each corner. Done.
If you're having caliper issues and you're comfortable replacing your own pads, I'd just get a set of remanufactured calipers and swap them. It's no more difficult to replace the calipers. Power Stop sells them, both OEM and painted versions if you want to style things up a bit.
While you're doing all that, you should flush the brake fluid. If you want to do it the cheap way, use a turkey baster to suck out everything you can from the reservoir. Fill it up with new fluid. Then, bleed each corner as you do the work until new fluid comes out, topping the reservoir up after each corner. Done.
06-13-2019, 08:43 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Yeah. I have an extended warranty and need to see if it covers the calipers.
Oddly, the pedal was softer than I expected.
It's odd that more people have not had the boot ribs do what mine did.
Oddly, the pedal was softer than I expected.
It's odd that more people have not had the boot ribs do what mine did.
06-14-2019, 12:21 PM
#5
What I discovered with the powerstops, which leads to a soft pedal, is that there is a coating you really can't see on the rotors that brake cleaner wont wash off. I tried spraying and wiping and they just didn't feel clean. I took a wire brush and scrubbed the rotors where the pads make contact while spraying brake cleaner on. Then it felt like clean metal.
What prompted this was the first set I installed on a 2014 F150. I sprayed and wiped the rotors, but the pads would not bed right, and had a soft pedal for about 1000 miles of highway driving. When my 14 was totaled, I pulled the rotors and pads off and put the OEM back on for the junkyard, and transferred them to my replacement 16. The rotors had rusted between the time I took them off and was able to install on the new truck. Again, soft pedal because the little bit of rust would not bed the pads well.
So best bet is the rotors weren't clean enough. This second set, the pads bit right in and have been perfect from the first day. Also, before you do anything, verify you put the pads in correctly, that can cause a bind and make you think a caliper went bad.
What prompted this was the first set I installed on a 2014 F150. I sprayed and wiped the rotors, but the pads would not bed right, and had a soft pedal for about 1000 miles of highway driving. When my 14 was totaled, I pulled the rotors and pads off and put the OEM back on for the junkyard, and transferred them to my replacement 16. The rotors had rusted between the time I took them off and was able to install on the new truck. Again, soft pedal because the little bit of rust would not bed the pads well.
So best bet is the rotors weren't clean enough. This second set, the pads bit right in and have been perfect from the first day. Also, before you do anything, verify you put the pads in correctly, that can cause a bind and make you think a caliper went bad.