So, in March I replaced my front brake pads with EBC Red Stuff pads...turned the rotors too. The rear brakes were good with approximately 60% left. Well, tonight during a break in a song and my windows down, I notice this slight squealing coming from my front right wheel. The squeal goes away when the brakes are applied. So, my question is....can these "better" brake pads already be toast and the wear bar exposed when only putting approximately 10,000 miles on the new brakes? What else could it be making this sound?

 

Improper break in of the pad will cause squealing.

 

I don't think it was an improper break in. I just flat out think the brakes are already shot....they have been feeling "soft" as of late.

 

Pull out the pads and look to see if there is a rust build up on the surface of the pad.

 

did you grease the back of the pad?

 

The back of the pad wasn't the only thing I greased...

 

damn I just bought greenstuff for front and back, havent installed yet hope this doesnt happen. I found the bedding-in instructions kinda weird, drive 200 city miles and then start the typical instructions other companies say to do immediately. Or am I crazy for thinking its weird?

 

I wouldn't take one persons issues with the product as gospel. I've never had an issue with EBC neither has many others.

 

Spicy MC is right just because one individual is having a certain issue with a product doesn't mean that it will happen to everyone else. There are many reasons for brakes to make noise from dust,metal to metal contact,improper lubrication,improper installation and so on.
Just recheck the area with the noise thoroughly and apply some brake cleaner and go from there.
Hope we helped you.

 

My experience is just one of many. Don't get me wrong, they have been much improved over stock up until this point. Actually, something seems wrong because the pads have 75%< left in life....Going to check the brake hoses today.

I would recommend EBC pads to anyone. Just be prepared for copious amounts of dust!

 

I was just wondering what you guys did for the bedding-in?

 

The "issue" here may not be different people's experiences, but could instead be due to the type of pads used. EBC makes different types of pads for different uses, Green being for the street, while Red is intended for track. I've used their Green in the past (not on tC yet) and liked them a lot, but I'd never try the Red on a street car.

 

I used EBC on a few personal car years ago and would not use them again. It was GreenStuff compound and was VERY dusty and a VERY high friction coefficient, which made for lots of wear and tear on rotors. That's my personal experience for what it's worth.

 

uhhh...what else did u grease? the inside of the pads also along with the shims?

 

I'll agree about the high friction coefficient, it's not like they're grabby, but somewhat difficult to modulate, at least compared to most "stock" compounds. EBC has a compound 1 step below the Green, "Ultimax", which I'll try once my stock pads wear out.

 

I have them on mine:red pads and gold slotted rotors.

I've used my car in city most of the time & I have driven 30k miles (least). They still have good chunk of pads AND these pads are complete dust free.

So who knows, you might just got bad set of pads?

 

^^ It also depends on the exact metallurgy of the rotor, it interacts with the friction of the pad, heat distribution of the pad onto the surface of the rotor, etc. welcome to engineering school - materials science engineering it also can be driving conditions, driving style. As well as climate outside that can affect pad wear/rotor wear.

 

I just installed Greenstuff today and so far I am not to happy with them. I expected some noise from them but not to be so loud as to hurt my ears every time I brake. I also noticed a screeching sound when I make a slow turn and sometimes when the car cruises slow without accelerating (not as often as the turning), neither are as loud as actually braking. I put the shims they sent with them, was I supposed to somehow also use the OEM one? any help? thanks.