Sharp Brakes

[alvin123]

I have heard that if you get your brakes hot and then throw cold water on them this makes the brakes really sharp.

Any comments good,bad or indifferent?

Thanks.

Alan

[mattholmes]

that works if you have just put a new set of pads in saves spending ages bedding them in

[rontheyank]

The brake pads have metallic bits in them to make them work when wet. By heating and then rapid cooling the pads with water it will anneal or soften the metallic pieces in the pads. this will make the brakes much sharper.

I don't think that it matters if the pads are new or old as long as there is some material left on them, however if the pads are worn out there will not be enough material left to have an effect.

[jonnybmac]

I work at a place that does heat treating, and to get steel harder, you need to heat it up to a really high temperature and then drop it into water rapidly. We use pumps in our quench pools to fire at the hot steel to cool it down as quick as possible. If the bars are allowed to cool past a certain temperature you loose your hardness. you have set degree's you need the bars to be so they are neither too soft or too hard and brittle.

These sort of temps we are talking 800-900 degrees celcius so I doubt the heat off of brake pads would be enough to give the same effects. Maybe its more to do with the expanding and rapid contracting of the metal around the disk that gives it this effect.

Edited March 30, 2010 by jonnybmac

[gasgasman280]

All I know is that it works...very well. You have to do it a couple of times to get the full benefit, but it will take a dull average performing brake and turn it into a super sharp stopper.

Its not my area of expertise but my understanding was that all the accumulated grunge and gunk gets cooked off.

[sdeane01]

Has worked for me even with old pads.

[ham2]

All I know is that it works...very well. You have to do it a couple of times to get the full benefit, but it will take a dull average performing brake and turn it into a super sharp stopper.

Its not my area of expertise but my understanding was that all the accumulated grunge and gunk gets cooked off.

Agreed..I do a figure of 8 course on my drive,dragging the brakes,then the kids quench the pads with their drinks to watch the steam rise.

P.S. Ribena is a no-no.

[alvin123]

Thanks for that I'll give it a go.

[lostboy]

wow..... think ill try it too!

[martymc2010]

Maybe a silly question but does that mean you have sharp brakes for good or does the procedure need to be repeated?