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Brake Pads · Compound Selection · Bedding · Care Guide

Brake Pad Care Guide

Brake pads are not universal wear parts. Pad shape, compound, rotor material, caliper type, temperature window, noise tolerance, dust expectation, and driving use all matter. The right pad should match how the vehicle is actually driven, not just what fits inside the caliper.

This guide explains how to choose, install, bed in, and inspect TTSPORT brake pads so the compound works as intended.

1. Ordering the Right Pads

Start with the exact vehicle and brake setup. A pad can look close and still have the wrong backing plate, thickness, sensor slot, or compound for the rotor material.

• Vehicle year, make, model, trim, and market version
• VIN, chassis code, or platform code if available
• Front or rear axle position
• OEM caliper, TTSPORT caliper, or other aftermarket caliper model
• Current pad shape, backing plate style, thickness, and wear sensor type if known
• Rotor material: cast iron, steel, carbon ceramic, or two-piece performance rotor
• Driving use: daily street, spirited road, towing, mountain road, HPDE, rally, track, drift, or competition

Do not order brake pads by vehicle name alone if the car has a big brake kit, swapped calipers, aftermarket rotors, or carbon ceramic brakes.

2. Choose the Compound by Real Use

Be honest about the use case. A quiet daily pad and a track pad solve different problems. Choosing too aggressive a compound for street use can create noise, dust, poor cold bite, and unnecessary rotor wear. Choosing too mild a compound for track use can cause fade, glazing, and unstable pedal feel.

3. Match Pads to Rotor Material

Pads and rotors work as a friction pair. The wrong pad can create poor bite, high wear, noise, uneven deposits, or rotor damage.

• Cast-iron rotors: compatible with most street, semi-metallic, ceramic, and race compounds when the rotor condition and temperature window are appropriate.
• Slotted or drilled iron rotors: confirm the rotor is approved for the pad temperature and driving use.
• Two-piece iron rotors: confirm pad compound, ring material, bedding procedure, and track service interval.
• Carbon ceramic rotors: use only CCB-compatible pads approved for the rotor system. Do not install iron-rotor race pads on CCB discs unless TTSPORT confirms compatibility.

4. Understand Temperature Window

Every brake pad compound has a working temperature range. Street compounds are designed to work from cold and stay quiet during normal road use. Track compounds are designed to stay stable at higher temperatures, but may feel weak, noisy, or abrasive when cold.

• Choose street pads for commuting, daily driving, and low-temperature use.
• Choose performance street pads for stronger bite without going full race compound.
• Choose track pads only when the brakes will reach and stay inside the intended track temperature range.
• Do not judge a track pad by cold street braking feel.
• Do not judge a street pad by how it survives repeated high-speed track braking.

Use the specific TTSPORT compound data for the final decision. Temperature range, friction coefficient, dust, noise, and rotor wear vary by compound.

5. Friction Coefficient and Pedal Feel

Friction coefficient, often shown as μ, describes how strongly the pad grips the rotor under defined test conditions. Higher μ usually means stronger bite, but not automatically better street behavior.

6. Noise, Dust, and Wear Tradeoffs

There is no free compound. Higher heat capacity and stronger bite usually come with more dust, more noise, faster pad wear, or faster rotor wear. Low-dust, quiet pads are better for comfort but are not built for sustained track heat.

• Ceramic street pads: usually lower dust and quieter operation, best for daily driving.
• Semi-metallic street pads: stronger bite and broader performance feel, with more dust and possible noise.
• Track pads: high heat resistance and strong braking torque, with higher dust, noise, and rotor wear.
• CCB pads: must match carbon ceramic rotor requirements and bedding process.

7. Before Installation

Brake pad installation should begin with inspection. New pads will not fix a damaged rotor, sticking caliper, seized guide pin, or contaminated brake system.

• Confirm pad shape, backing plate, thickness, and wear sensor configuration.
• Inspect rotors for cracks, deep grooves, glazing, heavy corrosion, hot spots, runout, and minimum thickness.
• Clean pad abutment areas so the pads can move freely.
• Inspect caliper pistons, dust boots, seals, guide pins, slide pins, and hardware.
• Check brake fluid condition and use fluid suitable for the driving use.
• Do not mix new pads with an incompatible old transfer layer if changing to a very different compound.

8. Bedding Procedure

Bedding is required for stable bite, quiet operation, and consistent pedal feel. It creates a controlled transfer layer between the pad and rotor. Follow the exact TTSPORT compound procedure when supplied.

1. Install pads on clean, compatible rotors in good condition.
2. Perform a series of moderate stops to gradually warm the pads and rotors.
3. Follow with firmer stops only if the compound procedure requires it.
4. Do not come to a complete stop and hold the brake pedal while the pads and rotors are very hot.
5. Drive gently to cool the brakes after bedding.
6. After cooling, inspect pad contact, rotor surface, pedal feel, and any abnormal noise or vibration.

Street pads, race pads, and carbon ceramic pads may require different bedding methods. Do not use one generic bedding process for every compound.

9. First Drives After Bedding

Brake pads may continue to settle after the first bedding cycle. Pedal feel, dust output, and minor noise can change during the first drives.

• Avoid repeated emergency stops unless required for safety.
• Avoid long pedal holds while the brakes are hot.
• Monitor for vibration, grinding, heavy squeal, pulling, or burning smell.
• Check that the vehicle rolls freely without brake drag.
• Inspect the rotor face for uneven deposits, heavy hot spots, or abnormal scoring.

10. Routine Brake Pad Care

Brake pads should be inspected regularly, especially after hard driving, mountain roads, towing, track use, winter salt exposure, or off-road use.

• Check remaining pad thickness on inner and outer pads.
• Look for taper wear, cracking, crumbling, glazing, or backing-plate separation.
• Inspect rotors for scoring, cracking, hot spots, runout, and minimum thickness.
• Inspect caliper movement and pad retraction if one side wears faster than the other.
• Clean brake dust from wheels and calipers regularly.
• Replace pads before the friction material reaches the minimum safe thickness.

11. Stop Driving If You Notice These Symptoms

• Grinding or metal-on-metal noise
• Severe vibration, brake judder, or steering-wheel shake under braking
• Sudden loss of bite or much longer stopping distance
• Brake pedal becoming soft, sinking, or inconsistent
• Vehicle pulling strongly to one side under braking
• Burning smell after normal street driving
• Visible pad cracking, missing friction material, or abnormal rotor damage