BROWN BRAKE DUST NEVER HAD BEFORE

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Steve84

Greasemonkey
Jul 8, 2018
140
35
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Well, not sure what to make of this. I have had my '84 Buick Regal Limited since 1997 (22 years now) In those 22 years I only had the FRONT BRAKES changed twice. My last mechanic who changed the rotors and brakes in 2010 or so did a great job. They lasted until 2019. My brakes need changing every 8 -10 years. I use the engine as a brake and I always slow down way before a red light. That is why they last so long.

Here is the weird part. All the years I have owned the Regal I never had BROWN BRAKE dust on the front wire wheel covers. Now I have it all the time on the inner part. I wash my car about 45 times a year almost every week by hand so I know my car visually..

QUESTION? Why is it now that I have had NEW front brakes put on last MAY 2019 that I get brown brake dust on front wheels that I NEVER HAD prior for the last 22 years?

What changed?
 

Gonzo1970

G-Body Guru
Sep 30, 2018
898
1,302
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The Pad. Apparently, its composition is different.

Organic, Metallic, Ceramic, and now Kevlar are the types of brake pads.

No brake pad is without dust, but metallic are the least "dusty" because of their metallic content.
Ceramic and Kevlar withstand a lot more heat, but create dust.
Organic 's are just plain bad..

Run Semi-Metallic.

-Gonz
 
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Steve84

Greasemonkey
Jul 8, 2018
140
35
28
The Pad. Apparently, its composition is different.

Organic, Metallic, Ceramic, and now Kevlar are the types of brake pads.

No brake pad is without dust, but metallic are the least "dusty" because of their metallic content.
Ceramic and Kevlar withstand a lot more heat, but create dust.
Organic 's are just plain bad..

Run Semi-Metallic.

-Gonz

Thanks, that makes sense. Well I will just have to live with it. I am not paying again to have it done. I only hope that they last as long as usual for me. I just don't want them WEARING OUT FASTER THAN BEFORE. That is my fear!
 

blk7gxn

Royal Smart Person
Feb 7, 2019
1,390
1,886
113
Im sold on ceramic. Had great luck and keeps wheels clean by not having that corrosive brake dust all over everything.
 

SSpev

Greasemonkey
Jan 9, 2017
195
301
63
The dust is metal that has rusted. I only use ceramic now. no red dust. Lots of road grime though.
 

hayabrusa

Apprentice
Supporting Member
Oct 7, 2015
92
255
53
We carry a ADO pad at napa, it is a cross between Ceramic and Semi metallic. The pads are labelled as they have a inner and outer, with this set up you have the least dusting of the ceramic pads but the feel of the semi metallic pads that we all enjoy on the pedal.
 
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Gonzo1970

G-Body Guru
Sep 30, 2018
898
1,302
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I dunno... Ive tried ceramics on other cars.. didnt have much luck. pedal was squishy.. had to apply more brake than with semi-metallic.. Not that it was bad or anything, but you drive a car for years and the brakes work one way... switch pads and suddenly its a completely different car to stop. It wasn't Dangerous, but more of an annoyance than anything.

Went back to semi-metallic, the car went back to "normal" stopping..

Never ran anything but semi-metallic on a G-Body, so I can't say ~specifically~ if its better or worse ~specifically~ for a G-Body, but I don't think Im going to try...

I will stick with the Wagner Severe Duty Semi-Metallics..

You can get the cheapo's for $9, but good brake pads, to me, are worth the $25. Brakes fall within the "you don't **** with these" category along with Tires. Not an option to go cheap.

-Gonz
 
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pagrunt

Geezer
Sep 14, 2014
9,122
15,255
113
Elderton, Pa
I get a similar brown dust on the wife's Santa Fe. Been using OE type pads, parts store better grade, even Hyundia pads & still get the dust. Even after replacing the rotors I still get it. We've been just cleaning the wheels on a regular basis. Never had any issues to date with braking performance, must be the materials used.
 

Dayzedandkonfuzed

G-Body Guru
Feb 9, 2010
971
1,268
93
Anglemont, BC
No brake pad is without dust, but metallic are the least "dusty" because of their metallic content.

I'm gonna have to disagree there. Ceramic pads were engineered to be quieter and less dusty than metallics.

In my experience, cheap pads always create more dust, no matter the composition.

Something like this should help avoid dust building up

smartwax-rim-wax-8oz-19.png
 
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