Is it just me or do Mintex brake pads suck?

[-JoeS]

I have them installed with my new zimmerman cross drilled and the pads generate so much brake dust and the squeel like a stuck pig. I hate them. Their performance is not all that wonderful, after i start abusing them. I am very very disappointed. The raybestos ceramics kick their ass in my opinion.

[Tiger]

Everytime I hear squealing when new... is the first sign of brake pad not broken in properly.

[PhilipJCaputo]

I just put in some reybestos last night up front..... they seem to stop the car ok, but I feel like I have to push the pedal farther to get the car to stop...

I didn't bleed the lines, I just took the cap off the master cylinder and pushed the piston back up into the brake cylinder... do I need to bleed the lines??

[Tiger]

No, you don't need to bleed the line... First pedal stopping feels like the car won't stop... You do have to break it in properly.

[Jeff N.]

Tried a set once. Mine didn't squeal but they made tons of dust. Soggy pedal. Did a couple laps with them during a local lapping day and the material carbonized.

My read of Mintex: cheap, basic street pad. I think you can do better.

I have yet to try the much vaunted Raybestos, I'm still very happy with the PBR Metalmasters. Cheap, take a lot of heat, good bite when you put some heat into them, easy on the rotors.

So did Yves recommend them to you?

Jeff

I have them installed with my new zimmerman cross drilled and the pads generate so much brake dust and the squeel like a stuck pig. I hate them. Their performance is not all that wonderful, after i start abusing them. I am very very disappointed. The raybestos ceramics kick their ass in my opinion.

[PhilipJCaputo]

What is "break it in properly"??

No, you don't need to bleed the line... First pedal stopping feels like the car won't stop... You do have to break it in properly.

[Jeff N.]

But I still think the Mintex generally suck!

No, you don't need to bleed the line... First pedal stopping feels like the car won't stop... You do have to break it in properly.

[mholbrook]

I love Mintex pads and many people I know really like them too. I have Mintex on all my cars now. I don't see how you can make a mistake with them. The fronts have pads already stuck on from the factory. I can't remember about the rears. Squeeling brakes often happens because you did not put antisieze on the metal to metal points of contact. Did you wire brush your carriers? Especially at the points of contact with the pad ears. And then put some antisieze on those points of contact. Also on the round edge of the cylinder where it will touch the back of the pad.

Then there is the bedding in procedure. If I recall, it is a series of about 10 stops from moderate speeds and then let the pads cool off. If you take brand new pads and start out doing panic stops to break them in, that is an incorrect procedure.

I'm going to be using Mintex Red Box pads for a long, long time on my cars.

[Jeff N.]

Typically, it's a procedure to heat the pads in a specific manner. When new and first heated up, the pads emit gasses from the glue and pad compounds used to assemble them. After a few heat cycles (the break in procedure) the pads stop this and work as designed for the rest their life.

The pads will feel sucky if you don't break them in right. No bite, feel like they have a lot of fade. Sometimes this is referred to as "green fade".

Hope this helps...

Jeff

What is "break it in properly"??

[Tiger]

Break in properly is a general procedure that I am tired or typing up all the time... basically you need a good straight road with minimal traffic... you figure out where...

40 MPH or 50 MPH... or higher if you are on highway... you gently slow down the car to 10 MPH lower than what you were at... and repeat 3 more time... then you are done.

Since your pads are already squealing... you have to scruff up your rotors with emory sandpaper... both side on all 4 rotors.