2wd1stgen

I recently completed my first front end brake job on my 92 2wd pickup. I tried to very careful to keep the grease and gunk off the new pads and rotors but ended up with a little black gunk on the surface of the new pads from removing and installing them so many times. Next time I will use brake cleaner to clean every thing well before putting everything back together. Anyway I took it for a test drive and it stops great (better than before). When I got home I noticed a small stream of smoke coming from the new pads (it must be that gunk burning off of them) My friend at work said that I mess up by not cleaning them before reassembly. He said now the oil/gunk is permeated into the pads and will make them less effective. Is this true?

superjoe83

Possibly, but if stops fine now, i wouldn't worry about it

PirateFins

Did the caliper pistons retract fairly easy, when you pushed them back in? If not you could have a lazy caliper and the pads are dragging all the time, causing them to get super hot. If it is just some junk that got on there it will burn off after time.

HondaTec521

Yeah ,i wouldn't sweat it.If your rotors are overheating thet will turn blue.

Highland Runner

What type of pads are they? If you used organic pads they will do this.

2wd1stgen

I tried to push back the calipar piston by hand but to much force was required to move them. I went to the store and purchased a 6" c-clamp. It moved the calipar piston fairly easily. I am able to spin the wheel a couple a rotations so I do not think the calipar are applying to much pressure to the rotors when the brakes are not applied.

I will keep an eye out for blue rotors.

I do not think they are organic pads but I will check. They are "premium" pads from car quest ($36)

Highland Runner

If they are premium they're probably metallic. Another thing to do is touch your wheels after normal driving. They shouldn't be hot to the touch just warm. I had a truck that had corroded pistons in the brakes that wouldn't release. This held the pads against the rotors heating them up.
You need c clamps to push the pistons back normally.
Try this like you talked about while the brakes are warm. Jack a wheel off the ground so it spins. Spin the wheel then step on the brake. Spin the wheel again. Does it turn freely now or drag? Repeat a couple times and do both sides. Mine was intermittent.

Unhappy99

Unless the brakes are dragging, this is normal and is related to 'green fade'.

Besides burning off any greasy fingerprints or assembly lube, new brakes will smoke a little while they bed in and cure.

Most people don't notice this, as they never get new brakes hot enough to bed them in quickly. In normal street driving bedding and curing occur over a few weeks, but it is just as easy to bed them in about 15 minutes with proper technique.

No worries unless they continue to smoke after a day or two.

oly884

So, what is the technique for doing it in 15 mins? I took the 500 mile route, and it sucked.

Unhappy99

Try this

Best to do this on a desolate road, Street pads will require fewer brake - accelerate cycles.

I take new brakes through four 40mph to 5mph moderate braking cycles, then try to do four aggresive 60mph to 10mph cycles, followed by a 15 minute cool down. Usually with street pads, by the second 60-10mph cycle serious pad fade occurs, so start the cool down.
Do not come to a stop during these cycles, and after you park the car, don't set the hand brake. Bleed the brakes a few hours after cool down as well.

Another note: This procedure will likely warp the crappy Toyota rotors.