CarboTech AX6 Pads - Noisy

[86_Freak]

I recent installed CarboTech AX6 pads for daily driving and auto-x duty, and they have been VERY noisy driving on the street. I do expect some noise from more aggressive pads, but these are way above what I expected. My girlfriend said she used to be able to tell when I'm coming home from my exhaust, now she says she can tell from hearing my brakes. They are almost ear-piercing if you're next to my car.

For the bedding-in procedure, I did the same thing as I have always done with pads. I made 5 or 6 medium-stops from 70 mph and then made 5 or 6 hard-stops (ABS inducing) from 70 mph. After these hard stops, I drove a couple miles back home and let them cool down. This bedding procedure never gave me problems in the past. I did this with my track pads (CarboTech XP10) and don't have any noise issues on the drive back home from the track. I have also ran both Hawk HPS pads and Hawk HP+ pads on my 300ZX and never had any noise issues.

Should I try re-bedding the pads? Would that help at all?

[CSG Mike]

You should not be inducing ABS on the bedding stops. It's possible you may have overheated the pads and damaged them to the point where they may stay loud, if you followed the same procedure as what you do with the XP10 to get them quiet.

Remember, the AX6 is not a track pad like the XP10.

Try again, without ABS, and stop braking as soon as you smell the brakes (do this with your windows down), and let them cool without coming to a full stop.

[86_Freak]

Thanks Mike, I'll try the milder bedding-in.

But what you are recommending sorta contradicts what CarboTech says. They give the same bedding in procedure for the AX6 as they do for the XP10. This is why I decided to do the same bedding in procedure.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by 86_Freak

Thanks Mike, I'll try the milder bedding-in.

But what you are recommending sorta contradicts what CarboTech says. They give the same bedding in procedure for the AX6 as they do for the XP10. This is why I decided to do the same bedding in procedure.

The bedding instructions are the super generic "CYA" types; there are a lot of people who have zero experience with this, so it's more for them to cover themselves than to help the end user. Unfortunately, due to our litigious society, they have to do this.

Short version is "go until you start to smell them" and then immediately back off the brakes, and roll for 15 minutes to let them fully cool down.

[JimR]

Is the XP6 the same formulation as the Panther Plus that it replaced? I had a set of the Panthers on one of my cars, and they squealed like a school bus when cold. They were also unnervingly bad on a winter morning at ambient temperature. I even discussed the bed-in procedure on the phone with Carbotech. I don't miss them, the one master of nothing among the Carbotech compounds I've had on my cars.

[simpleisbest]

I run the same pads. No noise issues for me. I did not induce ABS during my bed-in process, though. I am also reusing the stock shims with hi-temp grease. I get an occasional squeak, but that is about it.