Renowned supplier of premium quality aftermarket components, First Line, is dedicated to assisting its customers with as much information as possible, which is demonstrated through the below technical briefing. As a leading braking specialist in the aftermarket with their Borg & Beck brand, the company believes in the importance of promoting best practice during brake installation. 

By following the correct procedures, possible complaints will be significantly reduced, saving time and inconvenience for both technicians and their customers. There are three main habits that some still adopt during installation, that if not corrected, can cause potential issues.

Firstly, the use of copper grease on the back of brake pads is a definite NO. This can lead to complaints of noise and possibly affect the free movement of the pads. This is because Borg & Beck Brake Pads have double rubber shims on the back to absorb any noise and vibration, therefore there is no need to apply anything else to the back of the pads, as this will be detrimental to their functioning.

Secondly, it is vital that the mounting surface of the disc and the vehicle’s hub are totally clean and free of rust and debris. The hub should be cleaned using a soft wire brush or emery paper, then wiped with a cloth and solvent. A small amount of debris not cleaned away can cause an instant problem of excessive runout, which will be felt through the steering wheel. 

Best practice to check if the discs are parallel to the hub, is to check the runout of the discs. This should not exceed 0.08mm, if the run out exceeds this, the disc must be removed, and the hub cleaned again. If this has no effect, the hub should be measured for run out as well. Hub run out in excess of 0.04mm is likely to cause a problem and should be investigated.

Thirdly, when new pads and discs are installed together, they must be bedded-in properly to ensure a great pedal feel and promote longevity of the components. Failure to drive sensibly for the first 400 miles could lead to a hot-spotting incidence, which if severe will induce Disc Thickness Variation (DTV), a problem that develops over a few thousand miles before being felt.

PartsInMotion.co.uk stocks over 29,000 references of First line’s premium quality products. For more information visit the First Line brand page at partsinmotion.co.uk here.