Lots of brake dust

Lots of brake dust - new ST

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Roger Taylor - 29 Aug 2005 05:25 GMT

I just bought a 2005 Focus ST and am totally pleased with it, but have one
question. Is it normal to have the pads or rotors shed unusual amounts of
dust from all four brakes during the first couple of hundred miles on the
car? Forms a thick layer of dust on wheel spokes, wheel rims, and fenders
trailing the wheels. I presume this is from pads and rotors smoothing-off
the rough machined surfaces, before they mate properly?

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Alan - 29 Aug 2005 10:21 GMT

>I just bought a 2005 Focus ST and am totally pleased with it, but have one
>question. Is it normal to have the pads or rotors shed unusual amounts of
>dust from all four brakes during the first couple of hundred miles on the
>car? Forms a thick layer of dust on wheel spokes, wheel rims, and fenders
>trailing the wheels. I presume this is from pads and rotors smoothing-off
>the rough machined surfaces, before they mate properly?

You will notice this with modern brake materials that no longer contain
asbestos. I assume you have alloy wheels. You will be cleaning the brake
dust off at regular intervals :(

It is normal with a Focus - unless you are really writing about 'clouds
of dust'.

Do you have disks (rotors) on all 4 wheels. On my UK Focus with disks at
the front and drums on the rear it's only the front wheels that get
dirty with brake dust quickly.

Signature

Alan
mailto:news2me_a_2003@amacleod.clara.co.uk

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Roger Taylor - 29 Aug 2005 18:20 GMT

> Do you have disks (rotors) on all 4 wheels. On my UK Focus with disks at
> the front and drums on the rear it's only the front wheels that get dirty
> with brake dust quickly.
> Alan
> mailto:news2me_a_2003@amacleod.clara.co.uk

Yes, the ST in the US has four wheel disks.
And all four give off the dust.
I am used to the amount of dust that slowly collects on my 4 disk Crown Vic,
but I get a months worth of dust in a few days with the Focus.......
Anyway, thanks for the advice from all respondents - I'll just get used to
cleaning the wheels more often, and watch my brake use.

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Michael Heiming - 29 Aug 2005 14:44 GMT

In alt.autos.ford.focus Roger Taylor <spamfree@yokel.net>:

> I just bought a 2005 Focus ST and am totally pleased with it, but have one
> question. Is it normal to have the pads or rotors shed unusual amounts of
> dust from all four brakes during the first couple of hundred miles on the
> car? Forms a thick layer of dust on wheel spokes, wheel rims, and fenders
> trailing the wheels. I presume this is from pads and rotors smoothing-off
> the rough machined surfaces, before they mate properly?

Simply brake less or clean alloys more often.

Signature

Michael Heiming (X-PGP-Sig > GPG-Key ID: EDD27B94)
mail: echo zvpunry@urvzvat.qr | perl -pe 'y/a-z/n-za-m/'
#bofh excuse 345: Having to manually track the satellite.

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FanJet - 29 Aug 2005 17:49 GMT

> I just bought a 2005 Focus ST and am totally pleased with it, but
> have one question. Is it normal to have the pads or rotors shed
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> is from pads and rotors smoothing-off the rough machined surfaces,
> before they mate properly?

You're not going to like it but sooner or later:

http://www.batinc.net/

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Stephen F. - 30 Aug 2005 07:19 GMT

>> I just bought a 2005 Focus ST and am totally pleased with it, but
>> have one question. Is it normal to have the pads or rotors shed
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> http://www.batinc.net/

Nice to see BAT is still around. I remember ordering hot cams, forged
pistons and other goodies for my Fiesta almost 20 years ago...

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