Help, new Hawk HPS brake pad problem!!

[mustangsally50]

I just put a set of Hawk HPS pads on my car.
I broke them in properly and have been driving on them today.
I noticed a burning smell and went to look at the rotors....the rear rotors were a purple color and REALLY hot.
The front pads/rotors are fine.
I took the rear pads off and noticed that only the tops of the rear pads are grabbing the rotor. The bottoms don't grab at all.

Has anyone else had this problem when installing Hawk pads?
Could the pads be unevean? Is there a wrong way of installing them??
Help please.

 

[mike79]

Did they snap in ok? Or were they pretty hard getting in? How hard was it to get the brake back on?

 

[mustangsally50]

The pads were easy to get in and out both times.
I've done pad replacements on other mustangs and have never run into this problem.
I re-sanded the rotors, that's how I can tell the pads are only grabbing on the top (and besides them getting really hot as well).

 

[PhillyCobra]

Did you have any problem screwing in the pistons when you installed the pads? Could imagine some damage or problem with a piston being cocked or uneven, causing uneven pressure on brake pad.

 

[mike79]

Somethings catching somewhere. I agree with philycobra. Sounds like it wasnt screwed in all the way. Easy check. Let us know

 

[03Cobra745]

I had the same problem (overheated, discolored, hot rotors) when I replaced my front rotors (Power Slots) & pads (Hawk HPS). I had Ford do the work and no one (Ford, Power Slots or Hawk) could give me an explaination why this happened. The problem went away after a few miles.

 

[mustangsally50]

No problem with resetting the rear pistons. I even rented that piston caliper re-set tool from Autozone. I did notice that is was pretty hard to turn the piston back (harder than I remember on other cars that is).

I think I may try putting the old pads back on. They still have a fair amount of pad left on them, I was just replaceing them for an up-coming track event. I'll test drive it again tonight and see if the stock pads rub uneven too.

 

[mustangsally50]

....another thing. When I took the Hawks off there is just one 1/2" thick strip of the pad being used. It is located near the top of the pad.
There is one strip of glazed pad, while the rest of the pad looks unused.
Weird? The stock pads I took off didn't have that glazed strip.
??

 

[svt03cobra10th]

Wish I could help you. I have those pads all the way around, on stock rotors. No probs what so ever. If you figure it out, let us know

 

[mustangsally50]

Well, I put the stock pads back on and everything is back to normal.
I guess the Hawks were just uneven??
I'll try to turn them down a little flatter and see what happens....

 

[03Cobra745]

If the pads are defective, can't you return them for a new set?

 

[mustangsally50]

That is what I'm going to try and do. But after measuring them with some fairly accurate calipers they are not warped, so that isn't the problem either.
I got them from Tirerack, maybe I can get another set and see if the same thing happens to them as well.

 

[ShelbyGuy]

did you replace the slippers on the pad

 

[mustangsally50]

I'm not sure what the 'slippers' are?
Are they the little metal pieces that go on each side of the pad to hold it in the anchor? If so then I just reused the ones from the stock pads.

 

[mustangsally50]

Here are pics of the pads:
Since I can't post pictures on this forum, here is the link:

http://www.svtownersassociation.com/svtoaforums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7281

Any ideas anyone???