"Tech21" <phantom_fg1@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in
news:5813b37ea9dd3f00409a03d3710cc330@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com:

> Thanks guys.
> I am going to swap the front pads over to the aftermarket set that I
> have and see if there is a difference over a couple of hundred miles
> because I think that I may have removed them prematurely (after only 4
> days) and need to give them a fair crack of the whip.
>
> The handbrake is fine and holds on a hill no problem and doesn't cause
> any change in direction or the car to skew if used when the car is
> moving, if anything, the slowing power using just the handbrake feels
> better than I would normaly have expected.
> If you hit the foot brake when using the handbrake the brake
> performance still feels as bad as before.



If your handbrake is working properly then the rear brakes are probably
fine.

Has the garage checked to make sure the pistons are free in their bores? If
the pistons have been extended and have accumulated gum on them, then
pushed back into their bores to accommodate new pads, they can stick on the
gum that has built up. When this happens, they will be more reluctant to
emerge from their bores when you step on the pedal, but will also drag a
bit when you let off the pedal.

If the pistons are free in their bores, they will extend about 1/16" when
the pedal is pushed (with the caliper off the rotor), but then move back in
slightly when the pedal is released. If this happens correctly, and if the
pads and calipers are all free on their slides, then it must be the
composition of the pads.

Maybe your British pads are a different composition than ours (harder), and
they need to heat up a bit before working properly, which would suggest a
high metallic component. Does your Honda dealer have different pad grades?

I'd be wary of aftermarket pads, which are sometimes even harder than OEM
and can overheat the rotors to the point of warpage, and even cause them to
go blue from the heat.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/