Alpha Racing Pads Destroyed my Rotor

8623 Views 56 Replies 19 Participants Last post by paxman, May 17, 2022

paxman

Discussion Starter · Apr 8, 2022

Hi There!

Now I have never seen an issue like this. Here is the story:
Brand new 2022 S1000 RR. I got the Alpha duo sintered pads and was bedding them in on a mountain road.
200 miles later they were making squeaking sounds like a race car. So I was like ok let me check them.
Both rotors are extremely badly worn after 200 miles. They have deep grooves in them.

Now am I the dumb one and should have expected that lower temps race pads do this to OEM rotors ?
Or is this a weird problem that should not occur .

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Link to the pads : Bremsbelagsatz Duo Sinter, vorne [3411B901A00] : alpha Racing - Performance Parts & Merchandise, Onlineshop

Thanks for any advice.

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BMW_388

· #2 · Apr 8, 2022

That pad is going to be very aggressive on stainless steel it appears. It is likely for a different carbon compound and heat treat rotor. The sintered part of it is nothing new to street pads vs racing pads, but, the heat and heavy metallic of the pad is eating into the rotors. You can clean up the rotor a bit with scotch bright pad and then put the OEM pads back in and run those a few thousand and see if the coloring clears up.

Reactions: 2

simes007us

· #3 · Apr 8, 2022

I've used the alpha pads on my bike just fine. There were great in fact. Currently using EBC GPFAX pads which I like a lot and they are cheap like the budgie.

Reactions: 2

Littlebitoquickness

· #4 · Apr 8, 2022

simes007us said:
I've used the alpha pads on my bike just fine. There were great in fact. Currently using EBC GPFAX pads which I like a lot and they are cheap like the budgie.

Where did you get the ebc pads? I like those.

paxman

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 8, 2022

simes007us said:
I've used the alpha pads on my bike just fine. There were great in fact. Currently using EBC GPFAX pads which I like a lot and they are cheap like the budgie.

Have you also used them on the street or only track ? Wonder if the low temp caused this ?

simes007us

· #6 · Apr 8, 2022 (Edited)

paxman said:
Have you also used them on the street or only track ? Wonder if the low temp caused this ?

track only they took a few laps to bed in but then they started to work

simes007us

· #7 · Apr 8, 2022 (Edited)

Littlebitoquickness said:
Where did you get the ebc pads? I like those.

From the EBC west coast distributor who frequents track days I go to. FYI there the same pads as the Honda CBRRRRRRR

Lee Buzon: 415-827-9600

Reactions: 1

simes007us

· #8 · Apr 8, 2022

paxman said:
Hi There!

Now I have never seen an issue like this. Here is the story:
Brand new 2022 S1000 RR. I got the Alpha duo sintered pads and was bedding them in on a mountain road.
200 miles later they were making squeaking sounds like a race car. So I was like ok let me check them.
Both rotors are extremely badly worn after 200 miles. They have deep grooves in them.

Now am I the dumb one and should have expected that lower temps race pads do this to OEM rotors ?
Or is this a weird problem that should not occur .

View attachment 221595

Link to the pads : Bremsbelagsatz Duo Sinter, vorne [3411B901A00] : alpha Racing - Performance Parts & Merchandise, Onlineshop

Thanks for any advice.

Also it says on the alpha site that there will be a film transfer with one of there types. If these are the cheaper pads they'll do this.

Sal R1

· #9 · Apr 9, 2022

Can you post pics of both sides of both rotors for a more accurate assessment. To me it also looks like you have some type of debris caught between the pads & rotors! Mayne take out the pads & take a look at thoes.

Reactions: 2

Littlebitoquickness

· #10 · Apr 9, 2022

simes007us said:
From the EBC west coast distributor who frequents track days I go to. FYI there the same pads as the Honda CBRRRRRRR

Lee Buzon: 415-827-9600

Thanks mang!

paxman

Discussion Starter · #11 · Apr 9, 2022

Hi there and thanks for the replies. Nope had no debris in them. Checked them together with a BMW tech and measured the rotors. 50% of the usable thickness is already destroyed after 200 miles with them. Only theory I can come up with is that at low street temps these are so darn abrasive that the stock rotor was just too soft to deal with it.

Maybe a pad manufacturing issue. Am in contact with Alpha ...

cjc

· #12 · Apr 9, 2022

paxman said:
Checked them together with a BMW tech and measured the rotors. 50% of the usable thickness is already destroyed after 200 miles with them.

That is crazy. Never heard of anything like it. Please share what you learn?

Reactions: 1

z00

· #13 · Apr 9, 2022

Are you sure you installed Alpha pads correctly? You don't have excessive brake fluid in reservoir keep pads stuck to rotors?

Race pads on the street is not a good mix. If pads were installed correctly, I'm guessing with cold temps, you had to pull brake lever harder, which caused scarring on rotors.
Race pads do not require bedding (at least Z04, RJL XX, SBS DS1/2). 1-2 laps on track and they are good to go. And I go through many pads in a race/track season.

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cjc

· #14 · Apr 10, 2022

Hey - I didn't know there was RBF 700 braking fluid (I've been using 660)!

660:
Dry boiling point 325.0 °C / 617.0 °F
Wet boiling point 205.0 °C / 401.0 °F

700:
Dry boiling point 336.0 °C / 637.0 °F
Wet boiling point 205.0 °C / 401.0 °F

skapan

· #15 · Apr 10, 2022

I was curious so I went to Alpha's description of the duo sintered pads that the OP chose. Note the comment at the end of their writeup. I wonder why?

article addition
Duo sinter racing brake pads with a high coefficient of friction for optimal braking performance with a convincing service life, no fading noticeable. Good braking performance with little manual effort even at low temperatures.
Our recommendation for the race track.

Pad thickness 7.8 mm
Backing plate 4.0 mm
2 individual coverings per packaging unit
for OEM caliper (Nissin)
for racing or OEM brake discs

Please note:

Two sets of brake pads are required per vehicle.
Not suitable for use in road traffic.

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Piper

· #16 · Apr 10, 2022

Race pads are commonly noted to not be for use in road traffic, due to braking performance not being optimal when the pads and rotors are cold.

I used a set of the SBD pads when running the bike in, and for initial trackdays on my 2020 with no significant disc wear. Was only one set though and I moved to using Vesrah srjl-xx pads and alpha rotors since then for the better initial bite.

My guess is that there is some other issue in play here, and not just the pads that caused the wear.

Reactions: 2

paxman

Discussion Starter · #17 · Apr 21, 2022

10

Got my bike back and investigated the brakes. After a test ride rotors were not hot, put the bike on a paddock stand and front tire was able to move freely. no dragging brakes.
But here is the damage - I see some wear on the clips that hold the pads in place and wonder if the pads didn't move as freely as they should. Going through half a rotor in 200 miles must mean that the pads got stuck at some stake imho. Else there would be never enough friction do to so much damage ??
Thoughts?

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corkgsxr

· #18 · Apr 21, 2022

That definitely does not look normal on the pads

3wheeler

· #19 · Apr 21, 2022

Do those caliper pistons look normal? Look rough that might not have let them retract previously.

paxman

Discussion Starter · #20 · Apr 21, 2022

3wheeler said:
Do those caliper pistons look normal? Look rough that might not have let them retract previously.

lots of break dust on them but they move freely. Also no problems when I had the previous pads installed.
My best theory right now is that the Alpha pads were rubbing a bit at the backing plate vs the caliper .

Also talked to Alpha Racing but they were essentially doing a 🤷‍♂️ and didn't care any further. Was hoping that they'd at least give me some discount for new rotors or actually care to find out what happened but does not seem to be the case.

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