Brake discs - Fiat 500

doningtonphil

Hello

My wife drives a 65 plate Fiat 500 with 12k on the clock. brake discs have concentric ridges across the full width of the disc. On my car with 33k on it, the discs are pretty smooth, with concentric grooves that you might feel with a finger nail. The grooves on the 500 are more pronounced. What has happened to them?

BeenThroughItAll

doningtonphil wrote: »

Hello

My wife drives a 65 plate Fiat 500 with 12k on the clock. brake discs have concentric ridges across the full width of the disc. On my car with 33k on it, the discs are pretty smooth, with concentric grooves that you might feel with a finer nail. The grooves on the 500 are more pronounced. What has happened to them?

Wear. Different materials, different car, different driver.

doningtonphil

Thanks Been

I appreciate that driving styles differ, however I would expect that explain brake pads/discs wearing sooner than others but my concern is the surface. A new brake disc is smooth, a new brake pad is smooth. I would expect the surface to remain relatively smooth, not with the grooves across the width of the disc that I am seeing on the 500

debtdebt

I've seen lots of rippled discs. It's just the way the pads mate with the discs. If it concerns you that much, get them changed.

BeenThroughItAll

The pad isn't made of universally the same material, so different parts wear at different rates on some pads. These days pads are so abrasive they wear the discs far more than 'the good old days' of asbestos pads.

The difference in wear rates of pad materials can result in ridges around the disc. Nothing to be concerned about.

Different brake pressure will make a difference too, depending on how the driver applies the brakes - progressive vs. snatchy for example.

jk0

I wonder if Mrs drives down any gritty tracks, so grit has got stuck in there and scored the discs?

doningtonphil

Thanks Jko

it is possible that has happened at some time, she has only had it for the last 3k of the 12k on the clock. I can't recall how they looked when we bought it.

So far, so good with the replies. Nothing scary...so far.

I might just go to Kwik fit for a 2nd opinion

daveyjp

Low mileage, little brake useage. Brakes get wet, stay wet, rust forms leading to what you are seeing.

ilikewatch

doningtonphil wrote: »

I might just go to Kwik fit for a 2nd opinion

The shocks are leaking oil too.

System

On my Mondeo one of the rear discs has grooves on, the other three are perfectly smooth. Its been like that for a couple of years, its gone through MOTs just fine. Why that one out of four? No idea.