Method of making disc brake pads

1. A method of making a brake pad, comprising the steps of:

providing a metal backing plate having a front face; and

attaching a friction pad having an outer edge, an inner edge and a friction surface to the front face of the backing plate, the friction pad having a relieved portion located along a center section of at least one of the outer edge or the inner edge, said relieved portion extending obliquely from said friction surface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of attaching comprises molding the friction pad and the relieved portion onto the backing plate.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein molding comprises hot molding.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein molding comprises press and cure molding.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of molding the friction pad also comprises molding an end chamfer on at least one of a first end or a second end of the friction pad.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the end chamfer is molded on both of the first end and the second end.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the end chamfer is one of a parallel chamfer, a radial chamfer or a diamond chamfer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of attaching the friction pad and relieved portion comprises steps of:

forming the friction pad and relieved portion; and

bonding the friction pad to the backing plate.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relieved portion comprises one of a V-shaped chamfer, V-shaped notch and a U-shaped notch.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the friction pad further comprises an end chamfer.