Checking your brake pads.

[FROSTY:Me]

Brake pads being those little bits of fibre about 50mm across that are all thats stopping you from face planting into the back of a bus.
Every now and again it pays to have a look and make sure you still have friction material left on the pads. It only takes a couple of seconds to have a quick look.
I was just out in my gargre and hanging up is a reminder as to what happens if you dont.
A customer had a brake failure and of course it was the work I did on the motor 6 months before that was to blame
I had a quick look and the disks were almost glowwing hot. I pulled the calipers off and removed a set of brake backing plates.--The pads had worn out completely and one backing plate was worn almost in two. If youre passing by Ill show ya the offending item.
The scarey bit was this brightspark had just been riding on the motorway.

CHECKING brake pads at the MOST BASIC level is a simple matter.grab a torch and lay down along side the bike and shine it UP onto the underside of the caliper.
If you can see a wear groove in the friction material then you have pad left if not then take the bike to someone more experienced to look at.
This is erring on the side of caution but its base level stuff
I can't be more specific because every bikes pad checking procedure is a bit different.
if ya want mosel specific advice gimme a holla --or someone local to you

[skidz]

yep, when I had my trumpy, I checked my rear brakes one day and was amazed how much they had worn.

[Posh Tourer :P]

Also, if you've had your bike sitting gathering rust for a while, it is worth getting the pads out and looking at them properly. When I took my XJ in to get the fork seal done (after about 300miles of riding), the brake pads fell off the backing plates, due to rust between the two . I had checked the thickness, but it was still not enough. No wonder the brakes were crap....

This shouldnt be a problem fopr most people, unless you are buying a bike that hasnt been used in a while. Still something to keep in mind though...

[Quasievil]

I went to the bike shop on Monday to check out race pads they reckon $189.00 sheeeeeesh I thought. What you use ole frosty on the race bike, any cheaper but safe and siutable alternatives ?

[ajturbo]

i wonder where the turbo's are???

i don't think they came out with breaks... just a leaver to make the handle bars look even...

but as i'm off to wellington today, i think i will try and find them!...
and change the oil!!!

thanks for the heads up frosty!!!!

[XP@]

On my nearly restored CBR. The front disks were worn below the 3.5mm and very locked on. The pads were wedge shaped (and very well worn). It turns out that the one of the forks was bent by a very small amount from a fall.

From this i learned that there is not a lot of tolerance in the brake area, aparently if the disk is touching the pads without the brakes on it will cause problems, both in go and stop power.

For the same reason you should make sure your rear tyre is true to line. Too far off here and not only will you loose brake power but you will be spending a few $'s on new chain / spocket.

[Jonty]

On my nearly restored CBR. The front disks were worn below the 3.5mm and very locked on. The pads were wedge shaped (and very well worn). It turns out that the one of the forks was bent by a very small amount from a fall.

From this i learned that there is not a lot of tolerance in the brake area, aparently if the disk is touching the pads without the brakes on it will cause problems, both in go and stop power.

For the same reason you should make sure your rear tyre is true to line. Too far off here and not only will you loose brake power but you will be spending a few $'s on new chain / spocket.

Interesting, I took in the CBR to get the knocking in the front brakes looked at and it was as I expected, there is a very slight warp in the disc and as it turns the high side lifts the brake pad up and drops it down making the knocking noise. The main reason (I think) is that the brake pads are touching and apparently this is not unusual for this bike (the shop didn't seem to think so anyway). Surely this must wear the pads!

[kerryg]

Interesting, I took in the CBR to get the knocking in the front brakes looked at and it was as I expected, there is a very slight warp in the disc and as it turns the high side lifts the brake pad up and drops it down making the knocking noise. The main reason (I think) is that the brake pads are touching and apparently this is not unusual for this bike (the shop didn't seem to think so anyway). Surely this must wear the pads!

A risk if your pads are in constant contact with your rotors is that they get very hot and boil your brake fluid. More likely if you haven't changed your fluid in a long while and its got entrained water. If you're unlucky the boiling pressurises your brake system and jams your brakes on...very hard...can be more than embarrassing if the front wheel of your 250kg bike locks solid and you grind to a screaming uncontrolled halt in the middle of the southern motorway and you can't move and cars are queued behind you and irate motorists are leaning on their horns while cars dodge and weave to get past you...you need strong drink and a liedown after.......

[Jonty]

A risk if your pads are in constant contact with your rotors is that they get very hot and boil your brake fluid. More likely if you haven't changed your fluid in a long while and its got entrained water. If you're unlucky the boiling pressurises your brake system and jams your brakes on...very hard...can be more than embarrassing if the front wheel of your 250kg bike locks solid and you grind to a screaming uncontrolled halt in the middle of the southern motorway and you can't move and cars are queued behind you and irate motorists are leaning on their horns while cars dodge and weave to get past you...you need strong drink and a liedown after.......

mmmm sound like it may have happened to someone you know Will keep that in mind

[FROSTY:Me]

Here ya go --sorta basic pad checking
Quazi--Im using ferrodo pads but i prefer SBS race compound--gimme a yell and I might be able to help with cheaper pads

[Quasievil]

...........YELL

[FROSTY:Me]

send me through bike details and if ya can the pads you are concidering--eg part number etc and I'll sort ya out.

[Groins_NZ]

Anyone used "Bendix" brake pads?

I looked at getting some for the Hornet - does $162 sound okay?

Cheers.

[RiderInBlack]

Like Posh said. Check your brake pads even if they haven't done many Km's.

I've had a new set of mineral pads disintegrate on me before. Was on the rear brakes of my old VFR750 (the one hanging up in bits in Frosty's garage ) doing the Corro Loop on a wet day. Wondered what that scratchy sound was as I rode back to Tuaranga. Nothing I could do about it as it happened on a Sunday. Rode back North with Front only brakes, having spread the back pads off the disc. Stopped a Cyclespot to give them shit about the louise pads (they were good about it and replaced them for free with sintered (sp) pads). But I nearly had to replace the disc as well due to the damage done.
Having learnt my lesson, I check my brake pads frequiently, will stop and check the pads if I hear that scatchy sound, and will only use good quaility pads on my bikes now.

[TwoSeven]

On the pad thing. When buying new pads, the material should be matched to the disc on the bike and should be the same and/or of a softer abrasive material - otherwise you'll end up having to buy new discs instead of pads.

Also, if buying HH pads, remember that these are usually several mm thicker than the originals (due to being softer) so you need to make certain that your caliper can cope with it. I've seen people fit them in, only to have the pad pressed up against the disc which affects handling and control of the bike.

Finally, HH pads produce more crud than normal pads do, so make sure that you clean them often.