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Message started by fretman on 09/20/09 at 09:30:39

Title: Brake pads
Post by fretman on 09/20/09 at 09:30:39

My (stock) front brake pads are shot, after just 1,300 miles. Is that OK? I see some people sayin' they got 4 or 5k miles before replacing.

I ordered some EBC FA106 to replace, after reading some related threads on the forum. Still a good choice, I hope!?

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by SavageDude on 09/20/09 at 09:38:14

Man! You need to learn how to use engine-braking and rear brake more often. Of course, 70% of braking power comes from front brake; so it wear out faster. But at 1500 miles, that is excessive!

Ride tall

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by verslagen1 on 09/20/09 at 09:40:39

either you're doing a lot of heavy braking or your pads are dragging.
can you spin the wheel and it go for a bit or does it stop immediately?
bleed your brakes would be a 1st step, change the fluid a second, and rebuild the caliper would be my 3rd step. If you had air in the line it would make the lever spongy, but also would heat up and put residual pressure on the pad.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by fretman on 09/20/09 at 09:45:31

I've actually only put 450 miles on it myself, so it may or may not be from my braking technique. I'd like to think not, as I'm pretty good about using rear braking... I'll check some of the other ideas posted as well, thanks. In any case I'l have brand new ones on in a few days! :)

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by jabman on 09/20/09 at 14:25:28

my brakes rubbed really bad to the point of overheating and locking up. the tiny hole in the master was blocked and not releasing pressure in the hose when you let go of the brake

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by LostArtist on 09/20/09 at 16:56:41

I had to replace the stock brakes on my bike around 2000 miles, I know the owner before me was hard on it, told me he had it up to 95 mph in totally stock shape, I think he was trying to impress me, you know, "salesmenship" or something, I now have 5200 miles on the bike and the pads I put on, the same you are getting, are still looking pretty good, I'm starting to learn engine braking a bit, I still like using the rear brake so the light comes on and traffic knows I'm slowing down, even new, the brake pads look thin

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by fretman on 09/21/09 at 09:48:02

Haven't checked for rubbing etc... yet, but another thing crossed my mind - myself, and the previous owner, both live and ride in NYC, where it's stop and go ALL the time. Might that be a factor in the (short) pad life as well?

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by sjaskow on 09/21/09 at 10:37:34

544057465F535C320 wrote:

where it's stop and go ALL the time. Might that be a factor in the (short) pad life as well?

My OEM pads lasted 3380 miles and I just replaced a set of EBCs which had 5506 miles on them. I'd say my driving is about 85% stop-and-go city traffic.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by boofer on 09/21/09 at 11:10:25

When in traffic I ride with two fingers on the brake lever. Are you doing this and "riding" the brakes unconshusley unknciously unconciouly WITHOUT KNOWING IT?

And rare in new hose, but hoses sometimes collapse inside letting pressure through and only letting off slowly. Boofer

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by fretman on 09/21/09 at 14:17:35

2E31682E3C28685F0 wrote:

I pretty much cover the clutch and brake constantly, cuz the driving conditions here are so insane. I could well be "riding" them, I'll take a look at that, and the other possibilites mentioned, then I'll see how my new EBC's hold up! Thanks.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by PTRider on 09/21/09 at 20:10:02

Quote:

My (stock) front brake pads are shot, after just 1,300 miles.

How shot is shot? The lining is normally thin when new, and the book calls for replacement when the lining is worn down to 1mm thickness remaining.

My pads @ 4500 miles were still good, but I put the EBC pads on to cure the squeal. Rear is excellent at that mileage, also.

Front braking is good. Too much rear braking is asking for a slide.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by Dj12midnit on 09/21/09 at 20:17:11

I made it roughly 9000 on mine. I do half and half, but I like to keep some distance and idle it up to the stop.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by fretman on 09/22/09 at 16:42:49

7176693A0 wrote:

Quote:

My (stock) front brake pads are shot, after just 1,300 miles.

It's all new to me, so I asked my mechanic, and he proclaimed that they were "shot". I don't think they're down to 1mm yet, and I'm sure I could get a few more miles before they're truly useless. They are squealing quite a bit though...

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by bill67 on 09/22/09 at 16:54:50

The stock pads will squeal.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by jabman on 09/22/09 at 23:58:24

i use HH sintered pads (not suzuki pads), freshly stripped master cylinder and calliper with new seals, race quality brake fluid and a stainless steel braided hose. zero sponge and lots of stopping power.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by fretman on 09/24/09 at 18:30:34

OK! Yeah these are shot. Just about 1mm left, pretty close to bein' metal on metal. The wheel spun fine - I'm gonna assume it was the PO's braking style that did 'em in! :D In any case, the EBC FA106's are now on, and quiet as a church mouse. Hallelujah!

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s3/fretsys/Suzuki%20S40/brake_pad.jpg

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by babyhog on 09/25/09 at 09:45:03

Wow! Makes me wanna run home and check mine! I'm at a little over 4k miles, bought it with less than 3k... not sure if they are stock or not. But they aren't making any noise and seem to work ok. Thanks for the pic!
~

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by Routy on 09/27/09 at 07:10:31

1B3824231625233E2423570 wrote:

I'm starting to learn engine braking a bit, I still like using the rear brake so the light comes on and traffic knows I'm slowing down,

Hold on here a minute,......
I believe my brake lite comes on when either brake is applied.
Is this not normal of all yr models ?

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by bill67 on 09/27/09 at 09:42:53

Brake light come on with either brake used

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by Digger on 12/12/09 at 20:48:26

My Savage (see signature) is strictly an urban machine. The OEM pads lasted 3500 miles. The replacement Ferodo Platinum pads lasted 4100 miles. I've got EBC pads in there now.

The OEM front brake pads on my 2005 Honda GL1800 currently have 69,000 miles on them. The OEM front pads on my '01 Honda ST1100 lasted 31,300 miles, but I ride that bike a bit harder than I do my Gold Wing.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by Digger on 12/12/09 at 20:51:01

15362A2D182B2D302A2D590 wrote:

......I still like using the rear brake so the light comes on and traffic knows I'm slowing down, even new, the brake pads look thin

Sounds as if an inspection of the front brake switch may be in order.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by juang on 12/23/09 at 21:57:00

I'm going to add a question here because I don't want to create multiple brake threads.

On Nov 26 2009 I changed the front brake pads for my 1998 Savage because I had had it for about a year and I didn't know if I they needed to be replaced. So I went ahead and replaced the old with new EBC pads. I used the "how to" manual found here in the forum. And step by step I got the job done. I even went to the AutoZone and got the anti-squeak goo to put in the back of the pads for the vibration noise.

About 3 weeks later, I noticed some noise (not as bad as when you don't use that goo at all, but still, kind of annoying) coming out of the front brakes. I took the pads out and noticed there was almost no goo on them (it had been raining bad in L. A. for a couple of days...I noticed the noise after the rain stopped)

On top of that I noticed that in the pads, where the piston makes the "circle impression" on them, there was some material missing...I don't know how that happened, but it did. The back of the pads were not like that when I got them. I put some goo on the back of the pads again and the noise went away.

I did that on Dec 19 and today is Dec 23 and the noise has come back. Do I need new brake pads because the ones I got were defective? Or should I buy a new caliper to forget about all this?

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by John_D on 12/24/09 at 01:07:16

524D59565F380 wrote:

Here's a question, and I'm not trying to be insulting, but speaking from experience here: are you positive everything is where it's supposed to be after assembled? It's real easy for both pads to end up on one side of the rotor, which would have it using the back (metal) of the pad, and either the housing of the caliper, or the plunger of the caliper to put pressure on the rotor. This would make noise, and create wear where there should be none. I did this on my first brake job, but luckily noticed it when I was giving it a good going over before torquing it down, and reassebled it correctly.
This is probably not what you did, since I suspect it would make a great deal of noise, but it's my nickel's worth. :-?

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/24/09 at 07:29:36

First, dont buy a new caliper. Thats a lot of $$ & wont solve your problem. As important as pads are in the Noise equation, the rotor matters & so does the "Bedding IN" process. The Anti-Squeak Goo is a grand idea, too.

You said

On top of that I noticed that in the pads, where the piston makes the "circle impression" on them, there was some material missing.

What is the material that is missing? plastic? Anti Squeak?

One thing lots of people dont think of is making sure the caliper moves freely on the pins. A good Clean & Lube there helps the pads last & brakes work better, If one side is clearly more worn than the other, that would be a good clue that the pins are dragging,

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by juang on 12/26/09 at 15:06:08

Ok. First of all let me say that no, I didn't put the caliper back in a way where both pads are on one side of the rotor...I know I'm dumb, but I'm not that dumb. But thanks for all of your concerns.

Here are a couple of pictures of the problem I described above. As you can see, some of the material in the back of the pads has fallen leaving behind bare metal...I think I've discovered the problem, but first, let me show you the pictures I took.

http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu19/juang2020/moto/suzuki002.jpg

http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu19/juang2020/moto/suzuki005.jpg

Now let me tell you about the real problem. I discovered the caliper was shaking kind of bad. That's because the caliper is missing a little piece of rubber I took out by accident when I first got it. I haven't been able to find it. And to "solve" the problem i've been putting paper or something instead of the rubber thing. It has never caused a problem before.

Then I remembered the noise problem came after it stopped raining here in L.A. That probably happened because the paper I put got wet and became loose. That might have caused the pads to "shake" a little against the piston. Causing them to loose some material from the back in the long run and wearing off the anti-noise goo sooner than expected. Now two more questions.

1. What's the proper name of this rubber thing?
2. Where can I buy it at? (I'm fine if I have to buy it on-line)

Here's a picture of the rubber thing I'm talking about. Its the one with the big red arrow pointing at it.

http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu19/juang2020/moto/hule2.png

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/26/09 at 16:31:27

I think Id invest in a new piece of rubber.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by MMRanch on 12/26/09 at 18:27:24

I'm supprised at the low pad life.....

I'm going on 22,000 miles and counting on a set of ebc pads. I was under the inpression ebc makes different series for different applactions.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by verslagen1 on 12/26/09 at 22:11:45

What's cheaper, new pads or new rotors?
plus hard, long life pads = squeal

That piece of rubber keeps the dirt out of the alignment pins that allow the caliper to float on the rotor.

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by MMRanch on 12/31/09 at 21:35:36

I doin't know what pads I was getting till they got here . Sloans in murfreeboro had to order them and had them sent to my house. I think they are slentered steel??? EBC

Title: Re: Brake pads
Post by jabman on 01/01/10 at 02:25:51

my sintered pads never made a squeak, even when bedding in ?