New front brakes

[BIG TOM]

Last fall ,I replaced my rear breaks on my 05 RSV .(with 17,000 miles on it.) At that time they were warn paper thin..So yesterday I decided to replace my fronts...(in the fall..dealer told me fronts were at 30 % left on pads).Well to my surprise when I pulled my pads, THEY LOOKED LIKE NEW...I never liked the way the front brakes felt or sounded..needed a lot of preasure to slow down or stop and was afraid I'd lock the front by using to much force ..The only thing I noticed is that the front brakes were matelic and the rears were different...I replaced them anyway..Did I mention the fronts would often squeel or groan on a hard stop.. IS this normal? Shouldn't those brakes have been shot by now? I always use my fronts for stopping..I find it odd that there was so much pad left..

Edited January 4, 2009 by BIG TOM

[eazyduzzit]

Your experience matches mine exactly. They squeal and growl and won't wear out. I use the front more than the rear and they show no wear at, but the rear appear to be about 1/2 worn out.

[N3FOL]

After reading a number of post regarding front brake pads in this forum, I have been using my front brakes more than my rear lately knowing that they actually last significantly longer than the rear pads.

[KeithR]

I haven't replaced by front pads yet and they looked good when I checked them last. I did chamfer the edges tho. I read somewhere that that helps eliminate any squeel. I didn't have a squeel so I can't tell you if it helped or not.

 

Keith

[N3FOL]

KeithR, how many miles do you currently have on your '06 Venture. (just wondering) How about your rear pads? Still thick?

[KeithR]

This is a pic of my rear pads vs new pads @ 21,000KMS (13,000 Miles) Total on bike 32,250 KMS

 

Keith

Edited January 5, 2009 by KeithR

[N3FOL]

One side does not look as think as the other one. Now this will give me an idea and a ballpark mileage when I should replace my rear pads. I have not replaced a motorcycle brake pad once, but I assume it is fairly straight forward. When the time come, I will ask tips from you to replace my pads.

 

Thanks for posting a pic.

[BIG TOM]

One side does not look as think as the other one. Now this will give me an idea and a ballpark mileage when I should replace my rear pads. I have not replaced a motorcycle brake pad once, but I assume it is fairly straight forward. When the time come, I will ask tips from you to replace my pads.

 

Thanks for posting a pic.

 

 

MIKE, Most ...if not all 2nd gens rear pads tend to wear out differently..one pad wears out faster than the other.Its a good practice to swap them around . they 'll last longer..

[N3FOL]

MIKE, Most ...if not all 2nd gens rear pads tend to wear out differently..one pad wears out faster than the other.Its a good practice to swap them around . they 'll last longer..

 

BIG TOM, your recommendation does makes sense and a good way to extend the use of the rear pads. Looking at Keith's pic, it probably can go for another 3K to 4K miles before he should replace them. However, since brake pads are inexpensive (my guess...have not checked pricing yet) it may be better to just swap the pads with a new one...IMO for a peace of mind.

[1BigDog]

I replaced my front pads at 26k and they probably had another 20k in them. I replace the rear pads at 12-13k as a rule of thumb. The first set hit the rotors at 15k so I usually change them earlier. EBC HH+ front and rear.

[mountainhorsega]

I replaced my front pads at 26k and they probably had another 20k in them. I replace the rear pads at 12-13k as a rule of thumb. The first set hit the rotors at 15k so I usually change them earlier. EBC HH+ front and rear.

 

Mine is a TD but they seem to do the same thing with the brakes as the Ventures. My first set of rears hit the rotor - MUCH easier and cheaper to replace the pads more often. Definatly have them checked at each rear tire change and change them early. MAKE SURE to check the inside and outside - since the don't wear evenly. Swap them if they should last well beyond the next tire change. The squeal on my front brakes was vibration - I pulled them off and put some disk brake quietner on the backs of the pads. (Easy to do, takes about 30-45 minutes - just pay attention when taking them off and reverse the procedure going back on.) I went ahead and replaced the fronts the last time I did the rear but it really wasn't required - just figured it would be be better safe than sorry (rotors ain't cheap). Did the quietner on the new ones just to prevent squeals. Haven't heard a peep out of them.

[sargergp]

The chamfering is a very valid fix for brake sqeal in any application. I had serious sqeal problems with my '05 RSVM when I bought it. I learned this trick years ago from an EIS company tech when I ran an automotive machine shop. Just put em in a vise and take a grinder to em, or use a bench grinder, whatever you have. Put a 45 degree taper on the leading edge (or both if you like to rotate your pads periodically) and you shouldn't have any more sqeal. I did it to mine, as I do to all my auto brake pads and I've never had one squeal after the modification.

[Semi-retired]

The chamfering is a very valid fix for brake sqeal in any application. I had serious sqeal problems with my '05 RSVM when I bought it. I learned this trick years ago from an EIS company tech when I ran an automotive machine shop. Just put em in a vise and take a grinder to em, or use a bench grinder, whatever you have. Put a 45 degree taper on the leading edge (or both if you like to rotate your pads periodically) and you shouldn't have any more sqeal. I did it to mine, as I do to all my auto brake pads and I've never had one squeal after the modification.

 

HOWEVER.......anybody ever do the math to figure out what percentage of "stopping power" you are removing when you DO the chamfer?

 

The footprint of the pad against the rotor is obviously going to be less once you grind it away. The percentage of contact area you remove is exactly equal to the reduction in stopping ability.

 

Just sayin.