Where to buy brake pads??

[Guest kimrpaige]

Just wondering where is the best place online to buy brake pads for my 88 VR 1300??? Kim

[Blackjack]

J. C. Whitney seems to have a good price on the EBC pads (about $29/set for the organics), and they are offering free shipping on orders over $75. So, if you are going to replace all three sets, this might work for you: http://tinyurl.com/4y9bla

 

Which pads you choose is another discussion, and I'm sure there will be a variety of opinions offered. On this last go-round I installed the "organic" pads for a few reasons: to see if they "squealed" less than the sintered pads, to see how long they'd last given my riding style, and to see if they might cause any less wear on the rotors.

 

Here's the link to EBC (for more details on the products): http://www.ebcbrakes.com/mb-jcruisers.html

 

Terry

[Gearhead]

I found EBC standard pads for more like 20 or 22 per disc, maybe at Ronayers.com. 2 or 3 bucks more for the HH sintered pads. I'd recommend these on the RF disc to enhance the braking with the hand lever. It worked for me; I still have the standard pads on the other two discs. Some say HH pads wear out the discs too fast, so I mic'ed the rotor before and then after 2500 miles and the measurements were the same.

 

Jeremy

[KingSizer]

EBC-front-$32.95 a set-yamaha dealer

The dealer told me there are two different rotors on the front of an 84.

That can't be true can it?

[Guest eyehook]

They list two different part numbers for the front so I guess its true.

[RedRocket]

I found EBC standard pads for more like 20 or 22 per disc, maybe at Ronayers.com. 2 or 3 bucks more for the HH sintered pads. I'd recommend these on the RF disc to enhance the braking with the hand lever. It worked for me; I still have the standard pads on the other two discs. Some say HH pads wear out the discs too fast, so I mic'ed the rotor before and then after 2500 miles and the measurements were the same.

 

Jeremy

 

 

I used EBC HH Pads on a VFR, and put over 54,000 miles on the original rotors, and they were still going strong when I sold it

[RedRocket]

JC Whitney has EBC's on sale for less than $ 27.00:happy34:

[bongobobny]

EBC-front-$32.95 a set-yamaha dealer

The dealer told me there are two different rotors on the front of an 84.

That can't be true can it?

Yes it is! There is a left and a right rotor. They are vented and the difference is which direction the cooling fins face. If you use a left for a right, etc. the cooling fins won't work, they won't draw air into the center, and therefore won't dissipate heat as well. Dissipating heat is the name of the game for stopping. Brakes use friction to work, which generates heat and must be transferred away to keep stopping...

[ChurchBuilder]

Try www.sixity.com 3 pairs for $38.25 on my "84.

[bongobobny]

I just came in from the garage where I installed a new set of EBC rotors, and even though they are marked left and right, I can not see any difference in them! they will mount either way, and are symetrical, but depending on WHICH way you mount, the cross driled holes wil go one way or the other way. Then I took a good hard look at the rotors on my '84 and for the life of me I CAN'T see any difference. It loks like THEY can be mounted on either side, as long as the orientatuion of the center fins is right...

[Schlepporello]

EBC-front-$32.95 a set-yamaha dealer

The dealer told me there are two different rotors on the front of an 84.

That can't be true can it?

Your dealer is a crack-smoker.

All three rotors on an '84 use the same pads. I just finished replacing the pads on my '84 and compared the old pads with each other as well as the new replacements just to be sure.

[Venturous Randy]

Your dealer is a crack-smoker.

All three rotors on an '84 use the same pads. I just finished replacing the pads on my '84 and compared the old pads with each other as well as the new replacements just to be sure.

 

He is saying there are two different rotors, not pads.

RandyA

[Schlepporello]

He is saying there are two different rotors, not pads.

RandyA

Sorry, my bad.

Eventually I'll learn to read a bit more carefully.

[Ndiaz]

Try www.sixity.com 3 pairs for $38.25 on my "84.

 

Excellent deal, ChurchBuilder! I bought 3 pairs of the sintered pads on eBay last week, for $48.75 including shipping. Sixity.com was the seller. Oh, well...I didn't do too badly.

 

I installed the right front set on my Venture Royale, and they work just fine. Not time to replace the other two yet.

 

Nick Diaz

Middletown, MD

[RandyR]

I looked at the specs for the sintered vs organic pads. The better stopping power of the sintered seemed to justify buying them, as afterall, stopping is what brakes are for.

 

But... if the brake system is engineered for sufficient stopping power with normal brake pads, what does sintered pads (in terms of locking the thing up sooner/faster) achieve?

 

Am also a bit concerned about the increased wear the sintered pads do to the rotors themselves.

 

Actually I have bought a set of sintered pads for a Triumph I have, but am not needing to install them yet. I'm just thinking aloud, since this thread has me thinking along these lines.

Edited April 13, 2009 by RandyR

[Schlepporello]

The pads I pulled off my bike were the sintered pads, but I went back on with organics. I've only taken the bike for a short ride once since installing them and they seemed to work just fine.

 

When I inspected the rotors after pulling the pads, I could easily tell I had some nasty grooves cut in the rotors. I took them to get them turned and they came out fine and are still within specs, but I'd really rather not run the risk of cutting grooves in the rotors again.

 

Another thing I noticed was that my rear pads were worn much more than either set of the front pads. That tells me that the equalization system between the rear caliper and left front caliper isn't all it's cracked up to be. I'll be using more front brake from now on.

[timgray]

I see the same. My rear pads are down to paper thin while the front left is thick as the right one. I'm thinking it's because of air in the system going to the front causing the rear to grab more than the front (air acting as a relief spring at the triple tree point), After a full fluid change and bleeding I'll watch how my new set of pads wear.

Edited April 13, 2009 by timgray

[RandyR]

I see a third option is kevlar pads, which per their specs give better stopping power when wet than the organic, but not as prone to wear the rotors. I haven't tried kevlars, but am thinking this may be what I go with when needed.

[rhncue]

The pads I pulled off my bike were the sintered pads, but I went back on with organics. I've only taken the bike for a short ride once since installing them and they seemed to work just fine.

 

When I inspected the rotors after pulling the pads, I could easily tell I had some nasty grooves cut in the rotors. I took them to get them turned and they came out fine and are still within specs, but I'd really rather not run the risk of cutting grooves in the rotors again.

 

Another thing I noticed was that my rear pads were worn much more than either set of the front pads. That tells me that the equalization system between the rear caliper and left front caliper isn't all it's cracked up to be. I'll be using more front brake from now on.

 

I would believe that the rear brake is designed to have more force applied than the front. What is wanted is for the front and rear wheel to brake together. If the rear and front left were applied equally, then when the front right is applied the front would have a much greater chance of locking from to much brake.

 

Dick

[Venturous Randy]

I would believe that the rear brake is designed to have more force applied than the front. What is wanted is for the front and rear wheel to brake together. If the rear and front left were applied equally, then when the front right is applied the front would have a much greater chance of locking from to much brake.

 

Dick

 

Not so sure about that given that 70 to 80% of the braking is from the front under heavy braking. The rear would be much more likely to lock up if they were even.

RandyA

[greg_in_london]

All three rotors on an '84 use the same pads.

Many pad manufacturers specify higher friction pads for the front than the back. You wouldn't notice on most bikes as the pads would be different shapes, but on our first gens they are interchangeable. High friction pads will wear more quickly than low friction pads. If you're happy with checking more often, you can safely use the HF pads on the back too.

If you've serviced your brakes and are not happy with them still, then removing some of the restrictors will give you more braking power, but as standard the metering valve will reduce the front left hand brake pressure when you use the (linked to it) back brake.

[ - or to be clear - you will only have pressure when you put your foot on the pedal, but the metering valve will slow how quickly it 'cmes on' on the front.]

 

Once you're slowing down the proportioning valve reduces pressure to the back, so it can't lock up. Your braking style could easily lead to one wearing out before the other, even with everything working properly.