lather Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 I am due for front brake pad replacement. Looking at service manual is shows removing the calipers and pressing pistons in with fingers with the bleed screw opened with a hose to a container. I have changed pads on many different bikes without ever removing calipers or loosening bleed screws, just levering the pistons in with a flat blade screwdriver. The manual also says replace brake pad springs. Those of you who have changed your own pads, any reason th follow thse instructions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted January 7 Supporting Member Share Posted January 7 Hi @lather - I’m trying to remember the design of the retaining tabs on the FJ/Tracer, but do believe it will be much easier to swap the pads if you pull the calipers loose… literally a 30 second job. As long as nothing is sticking or has too much crud accumulated around the seals & pistons, you should be fine just carefully pressing them back into the caliper body. Keep an eye on fluid level in the master cylinder to make sure you’re not pushing too much volume back into the reservoir, but with all the ABS equipment and lines, there should be enough volume for it to be ok. That said, a good fluid flush is never a bad thing, and if you’ve burned through a set of pads, it’s probably time to consider a full brake fluid flush and bleed. SpeedBleeder caliper screws make it really easy… definitely recommend them. The ‘danger’ of running the old fluid backwards up into the brake system (when you push in the pistons) is getting trash up into the master cylinder seals. Usually you can get away with it, but that technique basically works until the one time it doesn’t work… 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robzilla Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 What's the mileage on your Tracer? Curious as we both have the same model year and probably need to check and replace too. Keeping an eye on this thread for follow-up maintenance tips and tricks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member dazzler24 Posted January 7 Supporting Member Share Posted January 7 5 hours ago, robzilla said: What's the mileage on your Tracer? Curious as we both have the same model year and probably need to check and replace too. Keeping an eye on this thread for follow-up maintenance tips and tricks... I guess at the end of the day it's simply if your wear indicators are almost touching for when the pads need replacing. For some, that might happen way earlier than the next person and be completely dependant on how those brakes are used. Hope the following info (from my 2015 model) helps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lather Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 Thanks for the replies. My Mileage is at 26000. I typically get about 22-24 thousand miles to brake pads. I did check the pads at 21000 and had .75 mm and the limit is .5 so plan to change as soon as it warms up a bit, under a cold spell here. I change brake fluid every 2 years and I am close to that so will be changing soon. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnmark101 Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 Are you considering a change of brake pads or do you plan on using OEM? There are some very good aftermarket pads available. There is nothing like spending a day riding with friends in the grip of a shared obsession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lather Posted January 9 Author Share Posted January 9 I have ordered EBC HH pads. I have been using EBC pads for many years, except for Vesrah pads on my track bikes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted January 10 Supporting Member Share Posted January 10 9 hours ago, lather said: I have ordered EBC HH pads. I have been using EBC pads for many years, except for Vesrah pads on my track bikes. Solid choice. I’ve been using EBC HH pads on my FJ (with 320mm rotors), and have been very pleased with the brakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member dazzler24 Posted January 10 Supporting Member Share Posted January 10 2 hours ago, texscottyd said: Solid choice. I’ve been using EBC HH pads on my FJ (with 320mm rotors), and have been very pleased with the brakes. This got me thinking about the sintered pads that I put on my front end a few years back and has led me to ask a question. They were Ferodo FDB605ST pads. I looked them up and it says to use them with stainless steel rotors ONLY. Might be dumb question but are the OEM rotors Stainless? I know that I do get a hint of rust on them after getting wet and not being used for a bit!? The brakes have been stopping me extremely well to date mind you but this got me wondering.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted January 10 Premium Member Share Posted January 10 Yes, they are SS but even austenitic can develop a light "rust bloom" seemingly overnight that quickly wears away but can gum up the pads. Lightly abrading the pads on 120 grit drywall sanding screen on a flat surface, followed by cleaning with a fine SS BBQ brush and rinsing with 91% isopropyl alcohol at every other oil change (or sooner), along with cleaning the calipers with 91% and a toothbrush and abrading the rotors with Red or coarser Scotchbrite pads & plenty of 91% will help you keep seeing Jesus (or Moses) on that steep off-camber downhill series of S's you insist on hitting when you occassionally feel spritely enough. https://www.ulbrich.com/blog/what-is-austenitic-stainless-steel/ 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member dazzler24 Posted January 11 Supporting Member Share Posted January 11 15 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said: Yes, they are SS but even austenitic can develop a light "rust bloom" seemingly overnight that quickly wears away but can gum up the pads. Lightly abrading the pads on 120 grit drywall sanding screen on a flat surface, followed by cleaning with a fine SS BBQ brush and rinsing with 91% isopropyl alcohol at every other oil change (or sooner), along with cleaning the calipers with 91% and a toothbrush and abrading the rotors with Red or coarser Scotchbrite pads & plenty of 91% will help you keep seeing Jesus (or Moses) on that steep off-camber downhill series of S's you insist on hitting when you occassionally feel spritely enough. https://www.ulbrich.com/blog/what-is-austenitic-stainless-steel/ Thanks for that info 2and3. Comprehensive from you, as I've come to expect. 👍 I'm thinking that this maintenance is overdue as I tend to sometimes get, what feels like, sticking brakes when slowing down aggressively from a relatively slow speed to a stop. Almost a shuddering feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted January 11 Premium Member Share Posted January 11 (edited) Do it regularly otherwise the rotors can develop hard spots from glazing overheating, then the rotors are only good for canopy wind weights, and the shuddering is often confused with WARPAGE Sometimes, back in the day we turned rotors for a fresh microfinish, or better broach milled them. When I'm restoring a rotor these days, I mask off the carrier and bead blast rotors with a fairly aggressive glass microballon media, or even 00 aluminum oxide grit. A bead blast cabinet and a high CFM & PSI air compressor are wonderful shop aadditions, along with a bike lift table, HVAC, high lumen even lighting and task lighting and a small fridge! You can't fix what you can't see, and a cool beverage has a calming effect. :-) Edited January 11 by 2and3cylinders Warpage 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member dazzler24 Posted January 11 Supporting Member Share Posted January 11 2 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said: and the shuddering is often confused with warfare. I'm sure you meant "warping" and yes, I've read references to that being a misdiagnosis for this problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted January 11 Premium Member Share Posted January 11 Edited before I saw your reply Though brake maintenance is often like warfare... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted January 12 Premium Member Share Posted January 12 (edited) Oops and no one questioned me or caught that I misspoke! Martensitic stainless is generally used for brake rotors NOT austenitic for motorcycles https://www.brembo.com/en/bike/original-equipment/products/discs#:~:text=To meet these requisites fully,alloys for the rotor hats. https://www.jfe-steel.co.jp/en/research/report/012/pdf/012-11.pdf Now for production cages, gray cast iron is still very commonly used for cost reasons, with the better iron discs being treated / coated to minimize rusting (at least for a while) For racing high carbon steel and layered steel is still an option but of course carbon-carbon has dominated for the last 10+ years when permitted, with a few holdouts still playing with ceramic (like in fixed wing aircraft brakes) and rarely, plasma coated aluminum. Then there are the rotor types, drilled, slotted, ventilated, cross-drilled, etc... 2and3cylinders is definitely not infallible, especially as the years have tumbled painfully by. Edited January 12 by 2and3cylinders Error, error, does not compute!!! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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