Checking brake pads

[Guest Quickblood]

I'm absolutely terrible when it comes to vehicle maintenance especially as I don't have anywhere to work on my bike but I'm trying particularly as my safety is at stake but I'm struggling to see my brake pads. I vaguely remember this being shown to me on my DAS training and it was really easy to see on their bike but on my NC700 I'm thinking I may have to take the caliper off is that right or am I daft?

[Guest bonekicker]

I am all for do it your self--but without any training--please leave --especially brakes--to the experts. 

[michael 324]

You may have to contort. Some callipers bet reveal pad thickness by looking from below.

 

Me? I use spray brake cleaner to ensure a dust free sighting, and compare with a new set of pads.  Compare the remaining pad material I should say.

 

Or.

 

Have the experts do it.

 

Whichever allows you to sleep at night!

[Guest Quickblood]

I am all for do it your self--but without any training--please leave --especially brakes--to the experts. 

I have no intention of doing anything but checking for wear which I really don't fancy paying out for.

[bazza 3,629]

find yourself a good independent bike shop and just ask then to check.explain you aren't mechanical but want to ensure your bike's ok.

Any good shop will show you and that will either re-assure you that they are Ok or they will show you some new so you can see the difference. maybe a mate can recommend a local?

If you are confident of them then you have a happier biking life!

[Guest Badger77]

You will need a small LED torch, and be prepared to get dirty knees. Shine the light between the caliper and disc, and you will see the pad material (if it's not worn out already )

 

Don't be to worried if there doesn't appear to have much friction pad left, there is not that much to begin with. If there is less than 1mm of material, then it's time to change them.

 

I can post pictures later if it helps you.

 

Cheers

[steelhorseuk 1,690]

Just as Badger says but just to add,  you have a wear marker. If you cannot see the wear marker with the torch shining on the pad then you need to replace!

 

When you get your new pads take a minute to look again and find the wear marker for your own reference so you can check in the future.

 

-Mark-

[chris 357]

Checking wear is explained in the manual. Page 80 in my version. Front pads are checked from below, rear pads from behind. If you still have the oe pads then they have a wear indicator groove moulded into the friction material. I found that by the time my front pads were worn it was difficult to see the friction material because the backing plates were close to the disc. When I changed them I found they still had a bit of thickness above the wear indicator - but probably no more than one or two thousand km.

[bazza 3,629]

Bike pads are ridiculously thin to start with -maybe 6mm thick .

My VW van pads are at least double that - and probably cheaper

For our non tech friend the pads usually have a grove in them so when the grove isn't surrounded by pad on both sides -time to change.

Wear will be mostly on the front unless you really do brake on both simultaneously.

If you run with worn out pads you will know -there will be metal on metal screeching from that area, brake efficiency fails and you will crash! Apart from the discs you then need the new pads and new body parts!

As the others have explained -you need to see the pads -often from underneath. Look for the groove -if still there you have time to sort out new pads - That auction site gives you you close ups of pads.Then you have a wide choice of makes and even more decisions to make!

[embee 7,288]

Ref the wear grooves. Note that the original Honda front pads have the friction material separated into blocks, and only some of the blocks (I think 2 based on the drawing) have the wear grooves. Don't confuse the block separation with the wear grooves, otherwise you'll be down to the backing.

 

The rear pads are much easier to see from the back.