BREAK PAD MYSTERY

[Larry rt]

Took a my 2013rtl in for rear tire replacement, new front brake pads and to fix parking brake failure. When tech was trying to figure out why parking brake was not holding, he checked the rear pads ( which was replaced 2 and half months prior ) . DISCOVERED that the pads were only worn on the ends, not evenly . ONE pad was worn on the front about 1/4 of an inch from end. THE other pad was worn about the same distance from the other end.
It was like the pads were on an angle. Tech said they were seated correct.
Question to the knowledgeable ones, what would cause this?

[cuznjohn]

i am not a pro on stuff like this, but it does sound like the pads were cupped

[Chupaca]

Some calipers have some spacers (washers) that if not installed correctly can have them at an angle. They might check the alignment of the caliper to the disc....:thumbup: Something to watch for when taking them apart....:lecturef_smilie:

[Aracknoid]

Took a my 2013rtl in for rear tire replacement, new front brake pads and to fix parking brake failure. When tech was trying to figure out why parking brake was not holding, he checked the rear pads ( which was replaced 2 and half months prior ) . DISCOVERED that the pads were only worn on the ends, not evenly . ONE pad was worn on the front about 1/4 of an inch from end. THE other pad was worn about the same distance from the other end.
It was like the pads were on an angle. Tech said they were seated correct.
Question to the knowledgeable ones, what would cause this?

The only item that can be aligned is the calper to the disk. A service tech that is defending his position by saying the pads were seated correctly, may not be the tech to go to the next time.

Alignment of the caliper/pads to the disk should be very obvious to most anyone. I tend to think the caliper could be the problem. Since the parking brake act on the caliper piston and as you say the parking brake was not holding then I would suspect an bad pistion in the caliper yeilding uneven pressure on the pads and keeping the parking brake from holding.

Just me two cents, Good Luck

[Larry rt]

The tech that discovered the issue, was not the tech that installed it. AFTER he worked on it, the parking break works fine.

[Bfromla]

The tech that discovered the issue, was not the tech that installed it. AFTER he worked on it, the parking break works fine.
:2thumbs: Exactly what I wanted to ask:thumbup:. The other thing I learned in doing my own pads here recently, is the bedding process. :hun: More of a brake in procedure, I've never done on other brake systems but makes sense & is fairly simple list of tasks to follow :firstplace: :coffee:
Thank you BajaRon:2thumbs::yes:

[Warlock]

The tech that discovered the issue, was not the tech that installed it. AFTER he worked on it, the parking break works fine.

Check the pins that holds the brake pads. They have been known to wear and create a bad spot and not allow the pads to move freely on the pins.
David

[Aracknoid]

The tech that discovered the issue, was not the tech that installed it. AFTER he worked on it, the parking break works fine.

A detail that I overlooked in your first post. My apology to the second Tech.

Good Luck

[Peter Aawen]

Some calipers have some spacers (washers) that if not installed correctly can have them at an angle. They might check the alignment of the caliper to the disc....:thumbup: Something to watch for when taking them apart....:lecturef_smilie:

^^ I'm with Chupaca on this! It's only a couple of mms or so, and reckon it'd take real talent (or gross incompetence :shocked: ) but it does look as tho it would be possible to cross-fit the calliper in such a way that the pads would be mounted at an angle; with one pad contacting the disc only at one end, the other pad contacting only at the other end... The brakes themselves should still (sorta) work, but only because the majority of the braking effort would occur up the front end; while the parking brake (which ONLY works on the rear end) would be very chancy at best!! :shocked: Must've taken a bit of effort &/or a bloody big hammer tho!! And while the misalignment wouldn't be massive, surely it'd still misalign the bolts to the threads - so how on earth did they get the cross-threaded bolts done up??

Did the tech who fixed this stuff-up hafta re-thread or replace anything besides the pads??

[Larry rt]

No, only replaced pads. HE stated he never saw this type of ware , before.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

No, only replaced pads. HE stated he never saw this type of ware , before.
What did he say, if anything, about spacers? Some bikes have them, some don't. I'm with Chupaca on this.

[Larry rt]

Didn't mention anything about spacers.