My brake wear history

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I just returned from a vacation trip ( 750 + mi. ) before I left I had all tires replaced and checked the rear pads..... I changed the orig. OEM pads at 30,000 mi ( and one side was TOAST ).... I switched to BajaRon's pads. The rears start with 4 mm thickness .... mine are down to 1.1mm at 40,500 mi. and feel fine..... I will wait till the end of this riding season without any worries that they will wear out this year. ...... Ron's pads are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the OEM's. Ron has said many times folks change Pads long before they need to, ( mostly due to Dealer hooey ). I suspect this will be my last brake job before I give up riding due to age ( 75 yrs old now ). I have a 14 RT which I bought new ....... Hope this helps someone ...... Mike

[robtdonna]

75? Still a youngster, you've got another good 10 years left in ya!

[BajaRon]

I just returned from a vacation trip ( 750 + mi. ) before I left I had all tires replaced and checked the rear pads..... I changed the orig. OEM pads at 30,000 mi ( and one side was TOAST ).... I switched to BajaRon's pads. The rears start with 4 mm thickness .... mine are down to 1.1mm at 40,500 mi. and feel fine..... I will wait till the end of this riding season without any worries that they will wear out this year. ...... Ron's pads are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the OEM's. Ron has said many times folks change Pads long before they need to, ( mostly due to Dealer hooey ). I suspect his will be my last brake job before I give up riding due to age ( 75 yrs old now ). I have a 14 RT which I bought new ....... Hope this helps someone ...... Mike

Don't change your pads too soon and don't give up riding too soon!

Thanks for the update!

[UtahPete]

Don't change your pads too soon and don't give up riding too soon!

Thanks for the update!

What's the best way to know when pads need changing, before it's too late?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

75? Still a youngster, you've got another good 10 years left in ya!

..... I hope your right ..................thanks .... Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

What's the best way to know when pads need changing, before it's too late?

Well I wouldn't trust most dealers on this ...... My measurements came from using a digital caliper tool ($12.00 from Harbor freight ) used AFTER removing the Caliper assembly for access . ... I'm very fortunate in that, I have a ramp into my basement. I have a removeable cover ( 12' X 8' ) I back my RT in onto a 12" wide plank that extends 1 ft. past the edge .... At that end the platform is 4 1/2 ft from the floor .... so my access to the caliper is about as good as is possible ..... that's how I get very, very accurate measurements ..... Mike

[2dogs]

. I suspect his will be my last brake job before I give up riding due to age ( 75 yrs old now ). Mike

BS - Like me and many others you'll likely be buried along with your Spyder, sitting right on top of it.

[2dogs]

What's the best way to know when pads need changing, before it's too late?

Here's what I found. Keep a close eye on your rotors as the pads wear down, by rubbing both sides with your fingers checking for any slight marks of gouging by the backing plates. Hopefully, you'll find none. Get an adjustable dentist mirror from Harbor Freight and a small flashlight, and here's the hard part. Lay down next to your spyder and check both ends of your pads next to the rotors. You can keep a good assessment of the pads as they wear down. If you find a pad with one end of the pad being thicker/thinner than the other end, then the pads are not wearing evenly, thus you have a sticky caliper disc. I'm like most everyone else, I change pads long before they need changing. Last if not least, when you're done, call your wife to help you back up off the floor.

[pegasus1300]

Pete minimum pad thickness is 1mm. If you want to check them easily use the edge of a credit card.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Pete minimum pad thickness is 1mm. If you want to check them easily use the edge of a credit card.

If you monitor what's happening with the pads 1 mm is 25% of the start thickness when new ..... I just got OVER 40,000 mi. on my current set of rear ( BajaRon's ) pads ..... so the math says - another 7000 mi. should be safe .... my current pads are wearing very evenly and should continue to do so..... because I can easily check ( and measure ) them, I'm not changing them now ..... JMHO ./... Mike

[UtahPete]

2dogs, that's exactly why I'm getting that Big Blue lift! Can't always count on Jane being there to save my sorry a**

[Cobwebs]

If you monitor what's happening with the pads 1 mm is 25% of the start thickness when new ..... I just got OVER 40,000 mi. on my current set of rear ( BajaRon's ) pads ..... so the math says - another 7000 mi. should be safe .... my current pads are wearing very evenly and should continue to do so..... because I can easily check ( and measure ) them, I'm not changing them now ..... JMHO ./... Mike

How are your rotors looking Mike, still in spec?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Here's what I found. Keep a close eye on your rotors as the pads wear down, by rubbing both sides with your fingers checking for any slight marks of gouging by the backing plates. Hopefully, you'll find none. Get an adjustable dentist mirror from Harbor Freight and a small flashlight, and here's the hard part. Lay down next to your spyder and check both ends of your pads next to the rotors. You can keep a good assessment of the pads as they wear down. If you find a pad with one end of the pad being thicker/thinner than the other end, then the pads are not wearing evenly, thus you have a sticky caliper disc. I'm like most everyone else, I change pads long before they need changing. Last if not least, when you're done, call your wife to help you back up off the floor.

If the rotor gets SCORED ( ie marks ) it's done, pro's can polish it , however I doubt you'll find anyone who still does this .... " eyeballing" pad width is basically a GUESS ..... I'd rather actually measure them to be sure ..... JMHO ..... Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Pete minimum pad thickness is 1mm. If you want to check them easily use the edge of a credit card.

Well I just " caliper " measured FOUR credit cards .... 1 @ .5mm ... 2 @ .6mm ... 1 @.7mm .... using a cc for measuring is like using a " Tire calculator " ..... it's close ....maybe ..... JMHO .... Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

How are your rotors looking Mike, still in spec?

That's not something I have measured ( accurately - yet ) ..... I did feel for the outside edge ridge that very slowly forms as the rotor wears ..... I have 70,000 + miles on mine ..... the ridge is barely there ..... hope this helps .... Thanks ...Mike

[2dogs]

If the rotor gets SCORED ( ie marks ) it's done, pro's can polish it , however I doubt you'll find anyone who still does this .... " eyeballing" pad width is basically a GUESS ..... I'd rather actually measure them to be sure ..... JMHO ..... Mike

The credit card trick seems to be a common measuring device? Belt and brake pads so far, as long as you use the same card. But, if you change banks then you'll have to start all over again. LOL I use a credit card as a guide only. As far as scored rotors go that's an individual's call. If the score marks are not deep I've reused rotors several times because it doesn't take long for the pads to seat in and I've never had issues with them. And regarding the ridge on the outer edge of the rotor, I've replaced the pads all around once and I've not developed one yet. No experience with that so far.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

The credit card trick seems to be a common measuring device? Belt and brake pads so far, as long as you use the same card. But, if you change banks then you'll have to start all over again. LOL I use a credit card as a guide only. As far as scored rotors go that's an individual's call. If the score marks are not deep I've reused rotors several times because it doesn't take long for the pads to seat in and I've never had issues with them. And regarding the ridge on the outer edge of the rotor, I've replaced the pads all around once and I've not developed one yet. No experience with that so far.

" Common " but not really accurate ..... I have six other cards I can measure, the four I mentioned weren't close to 1mm .... To me Bad info is worse than No info ..... JMHO .... Mike

[2dogs]

If you monitor what's happening with the pads 1 mm is 25% of the start thickness when new ..... I just got OVER 40,000 mi. on my current set of rear ( BajaRon's ) pads ..... so the math says - another 7000 mi. should be safe .... my current pads are wearing very evenly and should continue to do so..... because I can easily check ( and measure ) them, I'm not changing them now ..... JMHO ./... Mike

Well I just " caliper " measured FOUR credit cards .... 1 @ .5mm ... 2 @ .6mm ... 1 @.7mm .... using a cc for measuring is like using a " Tire calculator " ..... it's close ....maybe ..... JMHO .... Mike

So, if you know your CC thickness it could possibly be a good reference tool to judge your brake pad thickness? I think I could go with that.

[Woodaddict]

Inflation Credit Card note: with this year's high inflation, the normal credit card thickness of .5mm has grown to 1mm thickness !!!!!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

So, if you know your CC thickness it could possibly be a good reference tool to judge your brake pad thickness? I think I could go with that.

???? .... well if you use a " caliper " to measure the cc, why not use it to measure the PAD and save a lot of guessing ?????? ..... JMHO ..... Mike

[Little Blue]

...I was going to post up something about the CC.
Now I just sit down and enjoy the Day.

Stay Healthy. ....

[PMK]

???? .... well if you use a " caliper " to measure the cc, why not use it to measure the PAD and save a lot of guessing ?????? ..... JMHO ..... Mike

Simply curious, when measuring brake wear, are you removing the brake pads to measure thickness? Not quite sure how a dial caliper would have access to measure accurately with everything assembled.

On the other hand, using a thickness gage, a simple check for remaining friction material would be to have the brake pedal depressed, and use the thickness gage at each end of all the brake pads while installed. Using one thickness gage of .040” or 1mm is an easy go - no go check. If the gage slips in, brake life remains.

When you stated the EBC brake pads BajaRon sells are way better, can you explain further why? I have run the oem Brembo brake pads and did swap to the BajaRon EBC pads. Stopping wise they are similar, but for some reason, the BajaRon pads have always made a buzzing / wurring noise under braking. Mechanically everything is fine, almost as if the Brembo brake disc pattern does not play well the BajaRons EBC brake pads. Stops fine.

[troop]

My EBC HH pads have made that same "wurring" sound from day one. Can't really say I notice any dramatic changes in braking. I swapped out with only about 5K miles on my OEM pads..

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Simply curious, when measuring brake wear, are you removing the brake pads to measure thickness? Not quite sure how a dial caliper would have access to measure accurately with everything assembled.

On the other hand, using a thickness gage, a simple check for remaining friction material would be to have the brake pedal depressed, and use the thickness gage at each end of all the brake pads while installed. Using one thickness gage of .040” or 1mm is an easy go - no go check. If the gage slips in, brake life remains.

When you stated the EBC brake pads BajaRon sells are way better, can you explain further why? I have run the oem Brembo brake pads and did swap to the BajaRon EBC pads. Stopping wise they are similar, but for some reason, the BajaRon pads have always made a buzzing / wurring noise under braking. Mechanically everything is fine, almost as if the Brembo brake disc pattern does not play well the BajaRons EBC brake pads. Stops fine.

IF you remove the brake caliper assembly - I had no problem measuring the thickness of the pad .... I first measured the pad with the backing plate .... then just the backing plate and subtracted ... which = the pad thickness ..... look at Harbor freight for the picture of what it looks like ( a small adjustable wrench - which fits into the assembly easily ) ..... ???? Is the stopping power better or worse - well I don't have the equipment to do that ...... the EBC pads have lasted a lot longer than the OEM ..... JMHO ..... Mike

[PMK]

IF you remove the brake caliper assembly - I had no problem measuring the thickness of the pad .... I first measured the pad with the backing plate .... then just the backing plate and subtracted ... which = the pad thickness ..... look at Harbor freight for the picture of what it looks like ( a small adjustable wrench - which fits into the assembly easily ) ..... ???? Is the stopping power better or worse - well I don't have the equipment to do that ...... the EBC pads have lasted a lot longer than the OEM ..... JMHO ..... Mike

Yes, as I suspected, you removed the brake caliper, then removed the pad from the caliper so the rears could be measured. If checking the fronts by this same method, the brake pads can be slipped out of the caliper after gaining access of removing the wheel and retaining pins.

Using the digital caliper or similar measuring device, is the correct method, unless the brake is equipped with visual wear indicators, or audible wear indicators, to very accurately do as you have done to verify actual wear.

Typically though, folks will order new brake parts and while accomplishing this measurement or visual check, “just go ahead” and install new parts since it is already apart. With that they do surrender full life of the brakes.

The credit card or thickness gage method does not require any disassembly in most cases. It does however require that when checking, the brakes are clamping the disc to get a reasonably accurate measurement.the thickness gage method can be very accurate when done correctly, the credit card method, might allow a person to wear the brakes slightly more than published specs.

Two entirely different methods, both can work. Add to this, often a simple visual inspection, even if using an inspection mirror and flashlight, with a trained eye to know just what thickness remaining is needed works well too for a quick check, but certainly not best to obtain 100% brake wear.

Rather than doing the math and subtraction method you stated, next time you might consider to measure the thickness of the clean brake pad backing plate, and while measuring hit the “zero” button. Next measure the entire brake pad thickness. This gives a direct measurement of actual pad friction material remaining.