How to identify finished brakepads?

[nightrider]

After my chain replacement my rear brake started making ssshhhhhtshshhshh scraping noises.

I got the bike at 4300 mi, it now has 12400. I've never replaced the pads... 

Visually, I'm not sure what a 'finished' brakepad looks like from the outside. I understand there is the backing or mounting pad which is behind the brakepad itself in relation to the rotor... these are very very snug to the rotor on the rear brake and I think I might have done a boo-boo.

Also any recommendations on type would be nice... I searched and seems "EBC or SBS" was a decent cheap brand.

Thanks.

[TarzanBoy]

After my chain replacement my rear brake started making ssshhhhhtshshhshh scraping noises.
I got the bike at 4300 mi, it now has 12400. I've never replaced the pads... 
Visually, I'm not sure what a 'finished' brakepad looks like from the outside. I understand there is the backing or mounting pad which is behind the brakepad itself in relation to the rotor... these are very very snug to the rotor on the rear brake and I think I might have done a boo-boo.
Also any recommendations on type would be nice... I searched and seems "EBC or SBS" was a decent cheap brand.
Thanks.

dude, that "ssshhshshsh" sound is the sound of the brake pad backing scraping your rotor.   Check all your brake pads immediately.   If your GS needs *any* new brake pads then don't ride it.  The GS only has 1 caliper/rotor in the front which is far from enough braking power.

A 'finished' brake pad will not have anymore braking material on it  Just the metal backing.  I couldnt' find a good photo, so here is some ascii art:

Good Pad

    ---------------------------------------------
__|-------------------------------------------|__
|_____________________________|




Bad Pad

_______________________________
|______________________________|

[annguyen1981]

uh yeah...






I should replace the pads on my GS before selling.  It's doing the same thing.

[ducati_nolan]

As a rule of thumb, once the friction material is the down to the same thickness as the backing plate, it's time to replace the pads. Riveted pads should never be allowed to go past this point otherwise the rivets will hit the rotor and cause groves. Bonded pads can go a little longer, but it isn't the best idea.

I don't have an opinion on the brake pad brand that is best, but make sure you get the corect style as there are two diffferent styles of front brake calipers. I think they switched arround 96. Don't wase money on expensive rear pads you won't notice a difference.

You can re-surface the rotors if there are some shallow groves.

[nightrider]

You can re-surface the rotors if there are some shallow groves.

Resurface how.

Wouldn't replacing the rear pads somewhat buff the grooves out in itself?

Edit: quick reference: EBC HH sintered brake pads front: FA231HH, rear: FA63HH.

Any addt'l comment on which brake pads are best and why, and any tips on replacing pads appreciated.

[annguyen1981]

You'd have to bring the rotors to a shop to get machined.

New pads will KINDA smooth it out, but the difference is VERY minimal.  You basically would ruin a new pair of pads.

[nightrider]

You'd have to bring the rotors to a shop to get machined.

New pads will KINDA smooth it out, but the difference is VERY minimal.  You basically would ruin a new pair of pads.

Well how important is this to get done? I have some shallow grooving on my rear rotor, like I said not enough to "catch a fingernail", but definitely groovy.  I am going to do my damndest to find EBC pads and replace them tomorrow... dont' want to 'ruin' a new pad set.

[nightrider]

omg. Look at the rear pads on the right. Not only flush, but indented. So glad I "discovered" this... thank allah for gstwins.

I posted a "rear brake fade" question about 6 weeks ago. No one mentioned checking brakepads maybe since it seemed so basic... but to a first timer... essential learning experience.

Brake pads are cheap, rotors are expensive. I'm going to break in my new rear pads on the somewhat grooved rotor and see what happens. 

[ducati_nolan]

If you take the rotors to a machine shop they can resurface the rotors, but it has to be an actual machine shop. Auto garages with rotor turners wont work.

The groved rotors will still work fine, but the pads wont last as long. The pads wont really smooth out the groves because the friction material is much softer (that's why your pads wear so much faster than your rotors) The pads will also take a little longer to break in and become fully effective, because it has to wear into the groves.

Thats why I just run the cheap pads on my rear brake. It has some groves, so the pads don't last as long. Plus the rear brake is never really lacking in power, in hard braking all the power is from the front.

Running a sanding block with some 80 grit over the groved rotor (don't get carried away) will knock down the ridges a little bit, and help the pads bed in more quickly.

good luck. 

[sledge]

I would be interested to know how a machine shop could skim the rotors, particularly the front one....think carefully before answering.

[TragicImage]

uhm... don't know if you want to put HH pads in the rear...  Can cause some lock up and heat issues, from what I've been told.

[nightrider]

Well, they didn't have HH at the stealer so I just got the regular old organic compound ones. I believe. Hard to tell from the packaging, which was covered in price/inventory stickers and llisted all 4 types of EBC brakepads 0.O. Pad area was black with gold flecks. Not too worried.

Now for some 80 grit sandpaper. :-o

[gsJack]

I replaced my rear rotor on the old 97 GS when it became badly grooved and the new EBC rotor rusted badly after a couple winters of splashing thru the salt water here in NE OH.  Ended up putting the old one back on, must be more chrome or whatever in the OEM rotor steel, it holds up better.

Trying to turn down bike rotors if even possible would greatly increase the chance of them warping, I'd just use them grooved in the future.  The pads seat in soon enough.  I put my 97 wheel and tire on the 02 GS due to a wheel brg failure and the pads have seated in nicely on the badly grooved rotor and are gripping strongly now, I have the HH pads on the rear.  Should have over 100k miles of GS experience before using HH rears though.   

[pbureau69]

look at them like this..

these are way due (see how thin they are..lol)

[nightrider]

that's the best illustration so far. Previously I saw the backing as the pad. Doh. And then I'd remember the mechanic saying "Front brake is fine, got plenty left, back brake got about 40% left... should be good"...

That was oh, 8,000 miles ago. 

[werase643]

Turning rotors...(car) should only be done if the rotor is warped!!!!!
ya remove more metal than the pads will ever grind off
people always complained that honda civic rotors were crap and had to replace them all the time
I replaced pads on Michele's CRX every 40-60k and one rotor finally gave up at 180k....it was 2 bucks more for a new rotor than to resurface the old one......

bikes....
the pads will wear into the grooves and actually have more surface area contacting for better braking....yeah, it's a long shot

[Jughead]

Yeap what WERA Says.You Only have a certain thickness you can go on Motorcycle Discs.When you start thinning them Even though your not Anywhere near the Max it gives them a Better reason to Warp.The Grooves don't Matter like he says the Pads will wear into the Grooves.These Bikes are a Bit Different than the Oldies Like I have.They can be Surfaced but it's really useless unless they are warped.If they're warped Bad I would Just replace them since they aren't as thick as what the Older Suzuki Models used.

[Wrecent_Wryder]

I6

[nightrider]

IMHO, you must be using the back brake too much. Careful. That thing is very dangerous.

You may be right. Alternately, the previous owner may have replaced front and not rear when I bought it.

I've skidded the back a handful of times, and am conscious of this... really I use it more at slow speeds i.e. near stop signs. Not sure if it's out of proportion to front brake or not. maybe I baby the front too much. I will watch for that... thanks.

[Kasumi]

Other problems with the back brake could be it is set at the wrong angle so when your comfortable on the bike your actually resting with the back brake on abit. Ive seen this on many BMW GS's and even saw it on the long way round. Out of the factor the lever is really flat with the foot rest due to maybe been stood up alot doing off road riding but on the road when your resting lots of people have the rear brake on all the time. I've seen them glow. So check that your brake lever is adjusted right or just put ur foot under or off to the side of it. Also dont bother resurficing your discs. The GS doesn't have a huge stopping power so the tiny little grooves mentioned won't affect it too much. You won't even notice is my bet.