Could my caliper have been installed slightly crooked?
(http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/6057/medimg13827562727ml4.jpg)
(http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/4646/medimg13817582336vf9.jpg)
Not installed crooked, more like the pins are not letting them slide right. You grease them every few 1000 miles ? ... No ... yea, no one does, ever.
The pin can also have stepped or grooved wear and the pad can have defect as well as have some tendency to wear crooked just cos one end is leading and other is trailing. BTW the short pad usually should wear even, and the cented would be a bit more than the edges. Of course ... WHO the F&*K knows.
Oh yes, you're a bad braker. Where did you learn to ride ... and where you get your license - walmart. Sorry bub, wont work ... need a real license, and while you're at it get a real bike, with real brakes, not one of those "little tykes" ones that you got these brakes from.
Cool.
Buddha.
Hi there,
Actually, our GS500's use floating front brake disks and floating calipers.
That means that they are not held solidly in place, but they actually "float" on their mounting hardware. The mounting hardware is actually affixed tightly, which is what keeps it all together.
Floating calipers and discs are fine, but can lead to uneven wear if the parts that are floating get sticky on the mechanisms on which they float.
In your case, before replacing the brake pads, carefully clean all the front caliper parts and brake pad mounting surfaces with brake cleaner, then be sure they move smoothly across each other so the pads are free.
Then use some special high-temp brake pad grease along the metal parts of the pads where they slide in the caliper ears. That will hopefully prevent sticking in the future.
Either way, your brake pad wear looks fine, even though it is at a slight angle.
I wouldn't worry about that.
They are way past time to replace them, though, so it's good you are finally doing that!
Best wishes,
Trwhouse
You may want to check the rotor for warping as well.
Do you have pics of the rotor?
Check the thickness while you are there.
If you can prop the front end of the bike up see if it spins freely too!