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Changing brake pads


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I've already got the EBC HH's. Now I just need a little help on where to start. Does anybody have quick how to instructions? I just need to know which bolts to remove. Does the whole caliper come off or just swivel up? I am asking because I currently dont have computer to which I can(not) save the manual, which BTW is really not a manual. Thanks for the help ahead of time.

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all! I looked real quick the other day. Thought maybe you guys could point me in the right direction so I can spend a little less time wrenchin and more time ridin.

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There's a little rubber cap, or an allen plug, depending in the year, that covers the pin. Compress the pistons by pushing on the caliper with the old pads still in. Remove the pin, the pads will probably fall out. Put new pads in- this will be a real bitch if you didn't compress the pistons enough. Put pin though new pads, replace plug *pump them up* and you're done.

This is a totally simplified version, but it covers the broad points.

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OK.....

On the rear portion of each caliper, there is what appears to be a sloted-head screw.

That screw is actually a plug. Remove that plug, and it exposes the brake pad pin below it, which uses an allen key to remove. Remove that pin, then you can slide the pads out the back of the caliper.

You will probably want to use the old pads to push the pistons back in with, first.

After pushing the pistons back, and removing the old pads, install the new ones, then re-install the brake pad pin. Use silicone-based brake lube on the pin (where the pads ride it), and tighten to spec.

Now re-install the plug.

Be sure to pump your brakes up when you're done all 3 sets, and before you go riding........ :shock:

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Next WEEK?!

Tim, Chris, and I all know this....you coulda had them done in the time it took to read this thread......

or the time it took to write it........... :roll:

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here's a good hint. remove the cap of the main resevoir of the brakes that you are replacing pads (front brakes = handlebar and rear brakes = under the rear cowl) on before trying to push the pistons back in and they'll recede much more easily than with the cap on.

BUT.....

WATCH THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL AS YOU DO IT.... and don't cause it to over flow :grin:

p.s. you can do the swap without removing the calipers or the tire/wheels. it's just a LOT easier IF you remove the wheel/tire.

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You shouldn't push the pistons back into the bore of the caliper without cleaning around them first ...all sorts of road grime and shit gets in there.

Give them a good wash with brake clean and let it dry first or a good shot of compressed air... just don't breath the dust, do it out side in a well ventilated place)

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the blackbirds the easiest thing ive ever had to change brake pads on.took me about half an hour to change all sets the first time.dunno if you get the haynes workshop manuals in the us but there an excellent investment.everythings written out plainly and it,s saved me a fortune in mech bills

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Are you done yet? If not, this is what I would recommend:

First, leave the cover on the reservoir ON. Don't even loosen it. You stand a chance of throwing brake fluid all over the bike if you jostle the front wheel hard enough (which you know will happen), and brake fluid and paint are totally incompatible. There's plenty of room in the reservoir for the fluid you're going to force back upstream.

It is absolutely not necessary to remove either the calipers or the wheels.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about the grime around the pistons. The reason calipers are designed to "float" is because the combination of gyroscopic forces, heat and cornering loads that the brake calipers see on a daily basis already move the calipers quite a bit relative to the rotors. You'd probably shit if you could see how much the wheel and fork assembly flex during riding. The problem with using cleaner/solvents and compressed air is that you really can force grunge into some places where you will never get it out without disassembling the caliper assembly. All the manual says to do is to "clean the caliper assembly, especially around the caliper pistons", and it tells you to do this AFTER you have pushed the pistons back in and removed the old pads. I think you can do this with a bike wash with some mild soap and plenty of water, before you start the job (who wants to work on a dirty bike?). For each caliper, gently but firmly force the caliper assembly inboard (toward the wheel centerline), then outboard a few times. The caliper should now slide in and out a few tenths of an inch. Like Tim and Chris said, the pad pin plug is at the bottom of the caliper on the front brakes. The plug looks like a slotted screw, but really is just a dust cap. The pad pin is an allen screw. Remove it, and the pads, and replace with the new pads, and tighten the pad pin to 18 N-m or 13 ft-lb, whatever your torque wrench reads. Repeat for the other front caliper. Easy, wasn't it? The rear will be half as much work. In fact, I pulled my rear pads, and they weren't nearly as worn as the fronts, so I just reinstalled them and will check them the next time I think about changing the fronts.

Now would be a good time to bleed the brake lines and change the brake fluid.

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I digress, I always clean pistons before shoving them all the way in for a brake pad change. If not, you shove all that imbedded dirt and corrosion against the dust seal and the piston seal. not good.

On cars there is a bellows that follows the pistons so this is not needed but not on bikes.

BTW 600 posts. woohoo. :roll:

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