5th gen brake pad q

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by loosenoose, Aug 6, 2017.

  1. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    i'm taking a break to cool off inside while im working on the teardown and general poking around my new, cheapo vfr. i just found out that the rear brakes were seized and had no pad left, so i'm looking to order some pads for the whole bike now. are the brake pads for the front and rear the same? they look the same! i'm not used to that. should i just find a decent set of pads and order 3 (2 each, 6 pads total)?
     
  2. derstuka

    derstuka Lord of the Wankers Staff Member

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  3. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    thanks. i just ordered 3 sets of EBC 261 HH's
     
  4. derstuka

    derstuka Lord of the Wankers Staff Member

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    I stuck with EBC HH for years. Good pads
     
  5. ksoholm

    ksoholm New Member

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    And you're rebuilding the calipers, master cylinders, and replacing brake fluid, yes?

    EBC 261HHs are great.
     
  6. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    yes.
    probably going to work on it more on tues or wed. i'm pooped from today. its so hot and humid. i sweat as soon as i get to the car port to work on the bike. i just had my 3rd shower today!
     
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  7. ksoholm

    ksoholm New Member

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    You'll love it when done. Fully rebuilt linked brakes give awesome stopping power; unfortunately, many riders are convinced they belong on the MotoGP circuit, and therefore do not need the linked brakes...
     
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2017
  8. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    Ever since I heard about the linked breaks and saw how they work, I thought it was a great idea
     
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  9. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    now i have a new problem... actually 2
    the brake pads came in a couple of days ago, and i got them into the calipers, but there isnt room between the pads for the disc to go in.
    i have the pistons fully pushed in. it looks like there's just too much meat on the pads. i dont know what to do.

    this has really made me miss the simplicity that was the brake job i did on the cbr250r that i had before this bike, lol. like remove one bolt, toss the new pads in, and bolt it back up.
     
  10. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    oh yeah, and the other problem is that i'm really dumb and i put the dang pistons on the rear brake in backwards, and pushed them flush with the caliper. how the hack to i get them out?
     
  11. ksoholm

    ksoholm New Member

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    1) If you have compressed air, you can carefully pop them out by applying light air pressure through brakeline hole with a thin piece of wood etc. behind the piston; it will come out hard. Watch your fingers. 2) Far better, go to Harbor Freight or a MC shop and buy a caliper piston puller; they will save your life. https://goo.gl/27yZyo

    Remember to lube cylinders upon reassembly with DOT4 brake fluid--or DOT5 if you have converted the whole system.

    If you have cleaned the calipers of crud and properly put them back together, pushed pistons in all the way, are using OE rotors, and are using EBC 261HHs, they WILL fit, do not worry. I suppose there's a chance the EBCs are defective--too thick--but likely not. Mine after full rebuild a few months ago.
     

    Attached Files:

  12. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    Thanks for the reply. Im headed out of town this afternoon, but will he back in a couple of days and will do a proper off the bike rebuild. I just dropped my wheels and new tires off at the local stealership and they were sure to rub it in my face that i could have gotten a $75 rebate if i bought through them :p
     
  13. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    i'm back to work on the bike. fresh tires, looking good!
    [​IMG]
    hoping to be on the road with it tomorrow, so i can get it inspected and titled in my name
    [​IMG]
    i brought the calipers and some tools inside so i can rebuild them in air conditioning. this is what i'm talking about
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    some help would be greatly appreciated at this point!
     
  14. slovcan

    slovcan New Member

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    Well, I haven't seen a 5th gen's brakes, but that sure looks to me like your pistons are not all the way in. The pistons still look a bit grungy, too. That could make them hard to push in that last bit. move them back out some and clean around them really good. Put a bit of brake fluid on the pistons and use a C clamp to press them all the way back in. Oh yeah, put one of your old pads between the C clamp and the pistons.

    Cheers,
    Glenn
     
  15. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    i cleaned everything off real good, removed the pistons and cleaned everything with simple green and dawn, and a wire wheel when needed.
    i think i have the wrong pads. it fits into the caliper, but doesnt leave room for the disc.
    these are the pads i bought
    http://www.pdi-racing.com/ebc-brake...yLQVl1uomnMsZz9hzmJCJy4ELaNC7jbRoC6V4QAvD_BwE
    again, the pistons are in as far as physics will allow. i got the left front pads on, and the caliper is so tight that i cant even turn the wheel. i cant even get the right side caliper on! i'm thinking of taking the damn thing to a shop, and getting it done professionally. i really dont want to do this, but if i want a bike to ride, i guess i'm going to have to.
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2017
  16. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    I have used the same pads on my 83, 2003 and 2014 without problems, I would do as "slovcan" suggested. Should be able to get old pad between new pads and use as a lever to push pistons back.
     
  17. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    the pistons are all the way in.
    i dont have a pic of them right now, on the bike, but there is only the slightest gap in which to work with. its not quite as wide as the disc itself. i tightened the left caliper through the bike wheel, on the right side. it is clamped down on the wheel so hard that the bike wont move at all. i havent flushed the brakes yet, because i cant even get the right caliper on the fork leg. the pads i have are the fa261/2 hh. does the "/2" make a difference?
     
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  18. loosenoose

    loosenoose New Member

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    i had my much more mechanically inclined dad check out the brakes just now. after some consideration, he decided it looks like i really need to file down the pad material. there's just no room for the disc at all, and that will open a gap enough for the brakes to be able to work. i have taken the front pads out for now, and will go buy a set of files tonight or tomorrow so that i can get this thing DONE!
     
  19. slovcan

    slovcan New Member

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    Yes, the "/2" does make a difference. BUT, there is no listing of that number with the /2 anymore on the main online stores or even on the EBC website. They all list FA261HH for front and back. Where did you get those pads? I suspect they may be old stock and EBC doesn't make the "/2" anymore. That just means they've been on the shelf for a while - no harm. BUT, the /2 used to mean they were for the front or back and were either thinner or thicker. I can't remember. I think my V65 Sabres were like that. I would buy 3 sets of whichever ones were the thinner so I could put them on front or back. The thicker ones were too thick to fit on the end they were not specified for.

    With all the calipers I can remember, the pistons are flush with the caliper body when fully compressed. In your pictures the pistons look like they are protruding about the thickness of a rotor. That is why I suggested they may not be all the way in. Most guys set an old pad over the pistons and squeeze them in with a C-clamp. As I said, I haven't seen the 5th gen calipers, so maybe they're different. I it would be better and easier to get the right pads (without the /2) than try to file or grind those down. It might be a challenge to file or grind them perfectly evenly - and they really should be even.

    Cheers,
    Glenn
     
  20. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    I believe you bought the wrong pads, you got FA261/2HH when you should have gotten the FA261HH. According to the EBC catalog:
    Screen Shot 2017-08-17 at 4.39.50 PM.png
    And you bought the:
    Screen Shot 2017-08-17 at 4.42.48 PM.png
    Make sense that the Goldwing pads would be thicker.
    I would not try and use the thicker pads, I know you want to get this on the road, but slip the old pads in and order the correct ones. Now that you familiar with the brakes, it will only take a few minutes to change the pads again after you get it back together and tested. This is a safety issue and not one to try and fool around with.
    You will never be able to file pads perfectly so that 100% of the surface of the pads will be engaging the disks.
     
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