Brake pad concern

While installing a new PR2 yesterday I took a look at the front brake pads on my 07'. The pads all looked great except one of the pads was worn almost completely gone. The bike has 35k on it and I bought it with 25k. Anyone care to suggest a reason why only one of the pads would be so worn when the others looked less than 50% used?

I bled the brakes when I got the bike, and the brakes work just fine. Thanks in advance.

Tom

What you are seeing is the result of linked brakes on the Gen II bikes.

The rear brakes are linked to one set of pads on the front right.

07fjrTom said:

While installing a new PR2 yesterday I took a look at the front brake pads on my 07'. The pads all looked great except one of the pads was worn almost completely gone. The bike has 35k on it and I bought it with 25k. Anyone care to suggest a reason why only one of the pads would be so worn when the others looked less than 50% used?
I bled the brakes when I got the bike, and the brakes work just fine. Thanks in advance.

Tom

Click to expand...

I see. Thanks Bob.

I typically install all new pads every time I change out the brakes on any bike I've had. Anyone see a problem just changing the worn one by itself in this case, since the others are all ok? Also is there a remedy for this problem?

You are using the rear brake too hard. Try to use more the front brake and less the rear brake.

I never use the rear brake and I changed 3 times 3 pairs and have one pair like new, the pair from the rear brake linked piston.

DiasDePlaya said:

You are using the rear brake too hard. Try to use more the front brake and less the rear brake.
I never use the rear brake and I changed 3 times 3 pairs and have one pair like new, the pair from the rear brake linked piston.

Click to expand...

Your avatar is SO much better looking than you are . . . . .

+1 - Rear brakes are pretty much for decoration only.

After 3 brake changes, the next time you should have a full set of pads for the front!!!

Interesting. Back in the day when I went to "how to ride a motorcycle" school, the prevailing wisdom was to use both front and rear brake at the same time. Heck I've been doing it "wrong" all these years.

Seriously, thanks for your input guys, each bike has it's unique behavior so I guess I will have to modify my riding style. I have only had this bike for 5 months and am still learning my way around it. Using this forum has done wonders to shorten the learning curve. :dribble:

These things have rear brakes? :tomato:

I was just into mine last week (installing PR2s ironically enough) and I had just one pad looking low. Left side caliper, inside pad - not the linked one. I swapped it with one of the ones that had more meat and braking seems to be good. I still put in an order with Zanotti for a full set (damn, those things are pricey). I'm heading our for a long trip in a month and am a bit anal about things like brakes.

Your previous owner may have had a sticky brake pedal for a time.

QUOTE (07fjrTom @ May 26 2010, 08:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

While installing a new PR2 yesterday I took a look at the front brake pads on my 07'. The pads all looked great except one of the pads was worn almost completely gone. The bike has 35k on it and I bought it with 25k. Anyone care to suggest a reason why only one of the pads would be so worn when the others looked less than 50% used?

I bled the brakes when I got the bike, and the brakes work just fine. Thanks in advance.

Tom

You say "One of the pads".

If you mean "one pad" (there are a total of eight pads on the front) then there is something wrong, one piston must be jammed pressing the pad against the disc.

If you mean "one pair" (there are two pairs each side at the front), then it depends which pair. The lower pair on the left right* side is the pair linked from the back. If that is the "worn" pair, then there is too much braking from the back, probably means your pedal is jammed down, its pivot needs lubricating (and you should check the rear pads). If the "worn" pair is the top on the right, or either upper or lower pair on the left, again you have a problem. These three pairs should wear similarly.

As some sort of reference, here are a couple of pictures of mine, taken at about 14000 miles.

Right side, note the upper pair worn more than the lower (click on image for larger view)



Left side, note they are worn similarly to the upper right pair:



Hope that helps some.

*Edited, see posts 10, 11, 12, 13 below.

It does help! My pads look exactly like the ones in your pictures (well except that mine are worse). Sucks that I have to change the pads, but at least I know it's somewhat normal behavior for this bike. I appreciate your help. This forum is great..... my sincerest thanks to you all! :yahoo:

mcatrophy said:

The lower pair on the left side is the pair linked from the back.

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Damn, I would've bet the house that it was the lower on the right hand side. Maybe I'm getting soft.

mcatrophy - I have to thank you for all you pictures/posts. You've helped me out on many occasions.

FjrVfr said:

mcatrophy said:

The lower pair on the left side is the pair linked from the back.

Click to expand...

Damn, I would've bet the house that it was the lower on the right hand side. Maybe I'm getting soft.

mcatrophy - I have to thank you for all you pictures/posts. You've helped me out on many occasions.

Click to expand...

I suppose it is the lower pair on the left if you are facing the rear of the bike.

bramfrank said:

I suppose it is the lower pair on the left if you are facing the rear of the bike.

Click to expand...

Always tough with bikes when you can't say "driver's side" or "passenger side."

FjrVfr said:

Damn, I would've bet the house that it was the lower on the right hand side. Maybe I'm getting soft.

Click to expand...

bramfrank said:

I suppose it is the lower pair on the left if you are facing the rear of the bike.

Click to expand...

FjrVfr said:

Always tough with bikes when you can't say "driver's side" or "passenger side."

Click to expand...

Sorry guys, did it in a hurry. I've edited my post above.

"Driver's side" and Passenger's side" would get even more confusing, 'cos you Yanky types insist on putting your drivers and passengers on the wrong side of your cars, then driving on the wrong side of the road so they can cope.

Perhaps we should use "port" and "starboard"?

Just to add a bit that might help the OP, I recently got two new pairs of pads (at great expense), changed the left pairs for the new, used the lower right pair in the upper right position, and used the best two of the remaining well-worn six pads in the lower right position.

The record I kept:

• Date: 16th May 2010, miles: 20432
• New pad thickness approx 5.1mm
• Changed left hand front brake pads for new.
• Old ones measured 2.5mm, 2.7mm, 2.9mm, 2.9mm
• Right hand side, "rear" pad thicknesses were 4.6mm and 4.4mm, "front" were 2.2mm and 1.9mm
• Put old "rear" as "front", used best of the left hand side for "rear".

It's also useful to note that the wear groove goes to within 0.5mm of the metal. Yamaha obviously expects you to use them to the limit of the material.

bramfrank said:

DiasDePlaya said:

You are using the rear brake too hard. Try to use more the front brake and less the rear brake.
I never use the rear brake and I changed 3 times 3 pairs and have one pair like new, the pair from the rear brake linked piston.

Click to expand...

Your avatar is SO much better looking than you are . . . . .

+1 - Rear brakes are pretty much for decoration only.

After 3 brake changes, the next time you should have a full set of pads for the front!!!

Click to expand...

The woman in my avatar is my wife. I will mention her your comment, sure she will appreciate it.

About the brake pads I usually buy the EBC FA283HH that are the same pads than the FA423/4HH but come in one pair per package, then I buy 3 pairs every time. Price around $25.00 per pair in USA but $50.00 here in Chile.