Oh no, hot brake!

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Flashdog
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Oh no, hot brake!

Post by Flashdog »

I just put new tires on and found that I had less than 1mm of an inside rear pad left. So I replaced the rear brake pads and went for a 270 mile ride today. Throughout the day I kept checking my rear rotor and each time it was warmer (almost hot) than the fronts. I realize that with the partially-linked evo brakes the rear is activated with either the hand of foot control but I just can't remember if this is normal. The brake is not dragging and I can turn the back wheel on the center stand as always and I can move the caliper back and forth as before. Any thoughts? The bike has 26,000 miles on it and it's the first time I've had to change the brakes on it.

I was kinda thinking that during a dealer service they may have topped off the fluid with partially worn pads and now the caliper can't retract far enough with new pads. I better go check that.
Steve
02' black R1150R ABS
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riceburner
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Re: Oh no, hot brake!

Post by riceburner »

Flashdog wrote:I just put new tires on and found that I had less than 1mm of an inside rear pad left. So I replaced the rear brake pads and went for a 270 mile ride today. Throughout the day I kept checking my rear rotor and each time it was warmer (almost hot) than the fronts. I realize that with the partially-linked evo brakes the rear is activated with either the hand of foot control but I just can't remember if this is normal. The brake is not dragging and I can turn the back wheel on the center stand as always and I can move the caliper back and forth as before. Any thoughts? The bike has 26,000 miles on it and it's the first time I've had to change the brakes on it.

I was kinda thinking that during a dealer service they may have topped off the fluid with partially worn pads and now the caliper can't retract far enough with new pads. I better go check that.

Remember - when you're checking it on a ride... you've just stopped. How did you stop? Using the brakes? that will have warmed them up. ;)


If the disc is "hot", but not "OOYAARRGH YA hoot THAT'S BURNT MY FINGER!!" hot then it's fine. the spit test could be used (if it's hot enough to make spit sizzle it's an issue).


oh - did you clean the pistons off thoroughly when you replaced the pads?? if not the brake "MIGHT" be dragging a bit.
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combustor777
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Re: Oh no, hot brake!

Post by combustor777 »

Just replaced my rear pads at 18k when I got new tires. They weren't as worn as yours but I figured for $30 part might was well change it while I'm thinking about it instead of waiting for an expensive grinding sound 5000 miles later. 26k on a rear set of pads sounds pretty good to me. My rear caliper is as lubed up and free as it can get and it still rubs the disc a little, disc gets warm but not HOT. Do a search on the board I think there are people getting only 7k out of rear pads!

Oh is this a non-abs bike? Your fluid level might be too high (overflowing?) from reservoir with new pads, if the fluid were refilled with old pads on, but I don't think it could make them drag. Did they do a brake bleed with the service? Otherwise I see no reason for them to "top up" the fluid.
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TNOutback
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Re: Oh no, hot brake!

Post by TNOutback »

Might you be dragging the rear brake a bit as you ride?
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owldaddy
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Re: Oh no, hot brake!

Post by owldaddy »

I think you will find that the pads are always in contact with the disc. they may not drag per say, but they do touch. any amount of touching will produce some friction, it may not be much, but it is there. The pistons never actually retract into the caliper far enough to leave a space between the pads and the disc.
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Flashdog
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Re: Oh no, hot brake!

Post by Flashdog »

I understand that disc brake have a normal amount of drag as the caliper pistons don't retract any further than they have to when releasing the brake pressure. I guess my question was how hot is normal and if maybe I missed a special "trick" in replacing the pads. It's an ABS bike. By the way, I noticed some posts on here about getting rid of ABS. Why?
Steve
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combustor777
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Re: Oh no, hot brake!

Post by combustor777 »

Re: ABS removal

I think it has to do with either A: ABS servo module failure (an otherwise $2k repair) or B: not enjoying the bleed process of taking the bike apart and bleeding 11 different nipples every year. or C: I guess some people just don't like the grabby-ness/lack of feedback from the servo brakes but I got used to it fairly easily. I don't do any track riding though.
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