BRAKE PADS EXCHANGE

Inspection.

• Inspect the brake pads for wear by romoving the black cap that's on the back of the caliper and then
  looking at the brake pads. The brake pads should be replaced when there is only 1 to 1.5 mm of friction
  material left.
• Badly worn brake pads could severely damage the brake disc.

Whick type of brake pads should I use.

• Usually the kevlar type are best.
• The sintered metal type (HH) will wear out your brake disc much quicker but are have better grip.

What you need to fit new brake pads

• New brake pads (Never re-use part worn brake pads).
• High temperture grease (Copper grease).
• Something to push the pistons back in with.
• Clean rags.
• A small table or stool to rest the caliper on.
• 250ml of DOT 4 brake fluid in a sealed container.
• Hex keys (allen keys).
• Some other common tools.

Caution

• Do not disassemble the hydraulic system (Inspect the hydraulic system for leaks).
• Do not bend or twist the brake hose (Inspect the hose for cracks or any signs of damage).
• Do not hang the caliper off the brake hose.
• Do not apply grease on the friction surface of the brake pads.
• Do not apply an excessive amount of grease on the back of the brake pads as it might "leak" onto the
  friction surface of the pads or disc.
• Brake dust may contain asbestos fibres that can and will cause diseases such as CANCER.
• Take whatever steps are necessary to avoid inhaling brake dust (Never use an air brush).
• Use only DOT 4 brake fluid as anything else may cause brake failure.
• Once the caliper pistons have been ejected from the caliper body the old oil and dust seal have to be
  discarded and new ones fitted.
• Brake fluid may damage rubber, plastic and painted surfaces, be carefull.
• Use only DOT 4 brake fluid as anything else may cause brake failure.
• DOT 4 brake fluid is hydroscorpic which means it absorbs water, thus you should only use brake fluid
  from a sealed container
• Do not allow foreign material to enter the master cylinder resevoir while filling it.
• Hydraulic brakes should only be serviced by a trained and expierienced person.
• If the brakes are "spongy", leaking or have any defects whatsoever then the motorcycle is not safe
  to drive.
• If brake fluid or and other substance contaminates the brake disc then it will need to be cleaned
  with "brake parts degreaser".
• If brake pads become contaminated with brake fluid or any other substance then they should be discarded.
• Once a seal has been broken new seals should be fitted.
• Do not mix different types of brake fluid.
• After servicing the brakes: inspect and test the brakes before taking the bike on the road.
• If any of the threaded components (eg: caliper body bolts, bleed nipple, hose connection etc) are
  damaged then the front brake system is unreliable.
• Keep the caliper on or wrapped in a towel to prevent scratching it.

It is possibe to take the brake pads out without taking the caliper
off the disc, however you will need to push the pistons back before fitting
new brake pads, and you will need to take the caliper off to do this.

Procedure

1. Check for uneven wear on brake disc, which is usually caused by a misaligned wheel or caliper.
2. Check that the brake disc bolts are not louse,
   Note: Avoid interfering with the bolts except if they are louse.
3. Check front wheel bearings for a jog.
4. Release the brake hose from the two clips that hold it in position (do not disassemble the hydraulic
   system).
5. Remove the caliper mounting bolts and then swing the caliper off the brake disc.
6. Remove the pin plug, pin, spring pad and then the old brake pads (Remember how these pieces were
   arranged for quicker assembly later).
7. Push the four pistons back with a clamp, or if you don't have a clamp then open the bleed nipple
   and push the pistons back in one at a time (close the bleed nipple before you stop applying pressure
   on the piston)
8. Install the new brake pads, spring pad, pin and pin plug and tighten securely (apply a small amount
   of grease to the backs of the pads and to the threads of the pin etc).
9. Clean and apply copper grease to the caliper mounting bolts and then install the caliper.
10. Tighten caliper mounting bolts to: Honda say: 27 Nm, but that sounds a lot for M8 alloy!
11. Fill the Master Cylinder reservoir to the upper limit with DOT 4 brake fluid.
12. Pump the brake lever until it becomes hard (check the fluid in the reservoir again).
13. Lift the wheel off the ground and check that it spins freely (Some bit of drag is inevitable)
14. It will take about 10 miles to "bed in" the new brake pads, depending on how groovy the brake disc is.
15. Be carefull, if there is a lot of brake drag the system may overheat resulting in damage to the brake
    disc (warpage) and caliper components.