[FIRE UP]

Gents,
I didn't do any search on this 'cause, searches for me, almost never turn up anything I'm looking for. Anyway, my back brakes are for the most part, metal to metal. NOT GOOD. I've purchased but, have not installed some OEM Brake pads from Wingstuff and they're currently sitting on the workbench, awaiting install due to me having other projects that have taken priority. Well, their spot in the lineup is coming to the top of the list. I might have to do a bit of re-surfacing of the discs, we'll see when I get it apart.

But, in the car/truck world, there's always talk about "Breaking in brakes". And, we'd often do it for new brakes on our fire trucks. Talk about stinky. Anyway, I'm wondering, if you boys and girls that have installed a new set of OEM (or maybe any other brand/type) of brakes, have you done an immediate riding/brake application series that will:

1. Seat or, bed-in the new brakes?
2. Develop a good, positive brake life, for the life of those new brakes?
3. Allow for maybe say, longer life of the new brakes?

I sure appreciate any help here. We'll get on this job soon.
Scott

 

[PastoT]

I've never had an issue with new pads (OEM for me), but my rotors wore very evenly until their time for replacement. Resurfacing can be done but keep in mind the minimum thickness of the rotors an understand there is very little excess to permit it. Prior to me rotors I'd install the new pads, flush and bleed the entire system and then test them out on a back road. Of things went well I'd work them in at around 50mph and ride the brakes hard several times to ensure they were seated and hopefully working well. It shouldn't take to many miles for them to bed to evenly worn rotors. Of the rotors are ridged or scored my metal parts from your old pads I'd expect some reduced breaking as there pads conform to the rotors. Hopefully your rotors are still in good shape. I found new rotors and pads timing a lot longer to behave them selves, I immediately had throbbing brakes after their installation. I checked everything over and all was in spec but it took maybe 500 miles until breaking was smooth again. I never discovered what caused it.

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[awingnut105]

All I ever do is a couple of hard stops from about 50mph. Unless I have a problem, which I never have, I’m good to go and never give them another thought.

 

[Fred H.]

The pads and rotors have to bed in. You need to do this gently. If you're too aggressive you will get them too hot and glaze the surface or develop a hot spot. I try to do a few stops at 30mph with time in-between to allow them to cool off, and then progressively do some stops from higher speed. The key is not to let the brakes get too hot before the surfaces have bedded in to each other. Normal riding around town and a few stoplights usually is good enough to accomplish this. You do need to get the brakes hot enough to bed them in, but not so hot you glaze them. Normal riding will usually take care of it as long as you don't do too many stops in a row or get too aggressive.



Different pad types bed in at different rates, and I think the OEM sintered metal pads take a bit longer to totally bed in.

 

[PastoT]

Do be very sure you get the brake pins in properly. I missed one rear pad a couple years ago and though they worked it took about 10 miles into town and back to notice a clicking sound and found a groove in one place that the unused run of the rotor wore into the pad. The clicking was the pad striking the rotors rivits ever so slightly. The rear is just so difficult to see that I missed the hole on the left pass behind the wheel.

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[FIRE UP]

Thanks to all who've responded here. Very, very much appreciated. As for the actual condition of my rear rotor, well, I'll know in a few days. I'm finishing up motor home projects right now. I know that there's very little "meat" on those rotors to begin with so, turning them is gonna be very limited. But, we'll see. I primarily wanted to know if there was a break-in procedure that anyone used. And apparently, there is so, I'll get this job done and use what's been advised. Outstanding boys, again, thanks.
Scott.

 

[jlbc212]

I've done lots of brake jobs on all kinds of vehicles including my Goldwings. After pushing in the pistons into the caliper cylinders to install the new brake pads the most important thing to do is to pump the brake hand and foot pedals several times to move the brake fluid back into the caliper cylinders before attempting to move/drive the vehicle. After that I drive like I normally would, no break-in period required. I've never had any issue with pads breaking into the rotors.

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

Do be very sure you get the brake pins in properly. I missed one rear pad a couple years ago and though they worked it took about 10 miles into town and back to notice a clicking sound and found a groove in one place that the unused run of the rotor wore into the pad. The clicking was the pad striking the rotors rivits ever so slightly. The rear is just so difficult to see that I missed the hole on the left pass behind the wheel.

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I've seen it happen to the left front also. Here is how I check. Certain pads are easy to check.
- rear, look through the rear wheel on the left side to verify that the pad's curve follows the curvature of the rotor.
- fronts, look through the wheel to the opposite's sides inboard pad and make sure its top tab is inserted into the caliper correctly. With a mirror, verify that the pin is going through each pads' pin holes.

 

[Zee Fifty]

I would think any breakin procedure necessary would be described in the service manual.

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

I would think any breakin procedure necessary would be described in the service manual.

Or the Owner's Manual for new owners !!! Here's is how Honda says to ride a new Wing.

HELP ASSURE YOUR WING'S FUTURE RELIABILITY AND PERFORMANCE BY PAYING EXTRA ATTENTION TO HOW YOU RIDE DURING THE NEXT 300 MILES. DURING THIS PERIOD, AVOID FULL THROTTLE STARTS AND RAPID ACCELERATION.

 

[JW.]

If you're machining your discs, the surface will be much smoother than a used disc so the break-in procedure won't be as critical. Simply use your brakes gently until the pad is fully in contact with the disc surface then build up the heat gradually to condition the pad material.

You may find the Ferodo motorcycle website informative in numerous ways if you have an interest in techie stuff.

https://www.ferodoracing.com/products/motorcycle/brake-pads-and-shoes/

 

[cycledude]

A couple months ago I traded in my 2013 Tenere with 50,000 miles for a brandnew 2018 Tenere. For the first 500 miles the 2018 brakes didn’t seem to work anywhere near as well as my 2013 brakes did but as the miles added up so did the brakes performance, now that I have 2,000 miles on it the brakes work just as good as the old bike, I had never noticed brakes needing to break in before but with my Tenere it definitely was true and very noticeable.

 

[ALEXB]

I recently had opportunity to use a "Flex Hone" on the rotors for my 1800, and it worked Very Well.


Normally I use Sandpaper to rough up both rotors and pad, prior to re/install... But the Flex Hone did a much nicer job on the rotors, with great coverage and randomness of grove pattern.

https://www.amazon.com/Brush-Research-Flex-Hone-For-Rotors/dp/B007SOW0WC

 

[Corventure]

Scott,


If your pads are warn down to metal..... I would just replace the rear rotor.


I have over the years kept an eye on the For Sale site here. I have purchased a couple Rear brake rotors from near or zero mile trike conversions. Never paid more then $75.
On my 2005 I changed the rear rotor at 110,000+ miles with one of these. Still have one spare on the wall, even tho I picked up a brand New 2016 this year.
Too bad the fronts aren't as easy to come by!


:capwin:


Corventure Dave

 

[PastoT]

If you have rotor questions at all get a micrometer and measure them before trying to resurface them. Mine looked great, shimmery and evenly worn, but we're at their limit or just under. I was quite surprised, but had to replace them all; and if never been metal on metal.

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[Bipeflier]

Just grab a rotor from a trike take off. DONE

 

[FIRE UP]

Gents,
Again, I most certainly appreciate all your help here. Sorry, I've been tied up with other projects and, I didn't want you folks that are responding and trying to help me, think I've forgotten you. I will get to this project as soon as possible. I've used mics on rotors before so, I'll do that when mine is off the rear wheel. Only then will I be able to determine if it's still usable or not. If not, I'm off hunting for a rear one. Maybe a trike take-off. Although, every time I look for something pertaining to a trike take off, it's always gone way before I get there. I've been looking for a 2012 or newer complete rear shock WITH SPRING for quite a while now but, I'm never at the right place, at the right time. Anyway, thanks again and, I'll keep all informed when I tackle this job.
Scott

 

[The prophet]

The fronts do most of the stopping. You can use a rotor that has been damaged by metal to metal contact, but the pads won't stop as well and won't last as long as a well surfaced rotor. I always scuff the rotors really good with a scotch brite pad and clean with brake cleaner to prep the rotor. Clean the pins with fine sand paper (600 grit) or used scotch brite pad. This will insure the metal backing on the pads can slide easily on the pins. I do as others stated, a few easy stops, increasing in brake pressure as not to heat the pad too quickly. After a good number of hard stops when the pads grab well, you are good to go. Happens pretty quick. I have bed-in many race bike pads like this with excellent results. By the way, my bike came with stock Honda pads and they did not work well. I wondered what the **** was wrong with the brakes until my suspicions were confirmed that the pads suck. I am now using EBC HH pads and they are far superior in stopping power.

 

[FIRE UP]

Well Gang,
It's been a long time coming. I finally brought this project up in priority to numero UNO! It's been a while since I yanked the rear tire on the big girl so, I did it for a couple of reasons. I knew I was gonna have to address the scared up rotor so, off comes the wheel and tire. Then, after some figuring out, I got the rotor off. Well, the rotor's not good but, it's not all that bad either. The specs call for a minimum of 10MM thickness and, right now, as best as I can tell with my mic, its' sitting close to 10.5MM thick. Now, before anyone gets their panties all twisted up, I did a search for rear rotors on both the i-net and, locally. There's a few on the net, ebay, a couple of privates etc. But, I got lucky, I found one RIGHT HERE IN TOWN, in our little town of Lake Havasu City AZ.

There's a guy who owns or, at least works at Desert Thunder Cycles and he occasionally builds Wing Trikes. He just happened to have one rear, take off rotor left. I picked it up this morning for a whopping $40. It's in great shape, used, but, in great shape. Waaaaaaaaay better than mine. So, I got it home and, proceeded to simply "de-glase" it. I've got a whole plethora of metal working tools, discs, surface prep components and all that. So, just a few minutes on each side and, it's ready for install.

I broke the brand new brake pads out of their dusty package and got ready to install them. The pins looked good and, I got out my Silicone grease for the pin boots, even though, on close examination, the boots still had/have grease in them. So, all went back together slick as snot. I need a new tire so, I'll finish this project tomorrow maybe, IF I get the tire I want in the morning.

As far as the old rotor is concerned, well, eventually I'm gonna find someone with a lathe that will turn this thing for me, just to see what it will take to clean it up. If it takes it past the safe limit, oh well.
Scott

 

[jcsouders5464]

If you have rotor questions at all get a micrometer and measure them before trying to resurface them. Mine looked great, shimmery and evenly worn, but we're at their limit or just under. I was quite surprised, but had to replace them all; and if never been metal on metal.

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And on that note you do not have to buy a hundred dollar Micrometer. A $15 dollar one from Harbor Freight just as well for the home mechanic. I am a technician in Honda car dealer And I have a couple of the Harbor Freight ones and they have turned out to be as accurate as the ones some of the guys have bought off the tool trucks for $150.