Guest Posted May 21, 2010 Posted May 21, 2010 Hi All,I've just replaced the front pads on my XJ900S Diversion, and it wasn't a good experience. This is my first time wielding spanners for a long time - at least, as far as waving them at a bike is concerned. My last experience with front brakes on a bike was the then leading edge technology of twin leading shoes on a Triumph T'bird - some time around 1965.I bought the required pads from a firm on the 'Net, (maybe shouldn't mention their name here??) and set to with the Haynes manual in my hand. As usual, I don't think the guys who wrote the book actually tried this bit of the procedure - after about an hour and a half of trying every which way to get the damn pads out without removing the caliper I gave up and removed it. The pads came out easily.Then came the joy of trying to get the new pads to 'slip' into place. Believe it or not, I spent over two hours trying to fit those sodding pads. Perhaps a couple of cuppas stretched it a little. After that length of time getting up and down from my position on the floor of my utility room, wooden floored thank God, I was really starting to feel my age. My temper wasn't really good either I suppose by then - no matter, my lass will speak to me again eventually.I was convinced that it was my fault; I was obviously missing something obvious. Maybe this was the start of my 'Alzheimers Period'? Anyway, after yet another cup of tea, obviously interspersed with several pee's, I decided to fit one of the old pads, just to make sure that I was doing it properly. Straight in, no problem at all. So, I put one of the old pads against one of the new ones, and what do you think? Yep, slightly different in length, enough so that in a fairly critical 'fit' situation there was no chance of getting them around the pad retainers. The steel backing material appears to be a 'stamping', but these looked like they were done with a blunt stamping tool. I've attached a close-up of the end of one of the pads. The picture shows the pad before I've finished filing it to size - the blue paint shows how much of the outer edges are left to remove before they are level with the centre.I should have taken a picture before I started filing - there was quite a bit of metal to remove. Apologies for the supports used to hold the pad in position whilst I played the photog game; the bananas were 'Free Trade' at least.Can anyone tell me; would you expect to have to modify a brake pad in this way? They certainly weren't cheap - the pads were from a maker called KYOTO, supplied through quite a well known UK bitz supplier.The brakes have tested well, appearing to bed in fine after only a few miles of regular but brief applications. I assume I won't get full braking power until quite a few miles.Ian Quote
Guest Posted May 21, 2010 Posted May 21, 2010 The short answer is yes.When i used to work on the spanners,I regularly had to do that to pads. As I result, it is one of the first things I do now. Doesn't help you NOW, but will in the future Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.