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[Morgan Buchanan]

I posted this on the big board, but I figured I'd see if anyone here might be smarter.    Or maybe bored and feeling like shooting by my place in Lewisville.... LMAO

I'm having trouble after installing new brake pads.  essentially, they're too tight on the rotors.  They installed correctly...but they're gripping the rotors slightly more than they should.  the tire DOES roll, but it's got more contact than it should.  it's a smooth action, so I know it's not out of round or anything like that...  They're new EBC pads.  I pulled the back brackets off the OEM pads because they seem thinner than the EBC backplates, and that actually alleviated the problem to some SMALL degree, but they still tighten up more than they should.

Anyone have any ideas?  I saw a post about front wheel calibration and they pointed me to this thread on bareass:

http://bareasschoppers.com/frontwheel/

Now, I did notice when I had a front wheel put on last time that some minor brake rubbing started, so it's possible if this article is "good" that the wrenches at the dealer goofed up.  Dunno....  I have some wear left on the OEM pads so I can switch back if I don't figure this out, but I'd sure like to be done with it... I AM getting good at pad swapping tho.. or maybe not really good at it if it's not working right...  LOL

So...HELP!

[snake]

Assuming nothing is "wrong" with the front wheel as it sounds like it's been a good while since it was off, maybe EBC just let a thicker pad than normal get away. You didn't say, but are both sides binding? Did you have the calipers squeezed in all the way before installing, and did the brakes bind before or after you hit either the front or rear brake? Remember the rear pedal operates the center piston on each of the front calipers also.

[Morgan Buchanan]

Assuming nothing is "wrong" with the front wheel as it sounds like it's been a good while since it was off, maybe EBC just let a thicker pad than normal get away. You didn't say, but are both sides binding? Did you have the calipers squeezed in all the way before installing, and did the brakes bind before or after you hit either the front or rear brake? Remember the rear pedal operates the center piston on each of the front calipers also.

Correct, nothing wrong with the front wheel.  OEM pads back on, no problems.  Both calipers are binding.  Binding is marginally a wrong word.  "Marginally frictioning" is more accurate.  I can spin the tire by hand but it stops pretty quickly. Yes, the calipers were squeezed in as far as I could get them.  If the pistons are  say .5mm out, but you can get the pads in and you still have to squeeze the lever to get them to clamp down, is that a problem?  This is entirely without the rear being functioned.  I replaced the rear pads several days before (with OEM pads) and had no issues.

[snake]

I have EBC's on my Retro, no prob. I'm guessing maybe you could use some sandpaper to "slim" down the pads a little. Then check what happens before and after you function the brakes as far as friction goes. Little to no friction before, and heavy friction after using the brake handle would indicate a sticking piston, I would think. Is there any chance the pistons were in a bind while you forced them in to put the new pads on?

[Morgan Buchanan]

I asked the question about thinning pads down once an a mechanic I actually trusted said it's a REALLY bad idea.  Pistons are functioninng perfectly...  I've read "stuff" on the big board that there are a lot of hit-or-miss problems with non OEM pads.  It's odd, I've always run non OEM pads in bikes....  Shrug.

[Crewsn]

i just replaced the pads on my 03 1800C with the EBC's as well. the single biggest issue i had, and after some research, others had was the sound produced by these pads. because of the sound people tend to think the pads are rubbing to much and "binding". the reason for the sound of these pads is they are made from a slightly harder compound than the OEM's are made of. just like in the automotive industry you have organic, semi-metallic, and metallic. organic is the softest and quietest but wear the fastest. metallic is the hardest and loudest but wear the longest. see where i'm going with this? when i first installed mine it sounded like i had a colony of crickets living in my front wheel and it got louder when the pedal was applied. now after about 6-700 miles it has all but disappeared, i believe this is due to the fact that it does take some time for the pads to "seat" to the rotor. brake pads will almost always slightly contact the rotor, just the design i guess. you should be able to spin the wheel a revolution or 2 with a good push. it's hard to explain what is to much drag and what is not though. you can adjust the wheel on the axle as i did. there is an index mark on the actual axle to use as a reference. what i did was left mine a little loose and would spin the wheel and adjust the wheel until i found the "sweet spot"(minimal rubbing). hope this helps, lord knows i could have dang near done a brake job in the time it took me to type this. good luck and ride safe.

[Morgan Buchanan]

Yup, I read that as well.  I wasn't concerned about slightly touching.  That's not what's happening.  The pads are touching the rotors hard enough to stop it from spinning freely.  IE, if you do the big WHeel of Fortune spin of the tire when it's on a stand, it goes about 1/4 turn and stops dead.  The pads are so hot at the end of a 10 mile ride on the highway at 50 degrees that they instantly vaporize water that touches them at the end.  They're binding TOO much, but not by MUCH.  if they were a fraction of a mm thinner, I don't think it'd happen.

[Morgan Buchanan]

Rode to work today and hit the oem pads hard at the end and the rotors were nowhere near as hot.  The ebc pads were holding tight enough that the bike would not roll down a driveway without being pushed.

[snake]

Don't ride em too much they catch fire, lol. Maybe the rotors won't get too hot before they wear down a little.

[Morgan Buchanan]

LOL  Seems like a bad idea, but maybe that is just me.

[SouthernXer]

You get them squared away, Morgan? 

[Morgan Buchanan]

If by "squared" you mean "I put the OEM pads back on" then yeah.  LOL 

[SouthernXer]

If by "squared" you mean "I put the OEM pads back on" then yeah.  LOL 

ahhh... I had some time this week and was going to help ya... 

[Morgan Buchanan]

Hey man, if you have time I'll get some beer.    It's not like it takes long to pull the pads and swap them.

[BigNasdy]

besides a fire, the brake fluid can boil and lock the front end and flip you over the bars, effectivly ending yer problem
With ebc pads, dont reinstall the thin anti squeak backplate. Also coat the back of the pads, with anti squeak spray before installing. Worked for me in the past, and it works for a reason.
Problem solved....
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