Front brake pad lifetime?

[ChUcK]

I'm rapidly approaching 4000 miles on the odo, and the front brakes are starting to squeak. I haven't been out there to check the pad thickness, because the Displacement has been under cover for a couple of days while my carport neighbor cuts tile (makes a huge mess).

So, I thought I'd kill the time by asking you guys instead of going out there and risking getting tile dust on my bike.

What did the odo read when you changed your front brake pads the first time? My Meanie took 12,000 miles before the squeaking began.

edit: I managed to sneak some carport time in this evening, and I still have a ton of life left on my front pads. The squeaking is only occurring during slow speed braking. Deanohh, you got any advice for me?

 

[Rookasaki]

I was just about to start a thread similar to this... I too am experience squeaking at slow breaking... I have 6k miles on the pads. I'll have to check the thickness tomorrow... Sorry Chuck can't give advise, I'm stuck on this subject too...

 

[Rabbitman109]

This topic has been brought up before... I had over 5k on my pads when I changed to the EBC double H pads, and I didn't have any issues with squeaking, and there was very little wear. I think the consensus from the last thread was that if the brakes aren't being used very hard, they can get a film on the pads and that makes them squeak. If you either get out there and use the brakes really hard to get the film off, or take the pads out and scuff them up with some sandpaper to take the film off. Try that and see what happens. After you get it off, see if there is any squeaking. Good luck guys!!

 

[Fugu]

I've got over 23,000 on my front ones and are maybe half used. Rear lasted around 20,000.

 

[rskinz6r]

i only have 800mi and my fronts squeak a little bit. i just had my 600 mi service and they had said they were fine. ill have to take a look they might just have dust

 

[dart1963]

What Chad said.... get out and get on them brakes hard a couple of times to clean off the "glazing" (not sure they are glazed, but similar)... you can start by hosing them down with a good quality brake parts cleaner, letting it dry well, then going into a parking lot and just start and stop a few times... then get going about 20-30 and stop as fast as you feel comfortable doing....

see if that helps.

 

[Spitfire]

Is this the same concept as a cage? My cage's brakes are squeeking and we just had them replaced a few months ago. They squeeked before and they squeeked after and they squeek now... I don't want to drive a dang mouse everywhere I go

 

[ChUcK]

I ride my front brakes pretty hard. I almost never use the rear except for U-turns and boredom. I'll take them off next chance I get and give them a good sanding. Thanks, y'all!

 

[stuna]

use this on the back of the pads and contact points . not on brake surface
. i use this at my auto shop , have for many years
Bel-Ray Assembly Lube - Street Bike - Motorcycle Superstore

 

[ChUcK]

I feel dumb, dumb, dumb. The day after I checked my pad wear I gave the chain an extremely thorough clean/wax. There's no more squeaking. I swear it was coming from the front brakes, but apparently not.

Sigh. In my defense I just came from 7 years on a shaft-driven Kawi, and have yet to become the chainmaster I once was in my Rebel/Shadow days.

 

[FZ6Rgurl]

I'm pretty darn proud of both my tires and my brakes! I'm coming up on the 8k service and I haven't replaced either my brakes or tires. My tires are getting down there, and I have my new set sitting in my garage, but I think I might wait until the end of this summer. I've had my brakes squeal a little bit but that was due to me living down a dirt road :-(. My service department hasn't said anything about me needing new brakes yet while it's sitting outside. I don't have any pulsations when I brake either . My bike is being a good girl.