Thought I would post this to see what others have seen. My front brake wear is noticably uneven. The front right side calipers-as you sit in the saddle-are noticably more worn than the left. Now this got me to doing some testing. First I ran the bike up to high speed for a long time and then let it coast to a stop. Both front discs were cold. Don't think I have a brake sticking. Now I run up to speed and activate the rear brake only. Only the left front disc is mildly warm. This seems according to book. Then get up to speed and activate the front brake only. Left disc is uncomfortably warm but the right disc is way to hot to touch. Hhmmmmm. Now I get up to speed and hit all brakes as I am usually do. The front discs are only slightly cooler across the board. Now I get up to speed and hit all the brakes with a lot of pressure on the rear-more than I would normally think about doing. The fronts are notably cooler and the temperatures are balanced. Hhmmm again. Ideas? I would not normally use that much rear brake in routine driving but it did seem to balance out the front heat generation. Or is there a problem with the proportioning system. I am uncertain.
Balanced Brakes? and uneven wear
- Thread starter Lorien
- Start date
Here is what I surmised as to the reason the right side wears faster. It has to do with the linked brakes.
http://www.nt-owners.org/forums/showthread.php?3861-Checking-Brake-Pads-for-wear&highlight=
http://www.nt-owners.org/forums/showthread.php?3861-Checking-Brake-Pads-for-wear&highlight=
DirtFlier
Site Supporter
When I last had the front wheel off my bike, I checked brake pad thickness between left and right side calipers and could see no difference. I always do most of my stopping with the front brake and rarely stop rear brake only.
Yes, thank you I did review that in detail. Maybe the answer is I do tend to only lightly brake with the rear under most circumstances. In fact when I first got the bike I found that the rear lever seemed too "touchy" if you will and adjusted it where the travel was greater. Perhaps I over did it as it well.
Last edited:
I think you have found the "issue" to your uneven pad wear between the front discs. Use more rear brake....but not to much. 
I'm a mostly front brake guy and have the same wear pattern. Just changed my right front pads.
bicyclist
Guest
Well, I use em all, but I have the same wear pattern.
For what it is worth I am convinced that the right front brake on my bike is sticking since I have new pads in. The right pad (as you sit) heats up after a long highway drive at speed and coasting to a stop. Not scarey but obviously wrong. Will go away if you drive long enough just using the rear brake. On reflection this may be intrinsic to the bike in a bad way since others have seen it. I believe that the right brake assembly is overheating because it carries too much load (see my first post) and eventually damages the brake piston seals causing them to stick. THis may not happen to everyone but could be sporadic depending on driving style and climate. In any case if anyone has any quick hints on how to loosen up sticky brake pistons wihout a complete rebuild I am open to suggestion. I have tried pushing the assembly back and forth. Moves the pistons back readily but has had no effect on the heat once they move in.
All of this I left to the dealer hoping that they might figure it out when I mentioned the uneven wear. No such luck. To answer the question the wear on the right was very even but way ahead of the left. Seen this before on a ST11 that no one could ever help. And it did not have linkage. The right brake is simply taking too much load IMHO unless one brakes strongly with the rear-at least on my bike. Balancing the heat generation on the front discs is not hard but requires a lot more pressure on the rear pedal than I have ever used on anything in recent memory. Probably have to have them do a rebuild on the right assembly.
Relax, guys. I think what you're describing is normal with the linked brakes. To get even wear right to left, you'll have to find the exact ratio between front and rear braking so that that middle piston on the left pad does its work and applies as much pressure to the left front disk as it the right side does when you use the front brake.
Admittedly hard to say. Since the rear brake only activates one of the three pistons on the left I am uncertain just how much front brake to get out of this. For sure the rear is working hard because it gets very hot and is unusually effective. Still think the right caliper is having to handle too much load. Could be the left is not getting enough pressure fron the master.
The left side is getting two/thirds of the pressure that the right side gets because the front brake caliper only activates two out of three pistons. If you use the rear brake, then you may be getting close to the same pressure on both front disks. But I think there's a proportioning valve in the rear brake/middle left side assembly that reduces the pressure that middle left side piston gets from the rear. I know it delays application of the middle left side piston, but I don't know if that delay is time-based or pressure-based.
The front left middle piston is fed directly from the rear master cylinder. The rear brake is going through the proportioning valve, not the front.
So the prop valve should not be an issue on front pad wear. Unless there is a severe difference or brakes dragging, I don't think it is likely a problem.
Brad
Agreed. They just need to use more rear brake than they currently are to even out the wear. They can also swap the left and right set of caliper pads (kinda like rotating tires) as another way of evening out the wear.
I had the same issue with the first set of pads on my Wing (linked brake system). I modified my braking technique to use more rear brake and ....... now I have even front brake pad wear (left set compared to right set).
I had the same issue with the first set of pads on my Wing (linked brake system). I modified my braking technique to use more rear brake and ....... now I have even front brake pad wear (left set compared to right set).
I have a question or two. Having read this and a couple of other threads about pad wear I decided that it would be a good idea if I checked my pads. I bought the bike with 19,ooo km on the odo and it now has 29,600 km on it so 2/3 of the Ks were done by the PO. I removed all of the pads and was surprised how quick and easy it was, especially the rear which I expected to be really difficult. The point is that I measured all of the pads and found that there was virtually no difference. The RH inner pad was about 0.3mm thinner than the other three at 3.0mm compared to 3.3 to 3.4mm. This is the friction material only, add 4mm for the backing plate. The rear pads were 4.4 and 4.5mm plus 5.5mm for the backing plate. What I would like to know is what is the thickness of new pads? If I can get that info I can judge how much life I have left in my pads. Does anyone know the thickness of new pads or have a new set of pads on the shelf that they can measure for me? I will appreciate any help given.
Macka
Macka
Woodaddict
Site Supporter
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2012
- Messages
- 895
- Age
- 64
- Location
- Salisbury,NC
- 2024 Mileage
- 008802
- Bike
- Red NT700V & Spyder RTL
I can just help you out, having OEM front and rear pads at my house , ready at last minute to replace them. rear .210 inch or 5.33 mm, Honda part # 06435-MBL-D02, front right - .165 inch or 4.19 mm, Honda part # 06455-MCW-H02 , front left - same. .165 inch or 4.19 mm Honda part # 06456-MCW-H02. As stated these are genuine Honda replacement pads , not aftermarket. Measured with dial calipers, accurate thickness #'s of friction pad only.
Thanks for your help "Woodaddict". It is appreciated.
karl
Site Supporter
I would be willing to bet that just a single rotor would provide enough retardation to lock the front wheel at least a couple of times in quick succession. That second rotor is more about additional cooling so you can be more aggressive with the brake more often and still have brakes without fading. A single piston can generate quite a bit of force. Many of us drive vehicles that have a single piston caliper. Having the dual calipers is part of the "Sport" in our sport touring bikes. The counter intuitive need to use the brakes hard and often to go fast sometimes.
Believe that a bit of uneven wear is normal, the left or linked side wears a bit quicker the way I ride mine. No problem for me.
Believe that a bit of uneven wear is normal, the left or linked side wears a bit quicker the way I ride mine. No problem for me.
Woodaddict
Site Supporter
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2012
- Messages
- 895
- Age
- 64
- Location
- Salisbury,NC
- 2024 Mileage
- 008802
- Bike
- Red NT700V & Spyder RTL
Just replaced front and rear pads. Left front pads worn slightly more than right front. Rear pads were waaayyy down, only about .030 left on pad, but didn't start scraping metal yet. mileage 54,693.......ps just a tire tidbit, front PR3 just took off had 22,119 miles. woo hoo!!!
When was the last time you bleed your brakes.