Brake Change Question

I am changing my rear brake pads with some EBC HH pads and read someplace that i should take a light sanding to the rotor and was wondering what GRIT sand paper would be best to use? I am sure it a fine one but i don't want to go too rough. I thought 600 but not sure.

any help would be great.

Thank you,
Jim

 

It's problemly ok not to sand your rotors

 

Put down the sandpaper and step away from the motorcycle. Your pads will break in just fine in no time at all.

 

Some people turn their rotors or bead blast them to get them as smooth as possible so they match up better with new pads. I never have, as long as you rotors are in good condition you should be fine.

Action

 

I just changed my rear pads to EBC HH compound. The only thing I did before installing was to lightly clean the rotor with brake cleaner on a rag. My pads had some chain lube on them. As long as the rotor is not chewed up, your pads will break in just fine.

 

I have installed the EBC HH's and my rotors are in good condition so i did not do any sanding. Rode to work tonight (well last night and home today) used only the rear and took some 80 to Zero stops as I traveled some low traffic roads at 5am this morning. I hope the perf inproved as they break in (i am sure it will)

thank you everyone for your replies.
JIm

 

Just replaced my stock brake pads with EBC pads well, at 13,000 miles. They still had lots of pad left actually.

Be careful at first when you break in the new pads. I also had the brakes bled and fluid replaced at the same time.

You're in for a surprise call STOPPING POWER! They are very touchy and you have to get re-used to them for a time. I even noticed that using the rear brake in a parking lot that when it grabs the front I almost tipped the bike! And that's only activating ONE of the front pads!

No sanding needed... just wipe off the rotors before putting them on.

Stan

 

For bikes, I have only sanded to deglaze if there was evidence of burning, glazing or pad transfer on the rotors. Generally bedding in and then removing, blocking out and reinstalling the new pads a couple times (provided they are an HH or similar) will even be enough to remove light grooving in a rotor, just remember to go easy on them until the ridges and grooves bed - you can burn and glaze a small strip (or a series of them) on new pads with grooved rotors under fairly light braking.

Most of the info out there that suggests routine deglazing and scuffing appears to be related to cars, which are different with iron rotors instead of stainless steel on bikes. For cars, EBC's are kind of unique as they have a break in coating ('brake-in') that actually is a fine grit in a paint carrier designed to remove the previous (likely non-compatible) pad transfer film which, if you look, is much more noticeable on a car's rotors (if they are properly bedded with a good pad). You'll notice that this is not present in their motorcycle pads which would tend to indicate that for most applications in motorcycles (as opposed to cars) they feel it is not necessary or beneficial.

*IF* you do sand your rotors, please.... DO NOT use aluminum oxide paper, emery cloth, or any other 'metal sanding' paper. It will leave particles in the rotor surface that will contaminate the transfer layer and may ruin your rotors and pads. The only safe paper that's easily (AFAIK) found is the red garnet paper, designed for wood sanding.

Some good reading (although car focused) on brakes:StopTech : Balanced Brake Upgrades

Cheers,