2008 K1200GT Front Brake Pad Replacement - Wear Indicator Question

I need to replace the front brake pads on my K1200GT. The right caliper has a wear indicator which only works with BMW OE pads. Not surprisingly, these are significantly more expensive than equivalent pads without the wear indicator - £77 rather than £30-odd.

So here's my question: if I replace then with normal pads (i.e. without the wear indicator) does it mean I'll have a warning light flashing at me all the time? Or is there a way round this?

If it makes any difference, the wear indicator has not been triggered by the existing pads, which have a bit of life left in them - just not enough to feel confident about a 2,500 round trip next month.

Thanks in advance,

Robin.

I'm guessing not - the wear indicator will only complete the circuit when it wears.

So if there is no wear circuit (i.e. no bit in the pad), it will never indicate.

Can you swap OE pads to put the left non-indicator OE pad in the right side caliper to test this before buying other pads?

The EBC pads are in, working, and simply detaching the wear indicator bit and tying it up out if the way hasn't upset the electrics.

I did, however, buy the "special" EBC pads with the slot to put in the wear indicator. That's not without issues - both EBC pads on the RHS are the same, and the notch for the indicator means the spring that stops the pads rattling doesn't quite fit square. OE pads are not identical on the RHS. But it seems to work still and isn't unsafe.

Thinking about it, I should just have bought two sets of pads for the LHS and just used those. I think that would be better. Next time I have pads out I'll swap LHS to the RHS just to make sure they're the same.

andysdad said:

I'm guessing not - the wear indicator will only complete the circuit when it wears.

So if there is no wear circuit (i.e. no bit in the pad), it will never indicate.

Can you swap OE pads to put the left non-indicator OE pad in the right side caliper to test this before buying other pads?

Click to expand...

Just to add: the wear indicator does not complete the circuit when it wears. The circuit is complete and breaks when it wears. As far as I can tell, anyway.


Whatever, the indicator is an unnecessary complication (in my view).