GSA Brake Pad problem Part 2

[Bendy toy]

The rear caliper seals cost about £20 from BMW or Motorworks. If the pistons are not behaving, strip the caliper and fit new seals. You'll then be able so see if it needs new pistons as well.

If one or the other piston will go in smoothly but they both refuse to go all the way, then you probably have too much fluid in the reservoir. Suck some out with a syringe.

DO NOT USE BMW organic pads. The linked braking system will chew them to the metal in under 4000 miles.

Front brakes cost £60 per caliper for seals and pistons. Strip and clean before they start to bind and you might save the costs of new seals. That's remove pistons and all seals, clean, grease with red rubber grease and replace).

 

[Alan R]

DO NOT USE BMW organic pads. The linked braking system will chew them to the metal in under 4000 miles.

Once again Bendy your definitive, untroubled by doubt proclaimation needs to be qualified. That may be your experience with one set of pads where you either have a heavy foot or there may be a problem with your particular bike. My experience differs markedly: my bike 2011 twincam, 27,000 miles and the rear pads are only 30% worn.
Clean the calipers each year and and the brakes will continue to function as they were meant to.
Alan R

 

[Bendy toy]

At 27000 miles on a set of rear brake pads you are NOT using organic pads. But I'm sure you already know that.

I'm happy to qualify my statement.

Brakes regularly overhauled. New seals fitted to the back brake last year and all moving components properly lubricated. Brake doesn't bind and pads wear evenly.

I normally use sintered brake pads, BMW OEM and other brands. I hardly ever use the rear brake pedal and don't like the way the bake end feels over braked. BMW service suggested I tried non sintered pads as they are less effective so wont brake the back wheel as strongly. He was right. The back end felt a whole lot better. Unfortunately I was not told the organic pads would wear at least 4x faster than sintered pads. They hit the metal 200 miles from home damaging a nice new brake disc. Total miles was less that 4000 before the pads were shot. There was nothing wrong with the caliper - both pads touched down at the same time. So at least I knew my overhauled calliper was working properly. Which was nice.

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

Over 40k on my 2010 twin cam, still on original rear pads. About half worn. No abs, no linked brakes. I can only assume, which you should never do, that the linked braking system is exacerbating the rear pad wear.

 

[Bendy toy]

Never do that!!!
But I'm sure you are right.

I hardly touch the brake pedal but at 50K my rear disc was well below BMWs minimum. I've now had two sets of sintered pads plus those useless organic pads.
Anyone know how to cancel the linked braking without also cancelling the ABS?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kevingambrell]

I have to go with Bendy on this one. I Had the BMW pads he speaks of and got about 3k from them from the day the bike was delivered. Went over to ferodo
and am still on the same rear pads 9k later. I took a thickness off my disks the day I recieved the bike and have seen no noticable wear since (maybe a couple
of tenths but no more on the fronts).
I like the brake setup on the 1200, for what I do the share between front and back works well and the ABS is just about what I would want.
I had it working at a junction and I think the ABS is the only reason im typing this.

 

[Bendy toy]

I was disparaging about the ABS but it does give the confidence to slam on the anchors when needed. The 1200 can REALLY STOP when called upon. The lack of suspension dive allows the front tyre to really bite.

I do think the rear is used too much by the brake management system especially as that brake is always quite warm when the fronts are hardly even tepid.

 

[adventuredon]

I'm using a kawasaki er5 as a winter hack for my commuting and ride the gs once a week to work to keep the battery charged etc. Feck me, you old school riders without ABS have my respect. Suddenly have to look a lot further ahead before thinking of slamming on anchors. OK, the ER5 is known to have shit brakes and the drum on the rear doesn’t help. Boy, is it a pleasure to get on the GS. So huge and wide bars! Ilike the linked brakes and ABS. much much easier to ride safely IMO. I have locked up the er5 twice already in wet weather so now concentrate on using front brake mainly with a light rear dab to help. But I like the ABS, a lot! Then again, its great riding the ER5 and feeling really quick at 40mph! As for rear brake pads, hadthe BMW OEM then swapped to ferodo. I ll dig out the exact mileage I got on each set later...

 

[Tractors are go]

Organic pads wear quicker than sintered due to lack of extra carbon/metals added. They give better feedback at low speed, in theory warm quicker but also can fade earlier and cause less wear to discs.

This is assuming similar circumstances, personally I buy brembo for my bmw/aprillia and ebc hh for the triumph/honda's I did try Carbon Lorraine on the zx12 but didn't like feel/wear rate.

My sixpence worth.

 

[adventuredon]

Heres my data. Got 2x as much life out of the original pads. Riding style may have improved since getting a bike but my commute and rides have pretty much always been the same. Make of this as you will...

21124 New disc and pads
34621 pads
48098 pads
49081 New disc

 

[robb]

Once again Bendy your definitive, untroubled by doubt proclaimation needs to be qualified. That may be your experience with one set of pads where you either have a heavy foot or there may be a problem with your particular bike. My experience differs markedly: my bike 2011 twincam, 27,000 miles and the rear pads are only 30% worn.
Clean the calipers each year and and the brakes will continue to function as they were meant to.
Alan R

He does a good whine about rust too

 

[Greenman14]

Organic pads wear quicker than sintered due to lack of extra carbon/metals added. They give better feedback at low speed, in theory warm quicker but also can fade earlier and cause less wear to discs.

That's what I think as well, and the reason why organic pads are preferred on the back brake that doesn't get used very heavily (though it may be used often) so doesn't warm up like front brakes. My TC, without ABS or linked brakes uses a set of rear pads in about 12k miles and I do use the brake.

 

[Bendy toy]

Alan R. Why do you never read anything?
I never use the brake pedal yet the ORGANIC pads were shot in a very short time.
The brakes ARE overhauled every year. There is no binding.
The issue is linked brakes that work the back so hard that organic pads can't cope.
The second issue is BMW selling pads that are not fit for purpose.
Sintered last adequately. Organic do not.

 

[Lofty]

All,

After a very fruitful afternoon with Adam (Pukmeister) I can confirm that the pistons are all clean and moving freely. Fluid was fine and at the right level but we needed to crack the brake nipple on the rear caliper to just solve it fully. Front pads were fine but got a good cleaning and check over.

Very grateful to all who have contributed and especially to Adam for his generous time this afternoon.

Regards,

Mark

 

[Pukmeister]

Glad to help out Mark, did you get a quick test ride around the block ?

I can't explain why the fluid wouldn't return to the reservoir, perhaps the ABS pump had set itself in a position during last power off that closed a valve in the pump. My bikes ABS unit doesn't do that chirping sound that yours does when powered up ? Either way, it's prudent to vent excess fluid at the caliper rather than hydraulically damage something by clamping the pistons against a solid resistance, then replenish the reservoir with new pads fitted.

EDIT: I've just realised the problem. Your bike was resting on the rear brake lever whilst sat on the easy rizer bike lift (thus applying rear brake). In this position the reservoir is valved off by the rear master cylinder, there's no way to return excess fluid hence the need to vent from the bleed nipple.
Next time I recommend servicing the rear brake whilst on the centre stand and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[younger06]

I recently had my ABS reconditioned and it now makes this "chirping" sound.......... It didn't make the noise prior to being repaired.

Any thoughts?

Sent from a OnePlusX

 

[Bendy toy]

I recently had my ABS reconditioned and it now makes this "chirping" sound.......... It didn't make the noise prior to being repaired.

Any thoughts?

Sent from a OnePlusX

What do the repair company say about the issue?

 

[Bendy toy]

EDIT: I've just realised the problem. Your bike was resting on the rear brake lever whilst sat on the easy rizer bike lift (thus applying rear brake). In this position the reservoir is valved off by the rear master cylinder, there's no way to return excess fluid hence the need to vent from the bleed nipple.
Next time I recommend servicing the rear brake whilst on the centre stand and you shouldn't have a problem.

I have an Easy Rizer bike stand with footrest support brackets and sump pad. No problems with the rear brake lever. To make the brackets easier to fit I made steel plates (50 x 5mm x 75 long). The U bolts can then be fitted with nuts on top and possibly a little further apart.

 

[Deleted account 200502001]

Could someone please confirm the torque settings for the rear calliper bolts please (09 GSA)?

Thanks.

 

[Delboy777]

Keep tightening until the first bolt snaps them do the others slightly less.

24NM actually according to my Haynes bible.