Blog highlight – Ensure your safety on the road with our comprehensive guide to bike brake pad inspection. Discover key tips for maintaining effective braking.
Your brakes are one of the most critical components of your bike. They help you reduce your speed and also come to a halt whenever required, thus preventing collisions and accidents. And an important part of your motorbike’s braking mechanism is the brake pads.
However, just like with any bike component that involves daily usage and friction, your brake pads may wear out over time. Thus, you should always check up on your brake pads periodically to ensure they remain in good working condition.
This is why, in this blog, we have discussed a complete guide to help you learn how to inspect your bike pads and ensure you have a safe ride.
Understanding Bike Brake Pads
An important part of your motorbike’s braking mechanism is its brake pads. They are usually small blocks that are made of materials like rubber, cork, or other types of composite materials. These pads are designed in a way to create friction against the bike wheel rims or the rotors of the disc brake.
Whenever you press the brake lever on your biker, the brake pads press against the disc rotor or wheel rims and generate friction. This allows your bike to slow down or even come to a complete stop.
Two primary types of brake pads are used in motorbikes these days.
1. Rim brake pads
These brake pads are meant for use with rim brakes and press down on the wheel rim of your bike.
2. Disc brake pads
These brake pads work with disc brakes and press against a rotor that is attached to the wheel hub.
Signs Your Brake Pads Need Inspection
Continuous usage of your brake pads can lead to wear and tear. There are certain incidents also when you can assess the condition of your brake pads. For example, used and worn-out brake pads will often exhibit the following signs:
- Reduced braking efficiency
If you find while riding your bike that your bike is taking too long than usual to slow down or even come to a stop when pressing the brakes, it could be a tell-tale sign of brake pad wear and tear.
- Unusual noises when braking
When the brake pad material has worn out, the metal plate it is mounted on comes in contact with the rim or disc rotor and produces a squeaking sound.
- Visual wear and tear
Check the brake pads for visible signs of wear. If the pads look thin or if the grooves and lines on the surface are difficult to see, you will know it’s time to replace them.
Tools & Equipment Required For Brake Pad Inspection
If you want to inspect the condition of your brake pads, you will need to keep a few handy tools with you. Some of the tools you will need for brake pad inspection are:
- Flashlight
A flashlight will help you see the brake pads clearly, especially in low-light conditions. Brake pads are situated within the wheel spokes, which may prove to be difficult to notice without a flashlight.
- Screwdrivers
If you want a more thorough inspection of the brake pads, then you will need to remove the wheels from your bike. For this, you will need access to a screwdriver.
- Caliper
This will help you measure the thickness of the brake pads to assess their condition and compare it with the thickness set by the manufacturer.
- Gloves and cleaning supplies
You will need some cleaning supplies like a mild detergent, soap, and a rag to clean your brake pads and inspect them closely for signs of wear and tear. Moreover, wearing a glove will protect your hands from grime, dirt, or any sharp edges in your pads.
Step-by-Step Guide to Inspecting Brake Pads
If you want to inspect your brake pads all by yourself, we have you covered. Below is a complete step-by-step guide to inspect your brake pads.
Step 1
Gather the tools for inspecting your brake pads, like the flashlight, screwdriver, cleaning cloth, and gloves.
Step 2
Ensure that the area where you will inspect your brake pads is well-lit and that the bike is securely mounted on a stand.
Step 3
Identify the type of brakes you are working with. This will help you decide the necessary steps to take during the inspection.
Step 4
Examine the brake pads. If you have rim brakes, then you can look between the gap of the wheel rim and the brake pad. If you have disc brakes, then you can check the pads by peering between the rotor and the caliper.
Step 5
Inspect your brake pads for debris and look for rocks, metal pieces, or even dirt. You can use the cleaning cloth to wipe away the particles that have gathered over there.
Step 6
Check the brake pad alignment by ensuring that the pads are properly aligned with the rim or rotor of the wheel spokes.
Step 7
Evaluate the brake pad thickness to determine whether they can be reused or not. Refer to the manufacturer’s specifications to understand the thickness limit, and change your pads if they fall below that limit.
Step 8
Test your brakes to see if they are working fine. Test both the front and rear brakes to ensure they are engaging smoothly.
Common Brake Pad Issues and Their Solutions
There are some common issues that your brake pads can run into. However, you must identify these problems and know how to address them.
Below, we have listed some common problems with your brake pads and their potential solutions.
- Squeaky brakes
Squeaky brakes are caused when the brake pads have parts sticking out of them, like their metal mounts. This can occur due to low-quality bakes, poor lubrication, or even worn-out brake parts.
Solution: A potential solution is using high-quality brake pads and lubricating the point of contact between the brake pads and the calipers. You should also make sure to replace any worn-out hardware like clips or shims.
- Brake pad glazing
Brake pad glazing occurs when the brake pads become so smooth or polished due to friction that they can’t grip the rotor or rims effectively.
Solution: You can try replacing the glazed brake pads with new ones that are designed for your vehicle. You can also check the brake system to check for excessive heating issues.
- Uneven brake pad wear
Uneven brake pad wear can be caused by misaligned calipers, uneven rotor surfaces, or even contaminated brake fluid.
Solution: You should regularly inspect your braking system to ensure the calipers are properly aligned. Moreover, you can try replacing the rotors if they are worn.
When to Replace Your Brake Pads
On average, the typical lifespan of motorbike brake pads is 20,000 miles or about 32,00 km. However, this range is subjective and depends on a variety of factors:
- Driving habits like high-speed driving
- The material used in brake pads
- Your driving environment, like hills or plains
Thus, if you hear your brake pads making a squeaky noise or you hear a metallic grinding, you will know your brake pads are worn out, and it’s time to change them.
Moreover, you can always inspect your brake pads to see if they have become thin, which is another tell-tale sign that your brake pads are worn out and need replacing.
Top 4 tips for Extending Brake Pad Life
Brakes are the most used parts of an electric motorbike. This is because when riding your motorbike, you will be continuously pressing your brake levers to ensure you maintain a stable speed and avoid collisions.
This is also why your brake pads are more susceptible to wear and tear. However, there are some ways through which you can extend the life of your brake pads.
1. Brake lightly
Make sure you don’t press the brakes at the last moment, which puts a lot of stress on them. Press your brakes well in advance to gradually bring your bike to a halt.
2. Avoid overspeeding
Driving at high speeds means putting extra stress on your brakes when you want to slow down or come to a halt. Thus, high-speed driving is bad for your motorbike, and you should try to maintain an adequate speed level.
3. Avoid overloading
Overloading your motorbike means you require a higher energy to brake it, which causes unnecessary stress on your brake pads.
4. Routine maintenance checks
Carrying out routine maintenance checks will keep your brake pads in optimal running condition and will also extend their lifespan.
Safety First: The Risks of Neglecting Brake Pad Inspection
If you neglect your brake pads, then you run the risk of damaging both your motorbike and injuring yourself. Below are some scenarios that may occur when you neglect your brake pads and use worn-out ones.
- Increased stopping distance
Worn-out brake pads can reduce the efficiency of your braking system and lead to increased stopping distances.
- Costly repairs
Ignoring your brake pads can damage other components of your motorbike, like the rotors or drums.
- Safety hazards
In the event your brakes fail to perform, you run the risk of collisions and accidents on the road, some of which may prove to be fatal, especially if you are driving at high speeds.
Final thoughts
Your brakes are an essential component of your e-motorbike, and brake pads are what help them function. Thus, you should always strive to inspect and maintain your brake pads for a smooth and hassle-free riding experience. This will help you avoid costly repairs in the future and also maintain safety while riding.
