G'day, I needed to replace my rear brake pads but there is a 2 month back order from Yamaha here in Australia, so the dealer sold me some after market SBS sintered pads (street bike - 654LS). My problem is I've done about 500 kilometres on them and I can "jump on" the lever with very little effect, slows the bike only slightly. The disc still has plenty of meat on it so I even tried buffing it with emery tape - still no improvement. Not sure what the previous pads were as I bought the bike secondhand but I was able to lock the wheel up. Cant come close to that now.
The brake lever has a solid feel and isn't "spongy" but my next step is to bleed the brake lines.
Any thoughts?
Cheers
Craig
Hi Craig, I don't think there's anything wrong on the bike, the problem is likely to be the pads. On cheap pads, usually from China, sometimes the resin used to bond the materials together in the pads is so poor it boils out when the pads get hot and forms a glaze over the surface of the pad rendering them useless. If you look at the pads you should be able to see them shine. If you're still not sure they're glazed try lightly rubbing them down and give them another go, they should work for a few stops but will go bad very quickly. My advice is throw them away and look for a better make.
Cheers
Col
Thanks Col, I reckon you might be right. I've had them off thinking they must have grease on them, but nothing, and they do look glazed, certainly very shiny. In hindsight I should of ordered the originals, they'd be here by now. Ahh well - a lesson learnt.
Thanks for the advice - cheers Craig
Sorry to have to disagree with Colin but SBS pads are feckin' brilliant...
Ive just read that you think they are glazed...thats on you IMO.
I use them in the dirt , on the road bikes , and on the track....Right compound for the right application, bedded in correctly; I recommend them to anyone who'll listen.
Service the oil too...you'll be amazed how much difference fresh oil makes over the actual power of a brake/clutch system. 2 years and @3% water content and its borderline fooked already...!
SBS are NOT cheap Chinese sh1te..!
Hey Tim, Not sure what you mean by "bed in correctly" When ever I've changed pads on anything I've just gone out and used them and they've bedded themselves in, I don't see how a rider or driver could affect it. And on the point of cheap shite, I didn't say that SBS are necessarily shite, the pads could be fake, but the proof is in the pudding, the performance dropped off rapidly so sounds like glazing, therefore shite
Many lifetimes ago I had something to do with Ferodo on a riveting issue but whilst there they happened to be fighting a big problem of pads glazing, it turned out there were fake Ferodo pads on the market. I'm just going on the advice given back then, could be wrong.