when to change disk brake pads?

[footpump]

hi all front disk brake screeches when the brakes are applied , checked pads about 2 mm left on each front pad,

only 380 miles covered but plenty of hills in my area.

should I change them, I do not know how thick new pads would be
thank you

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I found that if you spray them with WD40, they go nice and quiet!

Only joking. For Christ's sake don't do that. Try this instead. Loosen the two screws that hold the caliper - the ones that point in a radial direction, not the axial direction ones. While they're completely loose, hold the brake on tight, and while holding it on, tighten the screws. If that doesn't work, try a different pad material. You can get organic, sintered, soft ceramic, carbon and other ones. You probably have organic, so try sintered.

 

[Aushiker]

At 2 mm I would be replacing the pads. I have Avid BB7 disks and it is recommended to change the pads when there is 3 mm of material (pad thickness + metal holder).

Andrew

 

[Deleted member 4366]

2mm pad material thickness is what they start with. The backing plate is 2mm thick as well, which gives 4mm total. If the total was down to 2mm, there would be no pad material left at all, which is obvious, so I'm pretty sure that OP's talking about the pad material thickness, which is more or less new.

 

[footpump]

thanks all I meant 2mm to be thickness of actual pad material.
brakes not squealing now since I removed and replaced pads on front disk.

however I do not know brand of my disk brakes, the pad looks like a table tennis bat, looking in local Halfords they have something similar (organic) but cant tell the thickness of new pads by looking at the packet .

 

[Alan Quay]

I found that if you spray them with WD40, they go nice and quiet!

Some pedant will be along in a minute to tell you that WD40 is a water displacer, and as such is not the most effective way to reduce brake function

 

[trex]

loads of cheap disc brakes use pads similar to the £5 WX800 clarks

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/clarks-organic-pair-of-disc-brake-pads/

when your brakes squeal, look into the gap between pads and rotor, check that the pads are flat against the rotor. Reducing the gap reduces the deformation of the rotor when you apply brakes so they squeal less. Wipe the rotor clean also helps a bit. When maintaining your bike, make sure no oil drops get to your rotor, oil will ruin your pads. Your pads should last about 1500 miles.

 

[D C]

My disc brakes squealed like mad on my new bike. Being new to discs I searched the internet and bike forums for answers, none of which cured the horrible screech, even brand new pads didn't improve things.
I then started thinking about how easy the old fashioned V brake system squealing was prevented by giving them a slight toe in.
There being no mechanical way to do this with disc brakes I took the pads out and using a medium grade sanding paper on a flat surface I rubbed the pads face down and flat with thumb pressure on the back edge only, just rubbing them down enough and keeping the surface flat, to make sure the leading edge touched the disc before the trailing edge did.
Result was no more screeching and many miles and months later they are still silent.
Worth a try before you get new pads as I did, at least I have spares for when I need them!

 

[triumph_st]

1200 to 1500 miles with a set of brake pads? One must ride with a bike, not brake with it

 

[John F]

Just replaced the pads on my Zoom mechanical disc brake. The actual pad thickness remaining was about 1 mm. I noticed the new pad thickness was about 2mm. Mileage 1050.

 

[Nevg]

I found that if you spray them with WD40, they go nice and quiet!

Only joking. For Christ's sake don't do that. Try this instead. Loosen the two screws that hold the caliper - the ones that point in a radial direction, not the axial direction ones. While they're completely loose, hold the brake on tight, and while holding it on, tighten the screws. If that doesn't work, try a different pad material. You can get organic, sintered, soft ceramic, carbon and other ones. You probably have organic, so try sintered.

Yeh I guessed they are organic, , so that was my initial query

They shouldn't be squealing, I have no issues with my mountain bikes.

I have cleaned and dressed the pads, realigned calliper, cleans the rotor, hence I was at a losss.

Do you know which pads fit the tetro cable disc brakes ?

 

[Nevg]

Just realised I replied on wrong thread..lol

 

[phil01]

Yeh I guessed they are organic, , so that was my initial query

They shouldn't be squealing, I have no issues with my mountain bikes.

I have cleaned and dressed the pads, realigned calliper, cleans the rotor, hence I was at a losss.

Do you know which pads fit the tetro cable disc brakes ?

eBay search for Tetro but pads..
I bought some Chinese cheapos just to try @ £1.99,. Amazing retardation and reduced finger effort than the stock pads and these are organic with copper particles

 

[phil01]

eBay search for Tetro but pads..
I bought some Chinese cheapos just to try @ £1.99,. Amazing retardation and reduced finger effort than the stock pads and these are organic with copper particles

 

[Nevg]

Mine aren't that shape,so wasn't sure what to get...as there were a few diff models

 

[Trevormonty]

You can use shimano BS01 pads (M365 brakes) with Tektro Auriga hydraulic brake.