Some friendly advice on how to change the front brake pads on a 2013 CBR500R NON-ABS. After having my new Pilot Road 4 tires installed last weekend they mentioned my front brakes had seen better days.
1. Gather the supplies.
Brake pads
12mm socket ratchet
8mm socket ratchet
Tooth brush (optional)
Mild soapy water (optional)
Rubber gloves (optional)
2. Loosen the pin with the 8mm socket first. It's easier now. Next, with the 12mm socket remove the caliper assembly from the fork by unscrewing the two bolts and sliding it back off the rotor. Use the gloves throughout to keep the large amounts of brake dust off your hands. You'll see.
3. Have a box or something to set the caliper assembly on. You do not want to have it hanging off the bike unsupported which could weaken where the brake line attaches.
4. Remove the pin and then remove the old brake pads. Make sure the ring stopper is still on the end of the pin when you remove it and replace it. One of the springs presses down on the brake/pin side but not enough to make it difficult to remove the pin. Pull it out and compare the old brakes with the new. Mine have maybe 40% left.
4. Clean the pistons, springs and the general inside with the toothbrush and mild soapy water (Optional). You need to press the pistons back into their cylinders and it is better for them to be clean. Warning: Before you start pushing the pistons back in, you might want to watch the brake fluid level on the master cylinder. This is the square box on your right handle bar. By pushing the pistons in you are pushing brake fluid into this box and there is a possibility of it overflowing. Mine didn't. If this was a car I would use a new, clean turkey baster to suck some fluid up first and then after the new brakes were on I would place the fluid back in. I used my fingers to slowly press the pistons back in.
This is the front brake fluid level only. Not the rear brake fluid level.
5. Insert the new pads and place the pin back in. There must be a big enough gap between the two new pads so the rotor will fit between them. Place the caliper assembly back on the rotor and screw in the two 12mm bolts first. Tighten to 30 Nm (22 lb-ft). Next tighten the 8mm pin to 17 Nm (13 lb-ft). My rotor was still fine and after changing my oil and testing everything out the bike and brakes worked as expected. The instructions with the brakes said you should have your brake fluid checked every two years.
This whole process takes about 15 minutes.
Manual doesn't take the caliper off to replace the pads. Says to push the pistons in before removing the pads and just remove the pad pin and stopper ring to release the pads. Make sure the pad spring is in the right position, install the new pads making sure they are in the retainer properly, and re-install the pad pin using silicone grease on the stopper ring (replace ring it if it's not in good condition). Operate the brakes to seat pistons against the pad.
Recommendation is to install new mounting bolts if you take the caliper off - do not reuse the old bolts. I did reuse my original bolts.
1. Gather the supplies.
Brake pads
12mm socket ratchet
8mm socket ratchet
Tooth brush (optional)
Mild soapy water (optional)
Rubber gloves (optional)
2. Loosen the pin with the 8mm socket first. It's easier now. Next, with the 12mm socket remove the caliper assembly from the fork by unscrewing the two bolts and sliding it back off the rotor. Use the gloves throughout to keep the large amounts of brake dust off your hands. You'll see.
3. Have a box or something to set the caliper assembly on. You do not want to have it hanging off the bike unsupported which could weaken where the brake line attaches.
4. Remove the pin and then remove the old brake pads. Make sure the ring stopper is still on the end of the pin when you remove it and replace it. One of the springs presses down on the brake/pin side but not enough to make it difficult to remove the pin. Pull it out and compare the old brakes with the new. Mine have maybe 40% left.
4. Clean the pistons, springs and the general inside with the toothbrush and mild soapy water (Optional). You need to press the pistons back into their cylinders and it is better for them to be clean. Warning: Before you start pushing the pistons back in, you might want to watch the brake fluid level on the master cylinder. This is the square box on your right handle bar. By pushing the pistons in you are pushing brake fluid into this box and there is a possibility of it overflowing. Mine didn't. If this was a car I would use a new, clean turkey baster to suck some fluid up first and then after the new brakes were on I would place the fluid back in. I used my fingers to slowly press the pistons back in.
This is the front brake fluid level only. Not the rear brake fluid level.
5. Insert the new pads and place the pin back in. There must be a big enough gap between the two new pads so the rotor will fit between them. Place the caliper assembly back on the rotor and screw in the two 12mm bolts first. Tighten to 30 Nm (22 lb-ft). Next tighten the 8mm pin to 17 Nm (13 lb-ft). My rotor was still fine and after changing my oil and testing everything out the bike and brakes worked as expected. The instructions with the brakes said you should have your brake fluid checked every two years.
This whole process takes about 15 minutes.
Manual doesn't take the caliper off to replace the pads. Says to push the pistons in before removing the pads and just remove the pad pin and stopper ring to release the pads. Make sure the pad spring is in the right position, install the new pads making sure they are in the retainer properly, and re-install the pad pin using silicone grease on the stopper ring (replace ring it if it's not in good condition). Operate the brakes to seat pistons against the pad.
Recommendation is to install new mounting bolts if you take the caliper off - do not reuse the old bolts. I did reuse my original bolts.