Changing brake pads

[skogs]

Greetings. I realized this weekend that I need to change the brake pads front and back as they look pretty thin. I don't have a Haynes and what info I do have on the brakes isn't too helpful. Anything I need to know before I start? I've changed pads on other bikes so I have had a bit of practice, but is there anything odd on the NTV, or is it pretty straight forward? Thanks in advance.

[Jaz66]

Hi skogs.

I changed mine on the nTV several times and seemed pretty straight forward.

You do need to make a good mental note of where the retaining pins go from the brake pins.

Only other advice i can offer is i did find getting the piston back enough to fit the new pads was a pig on the front brakes.

ended up taking the brake off completely and pressing pistons back in using a vice and some wood.

Bleeding is the usual pain in the ass..just slow presses of the lever to release the air bubble, not fast and furious as that just makes more bubbles.

Sure others will pop in with advice.

[pongo]

Skogs
nothing to worry about here
Both Brakes are simple floating calipers. The front has 2 pistons, the rear is only a single piston.

If you are only going for a straightforward pad change make sure the calipers are nice and clean before starting work.

Remove and seperate the caliper from the frame. Clean and apply a light coating of grease to the pins on which the caliper "floats".

Unless you have proper tools, leave the pads in and use a screwdriver or other lever between the pads to force the pistons back in. Remove the master cylinder cap before doing this and keep an eye on the fluid level as the pads go back in. Push the pads apart firmly, but slowly until there is enough room for the new pad thickness and the disk.

Remove the pad retaining pin and extract the pads, make a careful note of the location and orientation of the "springs". Clean everything up (also worth a spot of "Coppaslip" grease on the rear of the pads to stop squealing), reassemble, refit and slowly (as Jazz says) pump the brakes to bring the pads back into contact with the disk. If you removed any brake fluid while pushing the pistons back in, you may need to top up again

[skogs]

Thanks to Pongo and Jaz for the tips. Should be a piece of cake now!

[smartiedarkblue]

Hi all

One thing i have always done with the calipers is press pistons in just enough to get the caliper off the disc. Then remove it and using a decent toothbrush, get some brake disc cleaner and apply liberally to the pistons, and scrub the crap off them. Otherwise when they are forced back into the calipers the build up of crud will rip the seals to shreads.......................

Then place them back over the disk and lever the pistons right back into the calipers to allow the correct amount of room for the new pads.

Take off again and insert new pads. The screw in dust cap cover over the pad pins gets a liberal coating of normal grease cause otherwise its a pig the next time as it easily seizes up. then your buggered, same on the pad pin thread.

Once reasembled using the same toothbrush apply a thin film of silicone grease around the piston, to lubricate, BUT ONLY VERY THIN. SAME AS COPPER SLIP ON BACK OF PADS. KEEP THAT THIN

Apart from that they are quite simple.

Hope that helps enjoy..........

ed

[Dave S]

I’m about to change my front brake pads and I’ve removed the brake pin cover using a slot head screwdriver. Under that I see the end of the pin but it appears to have no head so a screwdriver has no purchase. Surely I need to unscrew it rather than ‘drift’’ it out using a hammer….