500 Brake pad options wanted.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

So after removing the caliper halves I saw   the reason for the poor front brake - one pad has separated from its backing plate that was seized in the inside  housing.  Only part of one pad face was contacting the disc looking at the contac faces. The pivot was nice & free.

DS list an aftermarket pad so looking for alternatives might consider Ceranic options though I prefer a soft pad out of choice as I am not a heavy user of brakes.

[Oddjob]

I've been using SBS ceramic pads on my 1300 for some years now. They are excellent, don't need much if any warming up, produce far less dust than organics or sintered and are kinder to the discs than sintered.

501HF for the CB500.

[Seamus]

Using the same SBS pads as Oddjob in my 500 double disc setup. Definately better than the pads I removed.
Old pads were not particularly worn, but lacked feel and initial bite. These are better.
Still 1972 brakes though 

[mickwinf]

Ted i would not recommend the Silvers pads, i had some on my 550, which had all new caliper and master, and the first junction i came to i thought i was not going to stop! I now have some EBC pads and they are much better, but do bear in mind they do improve as they bed in and as mentioned they are 1970s design.

[Sesman]

Plus one on pattern pads….they make a poor brake much worse. Go for Original, Vesrah, SBS, EBC. Then plan to double disc and change the m/c. I’m using SBS in my double disc set up and it’s a front wheel locker, with an iron fist.

[Sesman]

Like this Ted. Improved feel and power.

[Oddjob]

That's never going to stop Phil, it has no brake lines fitted 

[Sesman]

He, he. Wireless brakes😀

Old photo, obviously.

Signing off now.

[deltarider]

Here's my experience with EBC pads: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,188508.msg2189134.html#msg2189134
I'm not a fan of double brakes. Too much work, increased unsprung weight and also I don't like the looks. My stopping power is well within the law. Personally I prefer to be able to brake like a fool in an emergency. IMO an accident due to too powerful brakes is more likely than due to shortage of stopping power.

[Oddjob]

I don't think anyone has ever accused the brakes on a SOHC as being too powerful.

I could lock the front wheel on my 500 with twin discs but then again I could also lock it with a single disc, depended on the road surface. Personally I found the twin disc setup looked more balanced, like twin exhausts does, it performed better and gave more confidence, you do however need to either slot or drill the discs as the smooth surface didn't help with water dispersion for instance.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

He, he. Wireless brakes😀

Some Mercs have fly by wire brakes no mechanical connection between pedal & brake system just a fancy potentiometer. You need a computer to bleed the brakes!

Brake judder like an ABS type is electronically generated to create feel etc.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

No reflection on the previous owner as they look almost brand new externally -  these were the pads in my 500.


.500 pads by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr


This is the fixed pad - it appears that the offside off the bike judging by the fork ears took the brunt of the weather / wind.

.500 pads rusted by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

[K2-K6]

"This is the fixed pad - it appears that the offside off the bike judging by the fork ears took the brunt of the weather / wind."

I'd agree with that Ted. Occasionally (but more currently than I've previously known) some pads are affected by moisture causing corrosion between pad material and backing causing it to release without provocation.

Whether they were fully bonded in the first place appears to be significant from those I've seen. Evidence of rust across the whole pad area suggests a pathway through there before they finally fall off.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

The reason I checked the front brakes was something felt odd about them - they made an odd vibrating noise on application so I restricted my first ride to just around the block especially with the back brake needing adjustment on the spline.

[florence]

I have always used EBC on my bike and they always work well.  They have a tendency to squeal but that's when I know they are correctly adjusted.  The brake on these bikes is rather primitive but is more effective than it 'feels'.