front brake adjust

[Bryanj]

Yes, they wear them

[deltarider]

Thanks Bryan. Are ceramic like these (pic) better in that respect?

[K2-K6]

Metal in pads has ordinarily been iro, steel, copper among main ingredients.

Ceramic info https://www.samaterials.com/content/what-is-a-ceramic-brake-pad.html they seem to offer less absolute wear when used with stainless disc material.
They MAY need higher pressure/load to match other types.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

These old Hondas with SS Discs were designed for use with original pads that would have been asbestos based.
I agree with Bryan that pads containing metal do wear discs - this is reflected in how replacement discs have become much more frequent on cars. My experience was on W124 Mercs where discs back in 1984/5 would last 90k miles. The removal of asbestos  more than halved the typical disc life to arround 35-40k miles.

This article is interesting although it might not apply completely to SS discs.

https://www.bridgestonetire.com/learn/maintenance/ceramic-vs-metallic-brake-pads/#

[Bryanj]

Never fitted ceramic so cant comment

[Oddjob]

I have had ceramic pads on my 1300 for some years now. I find them far superior to organic pads, far less dust, slower to warm up but resist heat fade much better, they also make less noise than sintered and less dust than those as well. They are so good I intend to use them on my 500 and have already bought 2 sets.

[Johnwebley]

I have had ceramic pads on my 1300 for some years now. I find them far superior to organic pads, far less dust, slower to warm up but resist heat fade much better, they also make less noise than sintered and less dust than those as well. They are so good I intend to use them on my 500 and have already bought 2 sets.

Let me know what they are like,

Would be interested in using them,

With standard discs

Sent from my SM-A546E using Tapatalk

[deltarider]

I'm particularly interested in the effect they have on the disk. Having read what Bryanj posted, I've changed my mind. I will not use those EBC pads and will get them out again. It's so long ago they were in use, that I had forgotten the sqealing hadn't been the only reason I didn't like them: back then I also had the feeling they were eating the disk. For the time being I will refit the OEM ones, until I have learned more on the ceramic pads. Also I still don't know what piston - if needed - would be the best option: SS or the chrome OEM one. I'd like also to know what Trigger's opinion is on this.

[Oddjob]

SS, as the piston doesn’t touch the calliper it won’t cause any problems with the interaction between SS and alloy.

[K2-K6]

SS, as the piston doesn’t touch the calliper it won’t cause any problems with the interaction between SS and alloy.

Although not touching the alloy in a torqued state, like a bolt, the risk is still there.

It's facilitated by electrolyte (water and salt) to cause migration  between the two and corrode the aluminium. There's absolutely no weather protection on these caliper, no cover or seal and no bellows type mitigation to prevent ingress.

Silicone grease is specifically demanded right from the first 750 caliper in Honda manual, this effectively giving protection from it's hydrophobic properties. 
Clean and used with this grease, then none of the materials will have a problem.

I'd use stainless if there's well made component available.

[florence]

My observation about brake squeal on these bikes would be that it is just the way things are and we just put up with it.  I like to think it is just an indication that something is actually happening. 

[deltarider]

My observation about brake squeal on these bikes would be that it is just the way things are and we just put up with it.  I like to think it is just an indication that something is actually happening.

Most of the time (about 95%) in over 43 years I had no sqealing whatsoever. It occured most with those EBC pads.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

On the DS pads mine were silent for the first 100 miles then squeak started. Now on different pads so will not know until I ride my 400 again in the Spring.

[Oddjob]

That was my point Nigel, the piston doesn’t really touch the caliper, it’s suspended by the seal, the bottom of it, tbh the far bigger part is covered by brake fluid, the pad should be greased along it’s outer edge to allow it to slide back and too, this should mean that water/salt ingress is kept to a minimum or not at all.

As for squealing, I had twin discs fitted with genuine Honda pads and they never uttered a noise in many thousands of miles. It’s possible the noise could be a sign of lack of lubrication in the caliper/pivot setup.