Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB350/400 => Topic started by: thegreatpan on October 05, 2017, 06:54:20 PM
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Now I'm up and running on CB400F (and loving the ride), what is the general opinion on brake pads? Mine is fitted with 1990's Honda genuine pads, but I would like a bit more bite, any ideas ? Thanks in advance.
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E B C pads work well in these old Hondas, also told the pattern one Dave Silver sells are quite good as well.
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Skim the disc and overhaul the brake system ;)
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Brake system has been fully overhauled, I've never had a firmer lever! I will look into the EBC pads and disc skimming, the disc is quite new?
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It's worth taking it through a heat cycle as it is before assessing it.
If you take it out and ride with the brake dragging for a few miles to get it really hot, hot enough so that you can smell the friction material and get it near on fading, then don't stop it but ride without using if it to let it cool down again. Then assess it for bite and feel to see what you've got.
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Will do, thanks.
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Ive had at least 3 400/4s over the years and can say from my experience that there has always been a problem with getting enough bite, comparing it with a modern bike.
You can eliminate air by correct and successful bleeding of the system- we all have our preferences, but mines to pump the leaver till its rock hard, then release nipple (with some clear bleed -hose into a jar of fluid- to stop air getting back on release. A bit of grease put on the threads of the nipple is a good tip- it saves air sneaking past )
Once you are sure all the air is expelled (and im presuming the hoses are not spongy and the pivot-pin isn't seized) its time to look at the pads.
After a run on new pads with plenty of brake-stops (generally, i found the first one is very poor even though the brake application seems hard)- the pads will START to BED in.
To give an idea, my present 400/4 took a good 2 years before i was happy with it.
I took the pads out after the first 100 miles and i could plainly see what pits hadn't been rubbing on the disc- id say 50 % wasn't on contact.
So, to speed up the process, i filed some of the wear area to assist bedding in and that did it- i now, through trial and error, have 100% pad to disc contact.
Its often the case that the hydraulic bits are blamed or suspect as faulty- but you can get a hard feel on the brake, but with poor stopping operation.
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The CB400 really could do with a better caliper.. I'm running David Silver repros, but my daily ride is a Ducati 959.. so its a re education from bike to bike lol.
Does anyone know if there is a drilled disc out there for the CB400?
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Here a link for drilled disc..6 mm thick!
http://www.vinmoto.org/gallery/v/VinMoto-Garage/album03/Godfferys-Garage-123/Parts+and+service/Brake+Rotors+_+Thinned+and+Drilled/HONDA+Front+brake+rotors+CB+350K-350F-360-400F/
Kind regards,
Emiel
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Thanks Emiel, I need those in my life!
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Yep! You need this! He is a nice guy, you can buy with or without a core.
Kind regards,
Emiel
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The CB400 really could do with a better caliper.. I'm running David Silver repros, but my daily ride is a Ducati 959.. so its a re education from bike to bike lol.
Does anyone know if there is a drilled disc out there for the CB400?
959 Ducati? Don't think you will ever be happy if that's the case. Just re-calibration of brain when on the old girl. Can still be frightening though!
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Personally I find that a tad worrying, after all the core of the disc is stamped "Min thickness 6MM" if you were involved in an accident an insurance assessor would like at that and walk away, and you'd not get a penny! So think VERY carefully before committing yourself. :o :o
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I always wrap PTFE tape on the brake nipple thread. It stops anything sneaking past the threads and prevents bimetallic corrosion.
There's going to be someone posting that this is the wrong procedure but I've done it for years and if works fine.
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Pads must be bedding in a bit, or I'm getting more used to the braking levels. Either way it certainly reinforces the "Roadcraft" style of a planned ride.
Laying the bike up for winter, so that's it for this year.
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Advanced riding style with lots of anticipation is essential with old style brakes. We've all been spoilt by modern car brakes.
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Maybe, but worse than that, would you want to argue the toss with a Police or Vehicle Inspectorate roadside check? They have the powers now to check ANY vehicle at the roadside now, not just PCVs and LGVs, I know how thorough those guys can be!
Sent from my X6pro using Tapatalk
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dont blame you laying up the bike as the roads start to get covered in salt anytime now.
I layed mine up for about 2 years, oil down bores and the occasional stab on the kickstarter when I went out for a fag in the garage- Id drained the carbs and there was little of anything combustable in the tank when i re-comissioned it in April this year. Fresh fuel and a few whirrs and it started ok and was duly MOT'd with no problems.
However, the brake fluid had gone down and there was no obvious signs of where to.
i topped up and bred a few tiny bubbles but nothing to get alarm about.
The brake has never been good- Ive a few bikes like us all- one of them an R1- Which is very sharp unless the fluids been heated in the sun...
Anyway, I just happened to feel the disc on the 400 and thought it was very slightly tacky...and we get to know what brake fluid feels like having played games with bikes and cars for 45 years or so.
Yes, the seller must be leaking- I ordered a new one and some service bits from DSS (God Bless Him) and the pads were dark in your and rusted to rot. thanks being polite.
Ive replaced the seal, cleaned any crud from the surface on the bit the pads sits into and am waiting to drum up the enthusiasm for a spin on it. Considering I dont purposely ride the Honda in poor weather or on wet roads, i was surprised how rusty the metal-part of the driven pad was.
We shall see if cleaning up efforts are worth a new set or not- those ones were EBC I think back in 2010...