Triumphrat

joey1970

My '11 Speedmaster only has 2300 miles on it. The rear brakes are completely worn. It needs a new rotor and pads. My dealer is gonna cover it under warranty.. but they said they don't see anything defective that would have made them wear out so fast. They suggested that I was riding the brake constantly. I'M NOT!

The brakes started to squeal a bit after I took the bike in for it's 1st service at 1400 miles. I called the dealer and their response was "some brakes just do that". 1000 miles later.. they're completely gone. I'm certain the brakes were constantly rubbing a little bit.

Could they have cocked the wheel a little bit after the first service? What else would have happened to cause the brakes to wear so quickly? I'm worried if they replace the rotor and pads.. and don't find the real problem.. that it's just gonna happen again...

epynt1050

Normal causes for this are:

Warped/misaligned disc/rotor.
Sticking pads
Foot resting on brake lever. (most common cause although rider does not realise it)

joey1970

Ya.. they told me I was probably resting my foot on the brake lever.. but I'm pretty sure I'm not. In fact, the issue didn't start until immediately after the first service.. which leads me to believe the tech did something wrong.

They had to order a new rotor.. but put a new set of pads on yesterday to get me thru til the rotor arrives. They'll have to put another new set of pads on at that time as well (all under warranty).

However, I left the dealer yesterday.. and immediately noticed that the pads are still rubbing the rotor a little bit. And I'm being extra careful not to rest my foot on the brake lever.

Slinky

It's normal that there is always (very) light contact between pads and rotor on any disc brake.

If the wheel was slightly misaligned the pads would have worn to conform but that would not have eaten the rotor.

It is possible that you have a bad caliper and the pistons are not retracting properly but that is not likely. If it were the case, the new rotor and pads will not last long.

How does it feel when you push the bike? If the brake was constantly binding it would be hard to push.

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98 Thunderbird, 03 Speed Master

joey1970

It's not hard to push. I initially suspected a warped rotor.. but the service tech thought it looked ok. I guess it's possible that my foot was continually touching the lever.. but I don't think it was. I'm obviously gonna pay more attention to it now. I guess I'll know once they change out the rotor and pads next week.

SteveInSac

How does it sound when your rolling backwards a bit?

joey1970

I hear a noise from the back wheel while I'm riding. I can especially hear it when I ride along side a building or solid wall because it amplifies the noise. It still sounds like the breaks are squealing a bit.. even when i'm not applying the break pedal.

I suppose if the rotor is no good.. that will still continue. I'll wait til the new rotor arrives.. and I'll be sure to let the service tech know I'm still hearing the noise. But hopefully it'll go away once the new rotor is put on.

Gregger

Regarding the rotor, if it was truely warped, it would push the pads away from the rotor a bit causing a mushy feel while braking along with some pulsing in your foot. I suspect your caliper is either partly seized or is hanging up on the pins it is supposed to float on. Another issue could be that your rear wheel is out or alignment. Another issue some dealers have mentioned was the overuse of the rear brakes causing premature wear of the pads.

Were you able to see the old pads? Were they;
1. Evenly worn on both pads indicating overuse of rear brake or foot resting on the pedal or
2. Did one have a lot more wear than the other indicating a seized/sticking caliper or
3. Did they have a different thickness from the front of the pad vs the rear indicating an alignment problem with the rear wheel?

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Can't wipe this smile off my face!!!!

joey1970

I didn't see the rear pads.. but I was told that they were metal on metal with the rotor. They were completely worn. My front pads have plenty of life left on them..