[Guest]

I recently installed new pads for the rear brake on my '99 M750 and the brakes don't seem to work too well. I lubed the back of the brake pads w/disc brake lubricant before installing them and I didn't bleed the brakes. I was taking a close look at the rotor and I noticed a couple small nicks on one side. Could the rotor be the source of the problem? Maybe I should've used a specific lube for the back of the pads instead of the stuff I used?

Any help/advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[ScottRNelson]

By "don't seem to work too well", do you mean there is very little braking power?

When I put on new pads, I remove any glaze from the surface by rubbing them over a sheet of sand paper placed on a flat surface. I then use the brakes gently for about a week.

Of course, I still don't get a great deal of stopping power from my rear brake, but I consider that a good thing.

 

[Guest]

In what way are they not working well? Grabbing, slipping...?

What kind of lube? most brake lubricant is a high temp grease for the guide pins or contact points of moving surfaces on the caliper of single piston brakes, and should be used sparingly to avoid contamination of the friction surfaces. Monster calipers have no moving parts except the pistons and they are lubricated by the brake fluid and are protected by a rubber seal.

The only thing that I know of to put on the back of the pads is to prevent squeak. This material dampens vibrations, but does not lubricate.

If the brakes are not "stopping", the pads/rotor may be contaminated with lubricant. The rotor can be cleaned, and the pads proabably will need replaced. Extended use may also glaze your rotor.

 

[Guest]

Let me clarify.

 

[Guest]

Try removing the pads and cleaning the pads and rotor with brake cleaner (aresol can/ avoid getting it on your painted parts!).

 

[test-reg]

allow some miles for the brakes to bed. before you get max stopping power your pads have to conform to the rotor and go through some heat cycling. if you want, you cango to some of the brake manufacturers' web sites for bedding suggestions. read a few and make your own decision. don't expect very effective back brakes on the monster.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, thats what I figured. The rear brakes on the very few bikes that I've ridden in the past seemed better. Since I use the front brakes more anyway, it shouldn't be a problem. Although, this makes me seriously rethink the dual brake mod for the front end...

If I add another disk to the front, I'll gain weight on the front, but I'll also add some more stopping power, no?

 

[chris]

what's a rear brake? ;D

 

[Guest]

cycle works, eh? I'll have to remember that the next time I need parts. ;D

 

[Guest]

what's a rear brake?

 

[test-reg]

the second disc will give you better controll by tranferring load to both forks instead of one and resist fade better. it will not increase stopping power. you would also be spending many dollars. MCN has the single disc Monster in the top 10 on braking distance.

 

[Guest]

Back to the pad/rotor thang. Like others, I think your pads are glazed. You'll need to scuff them on either sandpaper or a convenient slab of concrete. Did you possibly change pad compound -- like organic to sintered? I'm, er, picky about that stuff, and typically bead blast a used rotor before bedding in a new type of pad.

 

[Fillmore]

I think most of the replies have been pretty close to the neighborhood of the problem. I didn't see if you had gone through a specific 'bedding-in' procedure with your new pads. If not, your pads may be glazed already and need to be scuffed and started all over. The problem is, the typical way a rear brake is used on a sport bike is not enough to properly bed the pads.

I'd scuff the pads and lightly scuff the rotors with very fine sandpaper while laying on a flat surface. Clean both with brake cleaner and allow to dry before installing. Then clean them again after installing them in case you got something on them with your grimey little hands during the installation.

I always bleed the brakes after installing new pads. Brake fluid is cheap and eliminates the nagging question about whether you actually needed to bleed them or not.

The stock stainless rotor is not a particularly good friction component to begin with. If you do use your rear brakes enough to notice that they aren't working well, you might want to consider a new rotor. BrakeTech makes a nice ductile iron unit, but they take a while to get nice and sticky. I have the Galfer Wave and sintered pad combo which isn't quite as good of a friction material as the iron rotors, but it has good feel, which I need because my rear brake is used mostly when I'm on loose surfaces.

--Fillmore

 

[Guest]

I think ya just pulled some air into your lines. It should only take ya 5 minutes to bleed it.

 

[Guest]

I like my rear brake to the extent that I threw a Bucci full floating rotor on it, EBC pads, a decent Fren Kevlar line and bled the thing proper.

I use it in rolling traffic and for some trailing work on turns, why burn up my front pads for non-essential work....?

great "feel" with this set up.... you CAN make the rear brake "real" if you work at it....

and I am a great believer in having a back-up system if the primary one fails and starts squirting juice for whatever reason

 

[Guest]

Braketech makes a good full floating cast iron rotor as well.
It has better feel than the stock one.

 

[Speeddog]

I have one of the Braketech FF Iron rotors, and I'm using Ferodo Platinum pads. It's quite a bit better than the stock parts.

Unfortunately, that's not saying much.
I don't understand how the stock rear brake can be so bad, when the fronts are so very good.
Granted, the rear rotor is smaller, as is the caliper, but I can push a helluva lot harder with my foot than I can squeeze with my hand. I only need a two-finger squeeze on the front brake for some serious stopping.

 

[test-reg]

due to this thread, i purposely tried to lock my totally stock (including pads) back brake at about 30 mph. it locked. needless to say, it did little to slow the bike.

 

[michaeld]

Hello. I recently purchased a used M750. I would like to change the rear brakes. I do not have the owner manual or repair manual. Would anyone have instructions that they would be able to email me.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Speeddog]

Michaeld,

If your 750 is an '00 to '02, you can download an owner's manual and a parts manual from ducati.com

You can get a genuine Ducati service manual from a dealer, or you can get a Haynes manual from Chris Kelley here:

http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/shop/catalog/ducati/maint.html

He's got brake parts too........

What are you wanting to change on the brakes?