DP sintered pads are made of a complex mix of metallic powders (to absorb heat), refractory material (to provide friction), friction modifiers (to alter feel), graphites (to minimise rotor wear and eliminate noise), mixed together, pressed to form the shape, then sintered at high temperature and pressure.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tWill hard pads wear my rotors?\n\t\t\t\t
Soft and Hard reflects tyre technology, this is a common error people make.\u00a0 The physical hardness of the pad does not generally determine its performance characteristics.\u00a0 It is assumed (wrongly) that a soft pad will produce high friction and high wear.\u00a0 The converse is assumed for hard pads.\u00a0 However if you were to measure the physical hardness of a pad, that measurement would not tell you how it would perform.\u00a0 A more reliable indicator is its friction rating, but more of that later.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tHow can I stop my brakes squealing?\n\t\t\t\t
Wearing earplugs will cure brake noise \ud83d\ude42 but you will still cause dogs to bark and the police to notice you. Brake noise or squeal is due to vibration that sets off a harmonic frequency within the brake system. You can take steps to reduce noise, the most common fitting is an anti squeal shim or greasing the abutment sides of the pad and making sure corrosion etc has not caused pads or caliper to jam.\u00a0 The trick however is to make sure the pad is compatible with the rotor.\u00a0 At DP we spend a lot of our R&D time making sure the pads are quiet.\u00a0 We do it by use of complex graphites that are mixed so that they are present at each layer of the pad, so the pad stays quiet even when it wears.\u00a0 It’s called IGGS, inter granular graphite structure and its difficult and expensive to achieve which is why only DP and the OEM do it.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen I brake very hard my brakes fade and lever comes back to the bars, how can I stop this?\n\t\t\t\t
Insulation Braking destroys Kinetic Energy, which produces heat. Heat is great if you live in Britain because we never experience it, however it can be bad news for brakes.\u00a0 The brake system has to be engineered to cope with heat.\u00a0 For our DP pads we use a layer of ceramic bonded onto the back of the brake pad.\u00a0 Some sintered pads have no heat barrier.\u00a0 These are OK for low speed but will transmit heat to the caliper fluid and seals if worked hard.\u00a0 Other sintered pads use a stainless radiator shield to reduce heat flow.\u00a0 It is stated that this is the way to go because it’s used by the OEM.\u00a0 However although it does provide a measure of insulation the main advantage is that it is cheap to do.\u00a0 That’s why the OEM do it.\u00a0 We don’t; because the best way to prevent heat transfer is a bonded ceramic.\u00a0 Ask the guys in the space shuttle if ceramic tiles stopped severe sunburn.\u00a0 We have adapted this technology for DP pads. It’s a trick and it works.\u00a0 It keeps the fluid cool and the pads hot. As sintered pads like being warm there is a benefit all round.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat does friction rating mean?\n\t\t\t\t
Ever noticed two letters on the back of a pad? Normally it is GG or HH.\u00a0 Friction rating is measured by the torque produced (directly related to friction) by a pad material rubbing at a defined load against a cast iron drum.\u00a0 The torque is measured cold and hot and the friction level equates to a letter.\u00a0 Letter A is low friction, letter H is the highest.\u00a0 So a HH pad is more powerful hot and cold than a GG pad.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tCan I change my brake pads myself?\n\t\t\t\t
Only attempt to fit new brake pads if you know what you are doing. If you are in any doubt get a professional mechanic to do it for you! Firstly, removal of the worn pads. Follow instructions in manufacturer’s handbook.\u00a0 Make sure the caliper pistons are free to push back easily.\u00a0 Before you push them into the caliper body clean off any road dirt or corrosion.\u00a0 This will maintain the life of the caliper wiper seal.\u00a0 If there is any evidence of corrosion or stiction preventing easy movement of pistons, the pistons will have to be removed for cleaning or in severe cases replaced.\u00a0 This is the job of a skilled mechanic.\u00a0 It is good practice to lightly smear the edges of the pads that abut the caliper body with grease.\u00a0 Take care to use a proprietary high melting point grease and use sparingly, making sure the friction material and rotor remain clean. If the caliper is of the floating variety make sure it floats easily.\u00a0 The main culprit is usually corrosion causing the caliper pins to stick. Any sign of corrosion or dirt should be removed.\u00a0 Once the caliper pistons are pushed back it should be an easy task to replace the pads.\u00a0 If sintered pads have been fitted as original equipment replaces with sintered.\u00a0 The brake system has been designed to work with a sintered pad not a semi-metallic or Kevlar based pad. Make sure the caliper retaining pins are clean and smear a quality high melting point grease on the threads before you tighten.\u00a0 This will help removal at next pad change.\u00a0 Use the opportunity at pad change to inspect the rotor.\u00a0 The rotor will usually have a minimum thickness stamped into the carrier.\u00a0 If the rotor is showing signs of wear, measure the thickness and check against the manufacturers minimum thickness.\u00a0 If it is below, then it needs replacement.\u00a0 It is generally a good practice to clean the rotor at pad change.\u00a0 Use a fine grade abrasive paper and clean off any pad deposits or corrosion.\u00a0 You can finish off with a contact cleaner but make sure it is one that does not leave an oil film.\u00a0 Brake fluid is usually ignored but is vitally important.\u00a0 Brake fluid does degrade with time and it is best to replenish it at least every two years or sooner if you have experienced brake overheating problems.\u00a0 Use the specification and grade that the manufacturers recommend. Remember brake fluid is corrosive and can cause paint damage. You can use a proprietary brake bleeder but whatever method make sure you flush all the old fluid away.\u00a0 If after bleeding the lever feels mushy start again and make sure all the air bubbles are removed.\u00a0 Sometimes it helps if a friend can assist.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tWhy do racers use carbon brakes?\n\t\t\t\t
Carbon is a very unusual brake material.\u00a0 It has a very low friction level when cold or wet and a high friction level when hot.\u00a0 Also friction level tends to be non-linear, so it kicks in when a certain temperature is reached.\u00a0 Carbon also becomes mechanically stronger when hot.\u00a0 It can operate well at an elevated temperature so protecting caliper etc from high temperature is important.\u00a0 The pads are usually the same material as the rotor.\u00a0 Carbon is expensive with a capital E.\u00a0 Its main advantage is its very lightweight resulting in a low unsprung mass making the bike easier to turn.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tHow do i fit my Clutch?\n\t\t\t\t
Please follow your bike manufactures instruction’s when fitting a new clutch.<\/p>\n