Brake dust everywhere

Energy One
Drake

Drake

Member
I've got an 03 Pitbull. It's got about 3200 miles on it and I've already had to replace the rear pads. I noticed before I replaced them, that I could wash the bike, ride it around the block and the rear wheel would damn near be covered with black dust. Problem is, the new pads are doing the same thing. The guy at BD Tampa didn't have any ideas. I heard BD of Nashville had a new style of pads made from copper that are manufactured by Thunderheart. I called them, and the parts manager confirmed, but wouldn't give me the part number so I could get them local. I guess they're selling them exclusively for Thunderheart.

Anyone else had this problem with rear pads? It makes what should be a shiney clean rear end look like hell after about two stop lights.

One other thing I noticed too. It must have and effect on the drive belt, because when it gets dirty/dusty, I hear the belt making a whistling noise that goes away after I wash it.
 
narow37

narow37

Angry Southern White Man
Don't have the problem but, sounds like the caliper needs to be shimmed. do you hear a dragging noise from the discs when you just push the bike. if you do is it a constant noise or intermittent. you don't have floating rotors like the newer models so a warped rotor would cause you more problems than for the floating ones. of course I may be completely off base. Any one else.
 
V

Vegas

Well-Known Member
I am betting on exhaust dust. No way going around the block is going to put a brake dust film on even if the caliper is stuck.
 
narow37

narow37

Angry Southern White Man
Vegas said:
I am betting on exhaust dust. No way going around the block is going to put a brake dust film on even if the caliper is stuck.
Click to expand...
again, good point vegas, didn't think of that either. just assumed drake knows it's break dust.
 
V

Vegas

Well-Known Member
It very well may be brake dust but a set of pads on the rear at 3200 miles on an 03 bike is not out of the ordinary. I actually had a bad caliper on my 03 Chopper. If one pad is worn quite a bit more you could have a piston problem. Doubtful once again that would cause so much dust around the block. You should be able to jack up the rear and spin the wheel freely by hand. When you put the pads on the pistons should have collapsed into the caliper fairly easily.
 
G

Gas Man

Cool isn't cheap
Calendar Participant
Also, something to consider to everybody is what type of brake pads you're putting on. You want organic or there are these newer styles called Lindell or LSD pads. Best of both worlds. No brake dust, easy on rotors, good bite, no noise, and long lifetime. But about twice the cost to organics. I just ordered a set for my dog.
 
G

Gas Man

Cool isn't cheap
Calendar Participant
Yeah, and I have been told by good authority to not buy the front sets for the front. buy a set of rears. That the "fronts" are so think they are really hard to get on. But the front and rears are the same and you can use the rears on the fronts.

Pink can get them for a bit cheaper than that link.
 
LDO

LDO

The Cleaner
Troop Supporter
REALLY??

Do you guys with the new brakes have PM clipers too?

When I changed my brake pads (PM Calipers), I could have sworn they were different...
 
Reaper

Reaper

Well-Known Member
Hey LDO, not to change the subject, but I saw a guy at the airport here in St. Louis a few days ago wearing a T-shirt with a picture of your avatar on it.


Now back to our regular scheduled thread.
 
LDO

LDO

The Cleaner
Troop Supporter
Reaper said:
Hey LDO, not to change the subject, but I saw a guy at the airport here in St. Louis a few days ago wearing a T-shirt with a picture of your avatar on it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, everybody wants to be like LDO!!!:D :D
 
Raywood

Raywood

The Pirate
Staff member
Calendar Participant
Troop Supporter
Gas Man said:
I have been told by good authority to not buy the front sets for the front. buy a set of rears. That the "fronts" are so think they are really hard to get on. But the front and rears are the same and you can use the rears on the fronts.
Click to expand...
That's a bunch of crock! I posted on the last brake thread about my change to Lyndall Z-pads and I had no problem putting them on. Lot better than the cheap stock ones and they eliminate the noise.

LDO, the calipers are still PM but the rotors are different.

Later,
Ray
 
pink chopper

pink chopper

Member
The front pads are alot thicker than the rear pads, but they're the same PM caliper and take the same style and shape pad. I have always used the same thickness pads front and rear and they work great. If you buy the BD ones they're the same thickness also for both front and back..SBS makes a way thicker pad for the front calipers thats a pain to get on...or maybe I just can't hold the piston back well enough, either way I like to use the same thickness ones...The Lyndall pads are supposed to be the sh*t if anybody want to try them...they are supposed to eliminate the brake noise and dust...
 
Drake

Drake

Member
Thanks for the info guys.

When I replaced the rears, they apeared to be worn evenly, and it's definately brake dust.

Someone said something about alignment? I'm a shade tree mechanic and I enjoy doing my own work when I can, but I'm not sure what you mean about alignment.

The only noise I ever hear from the brakes is when I apply the front. I hear a buzzing noise like an electrical switch making noise. I haven't narrowed down where it's coming from.

I did go back with organics. Are the LSD pads along the same lines as Ceramic?
 
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CCRainman

CCRainman

Well-Known Member
I have the same bike and don't have that problem. Check alignment and check to see if the caliper is shimmed right. If not I use DP brake pads which I find to work well with minimal dust.
 
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