dduelin
Site Supporter
Thousands of miles left on those pads - the wear indicator is still about a mm away. Why did you replace them now?
NC700X Front Brake Pads
- Thread starter SergeantChuck
- Start date
2wheels4fun
Member
Wish my front brakes lasted that long. I'm on my third set which I installed at 20K miles. I do live in western NC and ride the back roads a lot. I still have my original back pads on.
That is why I posted the pictures. So others would know they may be good even at 30K.
The rest of the story.
I have mentioned in the past that I have a special maintenance plan I bought through my dealer which is only good at their shop. This puts me at the dealer every 4,000 miles. I've developed a pretty good friendship with several of the employees and my last visit they told me I should think about getting my front pads replaced. I took their word and did not even look at them. I know, you can't trust a dealership but they are pretty good people so I trusted their word. They apparently error on the side of caution a bit too soon.
I removed the pads and saw they had a decent amount of life left but decided to continue with the swap since they were already out. I just turned 30K. It is an easy number to remember. I'll check the replacements at 60K if I still have the bike.
dduelin
Site Supporter
I like my dealer too and they are a good bunch.
With a small mirror and a flashlight (torch) it's possible to get a look at front pad wear once in a while with the pads in the caliper. The wear indicators are facing down toward the ground. A couple tips regarding using mileage to check pad wear - If you did not replace with OEM pads the new ones may wear at a different rate than the originals and in the event the caliper slide pins get dirty/sticky or a piston(s) begins to drag a little with higher mileage the second set of pads may begin to wear unevenly. In that case the second set may wear out in much less mileage.
I installed OEM pads and cleaned the caliper. Regardless, it is great information. Thanks
Jguarfn28
Member
I decided at 23000 that I needed to replace the front pads. Mine look about like Sergeant Chuck's. But when I put in the new pads, I neglected to watch which way the spring clip was placed and reinserted it the wrong way. We were able to reinsert the pin but when I tried to pump the brakes back up, the lever went to the bars and no grab exists. I reinserted the clip the way it is listed in the schematics and it still doesn't grab and now clunk, clunk, clunks when the front tire is rolled. I adjusted the clip as it might have bent from the prior forced insert, still no luck. The static pad won't catch under the spring pad side, is that the issue? Tried both the old and new pads and still clunk, clunk, clunk... It's the disc hitting the caliper on top. Suggestions other than "if it ain't broke don't fix it" would be greatly appreciated. Especially since that is my usual attitude toward major maintenance. I have done my valves and changed the air filter and tires in my defense....
showkey
Super Mods
Do you apply the front and rear brake on every stop ????
smiller
New Member
You can't always tell by looking but FWIW those look like semi-metallic pads to me rather than organic.
smiller
New Member
FWIW I have used the HH pads on several bikes and really like their feel. So much so that if they result in 10% or whatever more rotor wear then... I don't care...
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dduelin
Site Supporter
The NC700X comes equipped with HH front pads and EE rear pads. It is less important to choose or discuss pads in terms of the material used in the pads (sintered metal, carbon, Kevlar, ceramic, organic, etc.) instead of using the two letter codes. The codes are an SAE standard of friction coefficient based on testing in a defined predictable manner. The first letter is the average amount of friction a sample of the pad develops in four tests from 200 to 400 degrees. This is considered normal stopping of a street use vehicle in normal stopping conditions. The second letter describes the amount of friction the pad gives after a fade and recovery set of stops. This is a series of 10 stops that drive the pad sample temperature to 650 degrees. High temperatures cause the pad to lose friction - to fade means to lose braking power. The second letter could be considered a "hot" test. HH is the highest level of stopping power in the SAE rating scale. They are the best stopping power when cold and when hot. Pads can heat to 500 degrees in a matter of seconds so don't worry about a 50 or 70 degree F spread in ambient temperature. Cold pads get hot real quick and wet pads and discs dry almost instantly under heat and pressure.
H is the highest level of friction a pad can be rated at. These develop the most stopping power. Different brand and model of pad develop levels of friction coefficient within each rating letter. H, G, F, E, A are just a minimum number to make that particular grade. EBC or Galfer HH pads may develop higher levels of friction than OEM Honda HH or they may not. As long as they meet the minimum standard for HH they are HH pads.
H is the most and A is the least. The rear brake of the NC700X uses EE pads. My belief is that Honda thought these pads adequate for the use the bike is designed for and are less likely to lock up the rear wheel on a non-ABS bike leading to loss of control.
Personally I would never use pads rated at less than OEM - install a FF "organic" pad in the front caliper for instance. Different brands of pads can offer different characteristics. I prefer to use OEM figuring that Honda knew the best mixture of stopping power, pad life, disc life, cost.
The rating of the pads are required to be legible on the back of the pad. These are the OEM pads in my 2015 NC700XD:
H is the highest level of friction a pad can be rated at. These develop the most stopping power. Different brand and model of pad develop levels of friction coefficient within each rating letter. H, G, F, E, A are just a minimum number to make that particular grade. EBC or Galfer HH pads may develop higher levels of friction than OEM Honda HH or they may not. As long as they meet the minimum standard for HH they are HH pads.
H is the most and A is the least. The rear brake of the NC700X uses EE pads. My belief is that Honda thought these pads adequate for the use the bike is designed for and are less likely to lock up the rear wheel on a non-ABS bike leading to loss of control.
Personally I would never use pads rated at less than OEM - install a FF "organic" pad in the front caliper for instance. Different brands of pads can offer different characteristics. I prefer to use OEM figuring that Honda knew the best mixture of stopping power, pad life, disc life, cost.
The rating of the pads are required to be legible on the back of the pad. These are the OEM pads in my 2015 NC700XD:
Thanks for the lesson Dave. I stick with the OEM's also, and just replaced them a second time. I could have gotten another few thousand miles out of them. (Like the set before)
Since I was doing maintenance on it already and taking a short trip, I decided to replace them while I had it down.
Since I was doing maintenance on it already and taking a short trip, I decided to replace them while I had it down.
rippin209
Well-Known Member
Thanks dduelin I appreciate the info. I really like it when someone who knows what there talking about makes useful comments. In my experience OEM isn't always the best for everything, such as chains and tires but they seem to get it right with brakes. I agree with dduelin they have the best balance of life span, stopping power and not eating your discThe NC700X comes equipped with HH front pads and EE rear pads. It is less important to choose or discuss pads in terms of the material used in the pads (sintered metal, carbon, Kevlar, ceramic, organic, etc.) instead of using the two letter codes. The codes are an SAE standard of friction coefficient based on testing in a defined predictable manner. The first letter is the average amount of friction a sample of the pad develops in four tests from 200 to 400 degrees. This is considered normal stopping of a street use vehicle in normal stopping conditions. The second letter describes the amount of friction the pad gives after a fade and recovery set of stops. This is a series of 10 stops that drive the pad sample temperature to 650 degrees. High temperatures cause the pad to lose friction - to fade means to lose braking power. The second letter could be considered a "hot" test. HH is the highest level of stopping power in the SAE rating scale. They are the best stopping power when cold and when hot. Pads can heat to 500 degrees in a matter of seconds so don't worry about a 50 or 70 degree F spread in ambient temperature. Cold pads get hot real quick and wet pads and discs dry almost instantly under heat and pressure.
H is the highest level of friction a pad can be rated at. These develop the most stopping power. Different brand and model of pad develop levels of friction coefficient within each rating letter. H, G, F, E, A are just a minimum number to make that particular grade. EBC or Galfer HH pads may develop higher levels of friction than OEM Honda HH or they may not. As long as they meet the minimum standard for HH they are HH pads.
H is the most and A is the least. The rear brake of the NC700X uses EE pads. My belief is that Honda thought these pads adequate for the use the bike is designed for and are less likely to lock up the rear wheel on a non-ABS bike leading to loss of control.
Personally I would never use pads rated at less than OEM - install a FF "organic" pad in the front caliper for instance. Different brands of pads can offer different characteristics. I prefer to use OEM figuring that Honda knew the best mixture of stopping power, pad life, disc life, cost.
The rating of the pads are required to be legible on the back of the pad. These are the OEM pads in my 2015 NC700XD:
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smiller
New Member
I'm not sure why everyone assumes that Honda developed some unique and special lining formulation for the NC700X and ditto for every other bike they make... it is more likely that the same material is used on dozens of models, with the engineers selecting from a predetermined palette whatever compound is closest to their needs for a given application. It is more of an assumption and a belief rather than any kind of demonstrated fact that Honda or any OEM pads are necessarily superior in terms of any characteristic (braking power, service life, rotor wear, etc.) than another compound with the same ratings, in fact and an alternate could well be superior.
There are many who feel that at the very least you can't go too wrong with OEM, and that's probably true... but that doesn't necessarily make OEM the best choice, just the easiest.
There are many who feel that at the very least you can't go too wrong with OEM, and that's probably true... but that doesn't necessarily make OEM the best choice, just the easiest.
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b_rubenstein
New Member
I doubt that Honda, or any other vehicle mfg., develops/makes brake pad material. They create requirements and specifications for brake systems and their components and then specialist companies do the detail design and manufacturing. Note that in the picture of the front brake pad that it has Nissan's name on it and they also make the calipers. I don't think any vehicle manufacturer is still vertically integrated.
2wheels4fun
Member
Thanks dduelin I also appreciate the info. Question: Since the original rear brakes seem so bad to me and I plan to start doing more gravel roads which requires more rear brakes, would I benefit to replace the rear brakes with a H, G, F friction coefficient? Currently still have the original rear brakes after 37k miles. I have replaced my front brakes at least 4 times. On the pavement, I barley use and most of the time don't even use my rear brakes. I do practice panic stops on pavement with both brakes.
smiller
New Member
Yes, no doubt their pads are sourced from any one of many potential suppliers. In fact there's no guarantee that the replacement OEM pads you buy will even be of the exact same material as those that originally came on the bike, other than meeting the same general specifications.
dduelin
Site Supporter
Honda has remarkable stringent specification and you can be sure that replacement pads are the same specification as originals if the P/N, model number, and revision and/or vendor number are the same. The parts fiche over time will show revisions or superseded parts numbers.
At no time did I or will I say that Honda OEM is the best choice for everyone, just my choice.
dduelin
Site Supporter
I have no informed opinion on using HH pads in the rear caliper. The rear brake on my '15 is stronger than the one on my '12 was and I have no reason to upgrade it. There was a thread at some point on how early bikes had the rear caliper mount drilled such that the pads were not square to the disk and this was a theory as to why the rear was so weak. A cursory search did show aftermarket HH rear pads are available it you want to try them.
b_rubenstein
New Member
To maintain control over a vendor supplied part, a Source Control Drawing is commonly used. It contains dimensions, specifications, requirements and approved vendor(s) along with the vendor's part number. Vehicle manufactures are required to maintain configuration control over design and change documents along with as built records.
smiller
New Member
Sorry, my comment wasn't aimed specifically at you, and I appreciated the info you provided.
And yes, as I said one can expect the specifications to be the same (i.e. if an HH-rated lining is what should be on there, that's what you'll get from Honda), but it's possible that the part was manufactured by a different supplier and may not be the exact same item that was installed on the assembly line x years ago. Who knows, the aftermarket supplier that one might be avoiding could have been the one who made your 'OEM' replacement pads. I'm not saying what anyone should or shouldn't do nor mean to criticize anyone for their decision one way or the other, just pointing out a reality.
