Brembo brake pads

TeddyG

TeddyG

Hero member
Location
Portland Oregon
Hello again,

As I dig deeper into this 74 750SF I recently purchased I'm finding more minor issues, so please excuse the multiple postings.

The front brake pads are "Sureflex" which I've never heard of. They appear to be new, but are an extremely tight fit against the rotors even w/ the caliper pucks fully retracted, which I've never seen on my other Brembos. The thickness of the pads and backing plate is @ 9mm- are there Brembo pads 7 mm thick to give more free play to eliminate brake drag and the part number? Thanks again!
brake pads.png
 
Post away, it's way too quiet here these days. Are your pistons moving freely? The old-style steel pistons tended to rust and cease in place, most have long been replaced by alloy ones. I have no idea what typical pad thickness is.
 
Surflex do a lot of clutches, I didn’t know they did brakes too but it makes sense. 9mm is about right for new pads. As per Vince, are you sure you’re getting full retraction? If corrosion is the problem then forcing it will damage the seals, so sanding the pads down a bit is an option. But I think I’d be pulling them apart for a clean up, they’re often not bled properly or often enough so can get pretty gungey anyway. Seal kits may be difficult to find but you can usually get away without replacing seals if you’re careful.
 
Andy said:
Surflex do a lot of clutches, I didn’t know they did brakes too but it makes sense. 9mm is about right for new pads. As per Vince, are you sure you’re getting full retraction? If corrosion is the problem then forcing it will damage the seals, so sanding the pads down a bit is an option. But I think I’d be pulling them apart for a clean up, they’re often not bled properly or often enough so can get pretty gungey anyway. Seal kits may be difficult to find but you can usually get away without replacing seals if you’re careful.
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Was doing the same thing today my self and have the same problem with the same pads so your not alone
 
Re-using old seals will not cure piston retraction problems, other than if these are completely seized. The pistons rely on the torsion within the rectangular cross-section of the seals to pull them off the disc, providing disc clearance and better feel at the lever. Tired old seals have usually lost all suppleness, all they manage is to prevent leaks.

Overhaul kits for the P08 calipers are readily available. Best to give the M/C a little TLC while you're at it, the whole system will feel transformed! Icing on the cake would be a new set of hoses, preferably of the PTFE type.

piet
 
OK, after some research I discovered that my Brembos are the narrower versions found on earlier Ducs, and that Bevel Heaven offers "shaved" pads. I also learned that organic pads should be used w/ cast iron rotors, as opposed to sintered that will chew up cast iron. The attached pics show how 9mm pads fit too tightly, even w/ the pucks fully retracted. I have no idea if these Sureflex are sintered or organic, so I'm ordering the ones from Bevel Heaven
 

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OE Brembo pads for P08 calipers are 9mm thick. So begs the question - how thick are your rotors? Would help to post a photo of your fully retracted caliper pistons, and measure the caliper body gap where disc and pads sit.

Steve's (Schurminater's) photo shows the gap between new brake pads (with I guess part worn discs) and caliper body on his bike (albeit the latter maybe slightly off centre! :unsure:).

In a post by Ducati Paddy, he provided some measurements whilst answering a different question - see https://laverdaforum.com/threads/brembo-goldline-differences.93564/post-334417 However, I reckon OE Brembo CI discs on Laverda were 6.5mm. If correct, and assuming 26.4 is correct for the caliper body width between pads and disc, that would leave 26.4 - (2x9) - 6.5 = 1.9mm. I guesstimate that ties in with the gap in Steve's photo.

To add to the confusion, Malcolm Cox supplies his discs at 7mm thick!
 
Rob said:
OE Brembo pads for P08 calipers are 9mm thick. So begs the question - how thick are your rotors? Would help to post a photo of your fully retracted caliper pistons, and measure the caliper body gap where disc and pads sit.

Steve's (Schurminater's) photo shows the gap between new brake pads (with I guess part worn discs) and caliper body on his bike (albeit the latter maybe slightly off centre! :unsure:).

In a post by Ducati Paddy, he provided some measurements whilst answering a different question - see https://laverdaforum.com/threads/brembo-goldline-differences.93564/post-334417 However, I reckon OE Brembo CI discs on Laverda were 6.5mm. If correct, and assuming 26.4 is correct for the caliper body width between pads and disc, that would leave 26.4 - (2x9) - 6.5 = 1.9mm. I guesstimate that ties in with the gap in Steve's photo.

To add to the confusion, Malcolm Cox supplies his discs at 7mm thick!
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Or 7,5mm
 
Interesting, I seem to remember seeing a size number marked on the edge of discs I owned and another memory of 6.5mm being the wear limit, I replaced mine at that size after swapping to a new set for a Bottle of Bourbon.
 
Vince said:
Interesting, I seem to remember seeing a size number marked on the edge of discs I owned and another memory of 6.5mm being the wear limit, I replaced mine at that size after swapping to a new set for a Bottle of Bourbon.
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I think from memory that the wear limit is 5.5mm.
Paul
 
I miced the caliper body gap and thickness of the rotors- the caliper body gap is 25-26mm and the rotor is @ 7mm thick. 7mm plus 18mm for the 2 pads leaves only 1mm for free play. Or is 1mm free play acceptable- I think it would drag too much and over heat and warp the rotor. The pads are a very tight fit. The cast iron rotors have no stamping so I don't know if they're from Malcolm Cox (its got a Malcolm Cox exhaust) or Brembos.
 
Just noticed on Paddy's site, he stocks NEW EBC organic pads for Shaved Calipers and cast iron discs. 7.5mm thick especially for P08 shaved SS calipers.

New Brembo Parts

New Brembo Parts
www.ducatipaddy.com www.ducatipaddy.com

No issues fitting my new pads to my discs, although surprised to see not much difference between the old and new thickness wise and they've been in there a while,will measure one up later.
Calipers and m/c have all previously been overhauled complete with new pistons and seals.
 
1mm would be fine, but the calipers must be perfectly centred. Have you centred everything on the axle by bouncing it hard against the brakes before final tightening of pinch bolts etc.
I have been surprised how thick Mals discs are, they look massively thick to the eye.
 
If those are genuine 'shaved' Brembo calipers the Ducati crowd will probably pay a small fortune for them. I thought the shaved ones were gold anodised and had the cast logo machined off too?
 
breganzane said:
If those are genuine 'shaved' Brembo calipers the Ducati crowd will probably pay a small fortune for them. I thought the shaved ones were gold anodised and had the cast logo machined off too?
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Early ones at least were black, Steve.

Currently re-building a set myself, not yet sure what to do with them... luxury problems, eh? Definitely no logo on mine.

piet
 
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