rear brake mods?

Message

ofblong · #1 Unread post by **ofblong** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:36 pm

I was wondering (I cant seem to find anywhere) if there is a place that sells conversion kits for going from drum to disk on rear brakes. I only ask because disk brakes are sooo much easier to use/repair/keep up than drum brakes and its bad enough I have to replace them on my cage. What would be some downfalls of going to disk from drum other than having to buy a new rim and running the brake lines different? btw I am going to put my bike in my sig here shortly lol.

Mintbread · Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:19 pm

Mounting the torsion bar on the stock swingarm may be a little tricky.

ofblong · #3 Unread post by **ofblong** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 7:47 am

So I should prob update the swingarm as well at the same time then?

sharpmagna · Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:22 am

I don't think it is worth it. The front brakes do most of the work (70% roughly) so they get worn out more quickly than the rears would. You would not need to change out the rear drum pads as much as the front pads.

ofblong · #5 Unread post by **ofblong** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:57 am

sharpmagna wrote:I don't think it is worth it. The front brakes do most of the work (70% roughly) so they get worn out more quickly than the rears would. You would not need to change out the rear drum pads as much as the front pads.

hehe I understand that point

. my bike has 16k miles on it and im assuming at around 20k I will or should need to replace the rear pads? assuming they have never been changed? To me it would just be easier to see the pad without having to take a cover off to know how much wear there is on the pad. Or is there a way to feel how much pad is left? on cars I hear the grinding noise but is it the same for bikes?

#6 Unread post by **9000white** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 2:32 pm

dont know about the vlx but my 2 hondas have wear indicators stamped in the backing plate and on the rear lever.

ofblong · #7 Unread post by **ofblong** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 2:37 pm

9000white wrote:dont know about the vlx but my 2 hondas have wear indicators stamped in the backing plate and on the rear lever.

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hmm i had no idea. I will have to check that out tonight at work.

sharpmagna · Tue Aug 15, 2006 3:19 pm

9000white wrote:dont know about the vlx but my 2 hondas have wear indicators stamped in the backing plate and on the rear lever.

Yup mine has the same. When I press the rear brake lever, it moves an arm which has an arrow. The closer it meets another arrow shows how much brake pad I have left. Once the arrows meet, I'm suppose to change the pads. My bike has about 24.5K miles on it and as I believe I'm the 3rd owner it has not been changed previously.

Flak Monkey · Tue Aug 15, 2006 5:37 pm

It's the same way on my KZ. If a bike as old as mine has it I'm surprised yours wouldn't.
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TechTMW · #10 Unread post by **TechTMW** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 6:35 pm

Definitely not worth it!

Most bikes go well over 50,000 miles w/o changing the rear brake. If your bike doesn't have the little pointer thingy, no worries, just measure the pad material the next time you change your rear tire. If it's servicable, keep on truckin until you chage the tire again, rinse, repeat...