TRACK TESTED
EBC Pad and Rotor Upgrades for Track BikesK3 Chris OnwilerPage 2
continued... Installation of our EBC rotors and pads was simple; however the level of disassembly required allowed us to give the brake system some necessary maintenance during the swap. The dust created as brake pads wear is a real detriment to your motorcycle’s performance, yet few riders consider it. Brake dust coats your machine’s caliper pistons, which are edging ever further out of the calipers as the pads wear. When it comes time to replace the pads, most mechanics simply push the pistons back into the calipers without bothering to clean off the dust. This sloppy practice can cause the pistons to bind in their seals. The brakes still work, they just don’t release completely. In effect, it’s as if you’re constantly dragging the brakes slightly as you ride. This dragging takes its toll on acceleration and fuel economy but worst of all, it causes the brakes to overheat and fade much more easily than they would otherwise.
 The key to avoiding the brake drag caused by dirty caliper pistons is to get in there and clean them with a toothbrush and biodegradable cleaner like Simple Green. Never use an aerosol product such as brake or carb cleaner, since it can damage the rubber o-rings that seal the pistons into the calipers. To begin the job, remove one front caliper and use the brake lever to carefully pump the pistons out until you can see a strip of clean metal on each. Don’t go too far or you’ll pop the pistons out of their seals and wind up having to rebuild the caliper. Leaving the old pads in while you move the pistons will help you keep things under control. When all four pistons have some clean metal showing, remove the old pads and get busy with that toothbrush! After scrubbing, rinse everything with a low-pressure stream of water. Don’t use high pressure water or compressed air, since this can force contaminants past the piston o-rings and into the brake system.
Once you’ve finished cleaning the first caliper, push its pistons back in and install the new pads. Reattach the caliper to the fork leg and pump the front brake lever until the pads grip the rotor. Now you can remove the second caliper (assuming you have dual front calipers) and repeat the process. The rear caliper should be cleaned with just as much care and attention. If your machine is older and hasn’t received this kind of attention before, you may have to scrub the pistons several times to get them clean. The good news is that once you’ve scoured the built up gunk away, this chore will only take a few minutes the next time you do it. We like to clean our calipers this way each time we change brake pads at the minimum, while bikes that we’ll race get their calipers cleaned after every event. The decreased rolling resistance is worth it when you’re trying to win!
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