Keeping your brakes in good condition is critical for ATV maintenance. Once your brakes start to wear out, you could be putting yourself into dangerous situations. You need to be able to stop quickly and successfully at all times on an ATV.
Mud and moisture is the main killer of ATV brake pads, as well as excessive use. Brake pads do their job best under dry conditions. I’m not saying avoid mud, that’s the best part of off-roading, but it’s just something to be aware of.
To complete a successful brake pad swap out, the first thing you need to be aware of is if you have disk brakes or drum brakes.
Most newer quads you will see with disk brakes for every tire. Hydraulic disk brakes are the norm now a days, but you still see drum brakes here and there, and more on older four wheelers. The hydraulic disk brakes are so popular because they stop so much more effectively, limiting the amount of ATV accidents and injuries.
You will be able to easily tell if your brakes are disk or drum brakes by looking for the brake system behind the tire or on the axle. Here are some examples:
ATV Disk BrakesYou will notice where the ATV disk brakes got their name, there’s an actual disk that the brake pads press against to slow the machine down.
These are very common for sport or racing quads. The front disk brakes will very similar except they will most likely be behind the front tire, usually on both sides of the front wheels.
This is because the front brakes are used more often and are so much more critical to slowing the machine down quickly.
ATV Drum BrakesThe drum brakes will look like this picture, they are enclosed with the brake shoes being pressed onto the the wall of the drum inside the drum itself.
These are more often found on older quads or on utility ATVs on the rear wheels. Since the front brakes are most important, it’s usually fine for the the back brakes to be the less effective drum style brake system.
After you figure out which brake system you have, drum or disk, you can get the parts and do a brake pad change.
If you do have drum brakes but want disk brakes, they sell pretty good Disk Brake Conversion Kits on Amazon, just make sure to get the right kit for your make and model.
But what type of pads will you want to get? Let’s talk about the different brake pad materials.
There are three common types of brake pad material to choose from. Ceramic, Metallic, and Organic. Ceramic are usually the most expensive but run a lot cleaner. They create less brake dust which in turn causes less wear and tear to your other brake system components.
Metallic brake pads are popular for sport quads because of the high temperatures they can withstand. But they tend to be noisy and rough on the rotors. Semi-Metallic brake pads are optimal for an everyday rider.
Organic brake pads are the cheapest option of the three.
They are easy on the rotors, and contain no metallic material. The down side is they offer the least performance and slowest braking time.
Semi-Metallic brake pads are the most common and best for everyday use. Here is a link to Semi-Metallic ATV Brake Pads on Amazon to help get your search started. Make sure you get the right set for your make and model.
First step is to make sure you have all the tools you need to complete the job. Unless you like running out to the parts store in the middle of a job. Most of these tools are very common and already in most garages.
Once you have all your tools and parts ready, it’s time to replace the brake pads. This is a pretty easy straight forward process.
First remove the ATV tire and wheel assembly from the machine. It’s best practice to loosen the lugs while the ATV is on the ground. Then lift the quad and remove the lugs and wheel.
This is usually done with a socket set, sometimes with an allen wrench. Look on the back of the caliper and you will notice two bolts that hold the brake assembly on.
Remove these bolts and the whole assembly comes off the rotor. The pads may still be on the caliper held there by two pins.
You will need to suppress the pins on the caliper to remove the brake pads. This is where you’ll use the vice grips or clamp. Once suppressed the brake pads will easily fall right out of the caliper housing.
This part can be a bit of a pain, but if you get the vice grips on just right you won’t have any problems.
You will need to compress the caliper piston with a c clamp or something to get the new brake pads in the caliper.
Once you compress the caliper piston you can remove the clamp and insert the new brake pads.
Remember to set the pads back on the caliper pins just the way the old ones were installed. You will need the vice grips again to compress the pins to put the new pads on.
Simply put the brake assembly back onto the machine by bolting the caliper back into place.
There you have it, you just changed your brake pads. Not that difficult of a job, and can be easily done in less than an hour once you know what you’re doing.
Put the wheel and tire back onto the machine and lower the jack. It’s best to loosely put the lugs on while the machine is jacked up, and then firmly tighten the lugs after you’ve lower the quad back to the ground.
Press the brake down to be sure that your brake is working properly. The first or first two pumps on the pedal are soft as the piston started at a new point on the backside the brake pad.
This might be a good time to check your brake fluid and replace or add any if needed. If you want to bleed the brakes and get all new fluid in there check out this article on How To Bleed Your Brake Fluid On An ATV.
The average rider can go a few years before needing new brake pads. It’s not a good idea to judge if you need pads by how long it’s been since last replacement though.
Since everyone rides their machine differently and with differing frequency, there are better ways to check of you need to do a replacement.
The best way to tell if you need to replace your ATV brake pads is by looking at the thickness of the pads. You could always measure them by hand, but a quick look is enough to tell if they’re worn out.
In this picture the pads on the right are worn and the pads on the left are new.
Another way to tell is if you hear a scraping noise while using your brakes when you’re riding. If you press down hard on the brakes and notice a jittery feeling in your handle bars, that’s another sign you should check out your brake pads.
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WHEN DO YOU NEED TO CHANGE ATV BRAKE PADS? UNDERSTANDING YOUR ATV BRAKES BUYING NEW BRAKE PADS TOOL YOU NEED TO REPLACE ATV BRAKE PADS HOW TO CHANGE ATV BRAKE PADS
We can't stress enough the importance of having properly functioning brakes, and brake pads.
Thankfully, you can change ATV brake pads yourself, making it easy and budget-friendly to change them when they're worn.
You should be checking your brake pads before every ride to make sure they are in good shape. Over time, you'll notice the pads getting thinner and thinner.
When they reach 1/4in thick, they need to be replaced. But you don't have to hand measure or be that precise. If they're visibly close to that, you could go ahead and replace them. With something as important as your brakes, it's better to lean to the safer side.
Depending on how often you ride, where you ride, how you maintain your ATV, and how forcefully you use your brakes, you could need to replace the brake pads in a few years or as little as a month.
These symptoms can also alert you to brake pad problems:
Image from www.
partzilla.com
Most newer ATVs have disk brakes and on every tire. This has become the safety standard to provide the fastest braking.
It's not surprising for older ATVs and UTVs to have drum brakes. Brake speed is less critical with UTVs because people often use them for different tasks like hauling and plowing that are slower, less accident-prone activities.
Disk brakes get their name because they have an actual disk that the brake pad presses against to slow the machine down.
Drum brakes are enclosed, with the brake shoe pressing onto the wall of the drum.
Some ATV models have disk brakes in the front and drum brakes in the back because the speed is more important in the front wh ere the most critical braking action takes place.
Before you buy new brake pads, make sure you know which kind you have.
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Check brake pad size specifications for your ATV in the owner's manual.
It is very important that you get the right size brake pads because having poorly fitting brake pads can be just as dangerous as having worn ones.
Ceramic brake pads are the most expensive option, and they are great on the brake system as they don't produce a lot of dust that can get in other parts of the system.
Metallic brake pads are great for sport ATVs because they withstand high temperatures well, but they are also noisy and rough on the rotors.
Semi-metallic options are an inbetween choice that is good for the average ATV rider and they are a popular brake pad purchase.
Organic brake pads are the cheapest option. They are easy on the rotors and don't produce much dust, but they also offer the weakest braking time. You might use these on UTVs with less risk of an accident and enjoy the reduced maintenance.
If your ATV came with drum brakes but you would rather your ATV or UTV have disk brakes, it is possible to buy conversion kits that will let you do that.
Make sure you choose one specifically for your vehicle's make and model.
Start by loosening the wheel lug nuts while the ATV is still on the ground.
Raise the ATV on a car jack, support it with jack stands, and ensure it is stable. When you get settled into working on your ATV, the movement could rock it off an unstable support.
Remove the lugs and wheel(s).
There are two bolts on the back of the caliper. They can be removed with either the socket wrench or hex key. The caliper can be stuck a bit and require some gentle prying to loosen. When you get it loose, it will detach from the rotor and will still have the brake pads attached to it.
Suppress the pin on the caliper with the vice grips or clamp. Some models have a plug over the bolt, but most don't.
The pads will fall off.
Clean any dust and residue made by the brake pads. Metallic and semi-metallic brake pads will be particularly likely to create dust.
Compress the caliper piston with a clamp. Once it has been compressed, you can take the clamp off and put the brake pads on.
Use the vice grips to compress the pins again.
Put the caliper back in place and tighten the bolts.
Put the wheel back on and lower the jack. You can tighten the lugs once the ATV is back on the ground.
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New generation ATVs are equipped with three main types of brakes. Large ATV s like the Kawasaki Brute Force 750 use sealed brakes, working on the same principle as a wet clutch. This design of the brake disc has a huge plus - it's durability. Small, lightweight ATVs often have simple, inexpensive drum brakes. However, most quads are still equipped with hydraulic disc brakes, they are light, reliable, but their service life is not great. In this article, we have collected useful tips for the operation and maintenance of ATV disc brakes .
Use all ATV systems correctly
Previously only two-stroke ATVs were on the market and the brakes were the main responsibility for the safety of the rider. Four-stroke engines now use engine braking, which helps extend the life of the brakes, despite the greater weight of the ATV.
Therefore, it is very important to know how your quad works in order to properly use all of its systems.
Brake Fluid
Brake fluid helps brakes withstand high temperatures and fluctuations, but be aware that over time it absorbs moisture, which leads to separation and poor performance of the brakes. Brake fluid must be changed at least once a year, and it must be borne in mind that you need to use new fluid from a sealed canister.
Change Your Brake Pads Timely
Immediately after you notice that there are only a few millimeters of coating left on the ATV brake pads, they need to be replaced, do not expect them to wear down to the metal. Often the brake system can provide a piston stroke of no more than 5 millimeters. If your ATV pads have 8mm of coating, the last 3mm is just for show.
Which brake pads to supply?
Brake shoes are available in different types. Each has its pros and cons. The most popular are semi-metal pads.
For example, sintered pads can withstand higher temperatures and provide more aggressive braking, but the downside is that they wear the discs faster. Brake pads with Kevlar or organic coating are softer, but they wear faster. If you decide to change the type of pads, it is better to replace the brake disc.
Brake discs
ATV brakes may not work well due to worn discs. Scratches and marks on brake discs can be sanded out using a sander and sandpaper.
Brake Hoses
Many ATV owners don't pay enough attention to brake hoses. High-quality hoses are installed on new ATVs, but after a year they wear out quite a lot. To prevent deformation of the brake hoses, use steel mesh braided hoses.
Correctly bleed the brake system
The brake system must be bled correctly, so remember that bleeding should begin with the wheel that is farthest from the master cylinder. Never allow air to enter the brake system.
Therefore, close the nipple on the caliper before releasing the brake pedal.
Remove brake pad squeak
Brake pad squeak can be caused by foreign material on the surface of the brake disc. Most often this happens if you have changed organic brake pads to semi-metallic ones. The brake disc should be thoroughly cleaned, the noise should stop.
Selecting brake discs
If you often ride your ATV in the mud, you should seriously consider the choice of brake discs. For wet mud, choose vented discs, while for abrasive mud, solid discs are best.
Use the brake correctly
Incorrect use of the brake lever or pedal can cause brake system failure. Do not drive with the brake lever constantly depressed, it is better to move it to another place on the steering wheel.
According to forceful.ru
- We all are well aware of the principle of operation of the drum brake system, it is based on the expansion of the pads, and the mechanism is driven by a brake cable. Disc brakes work differently. The brake mechanism actuates the brake fluid, which is developed according to a special technology and does not respond to temperature changes. Serviceable disc brakes are many times more reliable than drum brakes, that's a fact.
Most ATV models are equipped with a mixed brake system. For example, disc brakes are installed on the front wheels, and drum brakes on the rear wheels. But it is also not uncommon for both circuits to be either drum or disc.
It is worth saying that under the condition of hard use of the ATV (jumping, increased shaking, unstable wheel position), it is necessary to use a disc (hydraulic) brake system, since when using drum brakes, sometimes one hand effort is not enough. Whereas when using disc brakes, you will only need a slight effort of your hand to apply and brake unhindered.
So, let's look at the mechanism of the disc brake system.
Brake fluid is poured into a special expansion tank (located on the handlebars or attached to the ATV frame).
What happens when you press the handle or the brake pedal?
Manual brake control.
Foot brake control.
A handle or pedal presses on a piston, which in turn drives the brake fluid in the hoses, creating pressure that is transferred to the brake caliper, which has its own piston.
Rear brake caliper.
Front brake caliper.
Under pressure, the brake caliper piston moves the pads, which compress the brake disc.
Brake shoes.
When braking, there is a lot of pressure on the pads that can stop the ATV.
Of course, under such loads, you should pay attention to the lining of the brake pads.
High-quality braking is possible only with the use of serviceable brake pads, which are regularly serviced. You can read about how to make your own brake pads here.
The brake disc is made of strong steel. Along the perimeter, the disk has holes for ventilation and self-cleaning from dirt.
Remember to be safe, regularly inspecting your ATV's braking system is essential for the health of you and your passenger. When inspecting, special attention should be paid to the brake hoses, the condition of the pads, the level of brake fluid in the reservoir, and the condition of the brake disc.
We recommend DOT 3 brake fluid.
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