How to replace your rear brake pads

[WingAdmin]

Brake pads are subject to normal wear, and should be replaced if the wear lines on the pads reaches the edge of the brake rotor. Brake pads must ALWAYS be replaced in pairs to assure even pressure on the brake rotor.

1. Remove the seat and left saddlebag. Instructions on removing the seat can be found here, and on removing the bag can be found here. Careful to disconnect the turn signal wire (on top of the rear fender before pulling the bag away.



1. Loosen and remove the caliper pivot bolt.



2. Loosen and remove the lower caliper bolt.



3. Pull the caliper up off the brake rotor and remove it.



4. Unbolt the brake pin retainer bracket bolt.



5. Remove the brake pin retainer bracket.



6. Remove the brake retainer pins. These are frequently seized in place, and may require some persuasion. I used a punch and a hammer to persuade them out from the back side of the caliper. The brake pads will fall out when these pins are removed.



7. The brake pistons must now be retracted. As the brake pads wore away, the caliper filled with more and more brake fluid, and the pistons have pushed out farther. They must be pushed back into the caliper in order for the new brake pads to fit. There are a variety of tools to do this:



Some people just use a C-clamp. Both pistons must be pushed in at the same time, and they must be pushed in evenly - do not push on the edge of one piston. A simple method is to put a wrench flat across both pistons, then use a C-clamp to push the wrench, which will push both pistons equally into the caliper.

Important: before retracting the pistons, loosen the bleeder screw. This allows the collected brake fluid in the caliper to be ejected, instead of pushed back up to the master cylinder. The brake fluid that is in the caliper has been subjected to many heat cycles, and can be contaminated by moisture, debris and grease. The last thing you want to do is to push that contaminated brake fluid back up into the master cylinder! So loosen the bleeder screw, retract the pistons, then tighten the bleeder screw again.



Caution: Brake fluid will destroy plastic and painted surfaces. Do not allow brake fluid to squirt onto plastic or painted surfaces!

8. Remove the brake spring from the caliper and clean it with brake cleaner.



9. Clean and polish the brake pad retention pins.



10. The pivot bolt should be cleaned of all crease using brake cleaner.



11. Insert the retainer spring back into the caliper.



12. Push the brake pad retaining pins partially into the caliper.



13. Push the new brake pads down into the caliper, compressing the spring, and slide them onto the retaining pins. Be careful not to get grease, brake fluid or lubricant on the face of the brake pads. Push the retaining pins all the way through.



14. Place the brake pin retaining bracket in place, and fasten the bracket retaining bolt.



15. Lubricate the slider pin with copious amounts of high temperature brake lubricant.



16. Place the caliper over the rotor, line up the bolt holes, insert the pivot bolt, and torque it to 13 ft-lb for 1980-1981, and 17 ft-lb for 1982-1983 models.. You may need to push the slider pin (underneath the "HONDA" on the caliper) out a bit with your fingers in order to get the caliper to line up correctly with the holes.



17. Insert the caliper bolt and torque it to 22 ft-lb.



18. Bleed the brakes. I highly recommend using a Mity-vac to bleed the brakes.

19. Replace the saddle bag.

20. Test ride the bike. You will need to "seat" the new brake pads. To do this, ride up to about 30 mph, then brake hard to nearly a stop. Repeat this five or six times.

[lazereth]

Hi everyone...I just purchased a 1978 Honda Goldwing GL1000 and noticed I have very little if any rear brakes and I'm going to try and resolve this issue without having to take it to a high price mechanic. I was checking out the procedure that you have in the DIY Articles and just wanted to make sure that it is for a 1978 Honda Goldwing GL1000 and ask if there might be an easier solution to my problem. This is my first motorcycle and even though I have worked on a few cars this is new to me...thank you for any help you may be able to offer.

[WingAdmin]

Hi everyone...I just purchased a 1978 Honda Goldwing GL1000 and noticed I have very little if any rear brakes and I'm going to try and resolve this issue without having to take it to a high price mechanic. I was checking out the procedure that you have in the DIY Articles and just wanted to make sure that it is for a 1978 Honda Goldwing GL1000 and ask if there might be an easier solution to my problem. This is my first motorcycle and even though I have worked on a few cars this is new to me...thank you for any help you may be able to offer.

The article shows and describes a 1982 GL1100...but your GL1000 will be very similar.

[thirdstorybase]

i have an 87 1200 interstate and want to change my brake pads. how similar is this procedure. are the fronts done the same way? just started hearing some squealing nows and some grinding at low speeds

[WingAdmin]

i have an 87 1200 interstate and want to change my brake pads. how similar is this procedure. are the fronts done the same way? just started hearing some squealing nows and some grinding at low speeds

It's fairly similar, except that the fronts are not on the same circuit - one side is actuated using the lever, the other side is actuated with the brake pedal.

If the grinding is due to the pad lining being gone and the shoe grinding against the rotor, you may be too late. If the rotor is scored from this, you will likely need a new rotor.

[TGStorm]

Any Suggestions on where to get some pads,,??,, maybe a better price online somewhere.. if not then I guess I will have to drag myself to the local honda shop where I just dread going...

[WingAdmin]

I've always got mine from Cyclemax. They have both aftermarket and OEM pads, and better prices than you'll get from any Honda dealer.

[TGStorm]

Thanks Bro .... your a wallet saver

[Fpd262]

Awesome post...I just did my brakes all the way around on my 82 standard in about 45 minutes following these posts

[warnett]

Its interesting what the differance in torque is between the rear and the front calipers

[tubamanz]

As I needed to replace the tires on my 1982 GL1100 I took the opportunity to also replace the bearings (see my posts to the "How to replace your rear wheel bearings" thread) and rear brake pads. Good call on the pads - the ones that were on the bike when I bought it (April 2012) were nearly worn to the backing plate. (Yes, I also have new front pads to install). One of the steps in this guide says to "Clean and polish the brake retention pins". I found a pretty easy way to do this. I put the end without the retaining groove in my cordless drill up to the flange. Wrapping some 150 grit sandpaper around the pins I gave them 10-15 secs of of polishing and they came out nice and smooth. They went very easily back into the caliper.

One question: When people install new pads, do they push the pistons all the way back into the caliper (flush)? I did open the bleeder valve as I compressed the pistons (using a C clamp and a wrench across the pistons), but eventually I could not push them in any further. I would guess 1/2" or so remained sticking out of the caliper. I know that I'll find out when I put the wheel back on if there is a problem, but I'd like to know before then.

Thanks.

[WingAdmin]

As I needed to replace the tires on my 1982 GL1100 I took the opportunity to also replace the bearings (see my posts to the "How to replace your rear wheel bearings" thread) and rear brake pads. Good call on the pads - the ones that were on the bike when I bought it (April 2012) were nearly worn to the backing plate. (Yes, I also have new front pads to install). One of the steps in this guide says to "Clean and polish the brake retention pins". I found a pretty easy way to do this. I put the end without the retaining groove in my cordless drill up to the flange. Wrapping some 150 grit sandpaper around the pins I gave them 10-15 secs of of polishing and they came out nice and smooth. They went very easily back into the caliper.

One question: When people install new pads, do they push the pistons all the way back into the caliper (flush)? I did open the bleeder valve as I compressed the pistons (using a C clamp and a wrench across the pistons), but eventually I could not push them in any further. I would guess 1/2" or so remained sticking out of the caliper. I know that I'll find out when I put the wheel back on if there is a problem, but I'd like to know before then.

Thanks.

If I remember correctly, that's about how far they go in before they bottom out - they don't go in flush. Again, that's from my recollection, I could be wrong.

[kypreston57]

The rear caliper for my 1981 GL1100-I looks very different from the caliper featured here. It has one piston, one seal. I will offer one tip on how to remove the piston when cleaning the caliper: use compressed air. I took one of the OEM lines and cut it about an inch past the banjo fitting and reattached it to the brake line fitting on the caliper. (I was replacing the lines any way.) I then placed a shop towel in the caliper to soften the impact of the piston when it came out. I set my compressor up to exert about 20 lbs. of air pressure, placed the nozzle on the cut brake line, and the piston popped right out. It was pretty gross inside, but it all cleaned up nicely.

[krazni]

I, too, have an '81 GL1100-I, and it also has a single piston rear brake. Is this normal? I don't want to order pads and then find out that my brake assembly isn't stock ...

Thanks for any help or input on this.

[WingAdmin]

I, too, have an '81 GL1100-I, and it also has a single piston rear brake. Is this normal? I don't want to order pads and then find out that my brake assembly isn't stock ...

Thanks for any help or input on this.

That's normal. Dual pistons on the rear caliper weren't added to the GL1100 until 1982.

[krazni]

Thanks I also just found that the brake disc is a bit loose on the bolting hub. The actual disc itself is not riveted securely to the center part that actually bolts to the wheel. Now I'm certainly not an engineer, but it seems to me that it shouldn't be loose. Anybody with any thoughts on that?

[WingAdmin]

Thanks I also just found that the brake disc is a bit loose on the bolting hub. The actual disc itself is not riveted securely to the center part that actually bolts to the wheel. Now I'm certainly not an engineer, but it seems to me that it shouldn't be loose. Anybody with any thoughts on that?

The disc should be rock-solid-tight to the wheel, and if it is loose, that's a huge safety issue!

Looks like you are in need of a new brake disc assembly.

[krazni]

What if I just don't use the rear brake? Just kidding Thanks for taking the time to post back!

[mkdm0]

The rear caliper for my 1981 GL1100-I looks very different from the caliper featured here. It has one piston, one seal. I will offer one tip on how to remove the piston when cleaning the caliper: use compressed air. I took one of the OEM lines and cut it about an inch past the banjo fitting and reattached it to the brake line fitting on the caliper. (I was replacing the lines any way.) I then placed a shop towel in the caliper to soften the impact of the piston when it came out. I set my compressor up to exert about 20 lbs. of air pressure, placed the nozzle on the cut brake line, and the piston popped right out. It was pretty gross inside, but it all cleaned up nicely.

The piston on my 81 (both rear caliper and master cylinder) were stuck so hard I couldn't blow them out with air. I wound up getting a grease fitting that would screw into the banjo fittings and pumped them out then cleaned the grease out with brake cleaner and compressed air. a side benefit was that it also popped gunk out that was clogging up the 2 ports in the master cylinder. an e 1 steel guitar string works really well for cleaning that little bitty hole in the master cylinder.

[tubamanz]

I would suggest 3 minor alterations in the steps of doing this job.

1. Before step 1, loosen but don't remove the brake pin retainer bracket bolt
2. At step 14 simply hand tighten the bolt
3. After step 17, snug down the bolt.

It's much easier to loosen/tighten that bolt with the caliper attached to the bike.

[swr1977]

I, too, have an '81 GL1100-I, and it also has a single piston rear brake. Is this normal? I don't want to order pads and then find out that my brake assembly isn't stock ...

Thanks for any help or input on this.

That's normal. Dual pistons on the rear caliper weren't added to the GL1100 until 1982.

I have a '78 GL1000 and its rear caliper does have dual pistons but they are not like what you have shown in your pictures. The pistons on my caliper are on opposite sides of the disc. My question is how do you compress both at the same time? As per your instructions. Sorry I don't have a picture for you as the bike is not currently in my garage as my uncle volunteered his garage and I forgot to snap a pic before leaving his place!

[captdecker]

I fine that using a C clamp works well, I set in center of OLD pad to push both piston in. No need to go spend dollars, as most people will have the clamp.

[swr1977]

I fine that using a C clamp works well, I set in center of OLD pad to push both piston in. No need to go spend dollars, as most people will have the clamp.

I wound up buying two small c clamps and doing just that... I was able to use both at the same time with just a little bit of effort to figure out the placement.