How to look after disk brakes?

[summerdays]

Recently my front disk brake squeaks very annoyingly as I cycle along - to the extent that both friends and strangers comment on!!

The first thing I tried was to change the rotor - as it wasn't true. (This is Avid Juicy by the way - 8 months old). That worked for all of a week before the squeak returned. Last night I changed the pads - well to be precise Mr Summerdays did. And it appears the squeak has gone - yes I know its not a long test.

Its made me realise that whilst I know how to look after V-brakes, I don't know how to look after disk brakes.

So how often should I clean the rotors? using water?

Do I need to do anything to the pads to clean them?

How do I know when the pad is worn out or contaminated? Is it worth buying a can of disk brake cleaner?

This is a photo of one of the old pads: is the surface normal?

The pad's I've replaced them with are Avid ones but are cooper coloured. I didn't understand what was meant by organic and sintered?

 

[NickM]

In my experience with Avid cable disks, EBC replacement pads do not squeal, whereas Avid ones do, even if you are careful to keep the disk clean. Sanding the surface of a squealing pad helps for a while, but not for long.

Disks themselves can be cleaned (cheaply) with meths just as effectively as with supposedly "special" disk cleaning fluid.

 

[02GF74]

disc brakes are used on cars - do you ever clean them?

the answer is no. the gap between the pad and disc is small and unless you cycle through axle deep mud, it is unlikley you get any crap in there. they are pretty well maintenacne free.

you will find the caliper to be covered by pad dust - just wipe that off.

your pads may be made of a squeak prone compound or were contaminated.

you can take some 600 wet and dry and sand the pad in a radial direction - that would clean the surface up.

they look normal by the way.