How to Install Bike Brake Pads?

Whether your bike has the traditional rim brakes or the modern disk brakes, one thing that’s common in both of them is the brake pads. Of course, they are of different types, but their job is more or less the same. Brake pads make contact with the rim or the rotor and force the wheel to decelerate and eventually come to a stop.

Brake pads for bikes have a metallic base that holds the composite plastic material that makes contact with the rim or the rotor. The non-metallic part of the brake pads to decay and needs replacement so that the braking system can effectively stop the wheel. We will teach you to remove and install the breaking pads step by step.

Removing the Braking Pads

The arrangement and structure of brake systems are moderately different for disc brakes and rim brakes. We will tell you how to remove the braking pads on both types of brake system first, and then we will move on to the installation part.

Rim Brakes

To remove the brake pads, you need to disconnect the calipers first. Push the calipers together and detach the cable guide. On BMX bikes, there is a small ball at the end of the cable that is fixed into the calipers’ housing. Push the cable towards the caliper and remove the cable should be free to remove.

Then, unscrew the Allen bolts that connect the brake pads to each caliper. If the brake pads have a set of washers and spacers, it is better to take it to the store and ask for replacements. You have to keep the arrangement of the washers and the spacers in mind so that you can install it correctly.

Disc Brakes

Remove the brake caliper at first. To do so, you may have to unscrew Allen bolts, regular bolts, etc. And slide the caliper away from the rotor. This part will vary according to your model. There are many variations to braking pads of a disc brake. But most of them are easily accessible once you’ve removed the calipers.

Take the flat screwdriver out of your tool vest and using its head, push the pistons back by inserting the screwdriver inside of the braking pads. Don’t worry about damaging the pads because you’ll be installing the new ones. Remove any screws, bolts, Allen bolts, etc. to free the pads. Once they are freed, pull them from their place gently. Try wriggling if pulling doesn’t work.

How to Install Bike Brake Pads – Rim Brakes

The installation process is simply the reverse process of removal. But there are some extra works that you’ll need to do here. We got all of them covered here along with some tips and tricks.

Step 1: Check the New Braking Pads

The size and shape of the new braking pads should be the same as the old one. Before you put the new one back inside, try to align it with the old one. It should match perfectly if you have the right piece. The patterns on the plastic pads may vary a little bit but as long as the size and shape are alright, you are good to go.

Step 2: Align the New Pads

Remove the pre-set washers and spacers from the new braking pads. Then, put the pad through the whole of the caliper. If your previous pads had any washer and spacers pre-set on the inside, put them on the new ones too. Put the other washers and spacers on the other side too.

Step 3: Tighten the Allen Bolt and Fix the Calipers

Make sure that the pad does not face the tire instead of the rims. After that, tighten the Allen bolts. Now to set the calipers back together again, you will have to loosen an Allen bolt from one of the tops of the caliper from where the cable runs in.

After you’ve loosened the bolt, you can now bring the caliper back together and attach the cable guide. Once you’ve set them together, tighten the Allen bolt at the top of the caliper, and you are done.

Installing the Braking Pads – Disc Brakes

This process is a bit trickier than the installation process of the braking pads of the rim brakes. But just like the previous one, we are here to walk you through the process. So just follow along and get it done as soon as possible.

Step 1: Check the New Braking Pads

Before you start working to fix them in their positions, make sure that you got what you needed. Try to match the new pads with the old ones. If you bought the right one, then there shouldn’t be any mismatch. Also, if your previous braking pads had a spring, make sure your new ones have them too.

Step 2: Align the New Pads

Because of the different types of braking pads available, lining them up in their places is different. If you have braking pads with springs, make the arrangement right first and then slide the whole thing inside and between the pistons. Some pads require either of the left or the right pad to be placed first and only then, the next one.

Step 3: Tighten the Bolts and Screws

On this step, reverse the process of unscrewing that you did while removing the pads. You may need to install a pin or an Allen bolt or a screw to do so. Some braking pads require more than two or three screwing systems.

Step 4: Re-install the Caliper

Align the calipers with the rotor in such a way that the rotor is placed nicely within the braking pads. If you’ve done it correctly, then the caliper should line up with the holes where it will be attached with the frame of the bike using Allen bolts. Tighten the caliper using the required bolts or screws and you’re done.

Conclusion

Before you take your bike outside, we recommend testing the braking mechanism a couple of times in a safe environment. Take the bike in your garden or a playground and make sure that the brakes work every time. Also, make sure that there are no sounds as it may indicate some problems with the brake system.