NA8 Front Brake pads loose in caliper.

[Red_Bullet]

I just put some new pads in my NA8 and noticed they are quite a loose fit in the caliper. If you lever them with a screw driver they move about 1 to 1.5 mm up or down. On my NB8B (road pads) I tried the same test and found they only move about 0.5 mm.

I compared dimensions of the old pads (Hawk Blue 9012) with the new pads (PFC-11) and found the hawks to be about 0.2 mm longer in total length. Internal shoulder to shoulder dimension they were pretty similar dimensions. I'm a bit concerned because it would not be a pretty scenario if a pad could dislodge from the caliper under heavy loading. It's probably ok though. Thinking about it some I considered linear expansion due to temperature. It seems with a 900 degree Farenheit temperature change they would expand in length from 102.7 to 103.36 mm. There would still be about .5 to .6 mm free play at this temperature. I guess nobody wants pads to jam in the caliper but the amount of free play does seem a bit excessive to me.

Has anybody else noticed this large clearance of pad to caliper?

IMG_20180107_121336 by Keith Wade, on Flickr

IMG_20180107_105851 by Keith Wade, on Flickr

IMG_20180107_105819 by Keith Wade, on Flickr


IMG_20180107_105753 by Keith Wade, on Flickr

[Hoolio]

I can't see any issue with that much clearance. The pad can't come out, and while braking will always be pushed against one end anyway.

Slightly off topic, but I would be interested to know where you bought the PFC pads and how much you paid as I'm thinking of changing to the same.

[manga_blue]

Mine have always been about that loose. The only time you'll notice it is when you brake in reverse you may hear a click when a pad slides to the other end of a caliper. Other than that they work fine.

[Red_Bullet]

Thanks for the reassurance guys.