How to Change E‑Bike Brake Pads | Tutorial 🔧, by EBIKE24 on YouTube. 6 min 8 s.
- Video length
- 6 min 8 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Check the pads before buying anything. If the friction material is worn down to about 1 mm or less, or the pads look glazed, oily or uneven, replace them.
Pick pads that fit your exact brake model, printed on the calliper or lever. E-bikes need pads rated for higher loads, so choose resin, sintered or semi-metallic as your brake maker allows.
Release the wheel and slide the old pads out. Note how the spring clip and retaining bolt sit, and never squeeze the brake lever with the wheel removed.
Push the pistons back into the calliper with a clean piston tool or tyre lever. Push squarely and gently so you do not crack a piston or spill fluid.
Clean the calliper and rotor with isopropyl alcohol, then fit the new pads with the spring clip and slide the retaining bolt back in.
Refit the wheel and spin it. The rotor should run through the pads without rubbing the disc.
Centre the calliper: loosen its two mounting bolts a little, hold the brake lever tight so the pads clamp the rotor, then tighten both bolts evenly.
Bed in the pads by riding at a moderate speed and braking firmly but smoothly about ten times, without coming to a full stop.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep grease and finger oil off the rotor and pad surfaces, or the brakes will squeal and grab.
Check pad wear every few hundred kilometres, and sooner if you ride steep hills or carry loads.
Test the brakes at walking pace in a safe spot before you join traffic.
Replace pads as a pair and check the rotor thickness while you are in there.
Questions
How do I know when my e-bike brake pads need changing?
Look at the friction material through the top of the calliper. Once it is down to roughly 1 mm, or the pads are glazed, contaminated or worn unevenly, fit new ones.
Can I use any brake pads on an e-bike?
No. Pads must match your brake model, and e-bikes need pads approved for the extra weight and speed, which many makers label as e-bike rated.
Why do my new brake pads rub or squeal?
A rubbing rotor usually means the calliper is not centred or the pistons are not fully pushed back. Squealing often comes from oil on the rotor or pads that have not been bedded in yet.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
