The braking system is essential for every vehicle. Your ATV performance will depend mainly on the engine and brake system. How fast your ATV can go and how quickly your ATV can slow down are very important. Quick response from the brake system is essential, especially when riding a sports ATV. Also, while off-roading, there are wet, mud, rock, and sand trails that you need to use brakes to get through.
What if, suddenly animal like a deer jumps in front of your ATV? It would be best if you stopped ATV to avoid crashing. So, keeping the brake system in good condition is essential for your daily check-up.
How brakes works?
When you push the brake pedal, Brake hydraulic fluid will force the piston, and the brake pad will press on both sides of the brake disc. When brake pads press on the brake disc, there is a lot of friction, which will slow down the wheel of your ATV. Sintered metal is the friction material on Most ATV brake pads.
Nowadays, all ATVs and UTVs come with disc brakes, and old ATV models have drum brake systems. Brake pads will need to replace to keep your ATV brakes properly. Suppose your brake system is not working correctly or does not slow down your vehicle. In that case, it can be a significant risk of an accident. New ATVs have ABS technology to give more performance from their brakes.
Can you change your ATV brake pads Yourself?
The answer is yes, you can do it, and it’s easy if you gather all the tools you need.
How long does it take to change four-wheeler brake pads?
In my experience, you can change brake pads on ATV in less than 1 hour. In this article, I will give everything and tips & tricks that you should know before starting the replacement. Keep reading manual riders!
Are there different ATV brake system types select purchases?
- Disc Brake system – New ATVs and UTVs will come with a hydraulic disc brake system for all wheels. Disk brakes are efficacy and give fast responses to the rider. The disc breaks system open to the air, then the drum brakes system. It’s cool down the disc while riding more.
- Drum brake system – Drum brakes have brake shoes inside the drum shape container. These brake shoes will press inside the drum wall. It will slow the wheel. Mostly this kind of brake can find on older ATV models. Some utility ATV comes with drum brake for rear wheels.
When to replace brake pads on your ATV?
Your ATV brake pads need to replace when they reach 1/4in thickness.
If your ATV brakes make a noise like scraping or grinding metal and you feel a vibration while using the brake, it can be a sign of brake pad replacement. You can check your ATV brake pad thickness. If it’s damaged lots, you should replace them.
What are the Materials of ATV brake pads you can buy?
You can find the most common three types of materials for brake pads on the market. These brake pads have an optimal temperature range that can perform their maximum efficiency. You should select what you need to buy for your machine.
- Ceramic brake pads – These are more expensive brake pads. It will only make a little dust that helps to keep the disc clean.
- Metallic brake pads – There have two types. Sintered and semi-metallic are them. Sintered brake pads can handle quick stops and more temperature. Sintered brake pads are suitable for sports ATVs. Semi-metallic brake pads can use for your daily riding ATV. Sintered and semi-metallic brake pads can be harsh on the rotor and slightly more noisy than other materials.
- Organic (Non-asbestos organic) brake pads – Organic brake pads do not have any metal material and do not damage the rotor. Due to that structure, these pads need to replace within less period because they will wear out quickly. Also, organic brake pads are cheaper than other types.
Which brake pads are you going to need for your ATV?
First, you need to find your ATV brake pad size. You can quickly check your ATV owner’s manual. If you don’t have a manual, do a little search on google. You will find it in a few seconds. It’s easy. After seeing the manual, find the correct brake pad size because it’s essential to use the right parts on the brake system. As I listed above, you can select which brake pad material you will choose for the replacement. You can go for semi-metallic brake pads, which basically cover your daily work.
What is the cost of ATV brake pad replacement?
ATV brake pad replacement will cost around $50-$100 for both sides. When you replace brake pads yourself, you only cost for the brake pad kit. It will cost approximately $10- $50 with your selection. It would be excellent if you bought a brake pad replacement kit. It will include a new brake pad and the bleeding for the brake system. I recommend replacing both side brake pads to ensure safety and maintain ATV’s performance.
What are the Tools and other items required to replace ATV brake pads?
- New brake pad kit
- Jack and jack stand
- Ratchet with Socket kit
- Screwdriver
- C-Clamp
- Vice Grips
- Lug Wrench
- A little can of oil ( to add on rusted parts)
- Compressed Air can (Optional)
How to change brake pads on ATV? – Here is the step-by-step guide
Make sure you have all tools that I listed above and new brake pads. You can replace your ATV brake pads within one hour or less. If you have time, check the brake fluid level. If it is low than the required level, you should refill it. Follow these steps, and you should first park your ATV on flat ground.
- Select a wheel and lose the lugs on the wheel with the wrench while ATV is on the ground
- Use the jack, lift the ATV wheel side you lose, and put the jack stand under the ATV.
- Remove the lug nuts, and now remove the wheel from the ATV.
- Check the back of the caliper and select the wrench or Allen wrench that fits the nuts.
- Use the tool chosen according to the bolts and remove the two bolts from the caliper.
- Take out the caliper.
- Press and Remove the pin hold the brake pads using a clamp or vice grip
- When you remove the pins, old brake pads will come out.
- Use a compressed air can and clean the dust.
- Compress the caliper piston using a clamp and install the new brake pads
- Put the pins back while using a vice grip.
- Assemble the caliper to the rotor with two bolts using a wrench
- Put the wheel back and tighten all bolts to the rim
- Remove the jack stand
- Lower the jack and remove it
- Press and Check the brake padel to make sure it’s working perfectly, and take a test drive
What is brake burnishing? And Do you want to do brake burnishing after brake pad replacement on your ATV?
After successfully changing brake pads, you can do brake burnishing or brake bed-in to finish the job. But Brake burnishing is used for high-performance vehicles, and it’s optional for regular ATVs. Brake burnishing performs with a few high-speed quick stops after brakes or brake pad changes. This quick high-pressure stop makes high temperate and a layer of friction on the disc and brake pads.
This friction causes more grip on the disc and brake pads, making it more efficient on race tracks. Brake manufacturers include their introductions with the brake parts, and you need to follow these instructions to get complete success.
What causes damage or cracks on ATV brake pads?
ATV is a machine that rides on harsh, wet, sandy, and dirt fields. You want to remember, Brakes work by pressing the disc and brake pad together. So if something comes between them, it can damage the disc and brake pads.
In most cases, we all ride our ATVs on mud trails. So mud also contains water and specks of dirt with it. Dirt particles can get stuck on the disc and brake pad and make a lot of harsh friction on the brake pads and the rotor. Also, water will make rust on brake pads and calipers over time. So it would be best to do an excellent cleaning job after you ride in mud or wet field to avoid this situation. Clean the disc with a high-pressure water gun. And get a brake cleaner and spray on the brake pads and the rotor.
Can your ATV break pads overheat?
Atv breaks system components generate heat when you push the brake paddle rapidly. Your ATV engine and brakes will heat up when racing or aggressively riding. The spinning wheel will slow down with the brake caliper force. But brake systems components are designed to manage this heat and release quickly.
Brakes can sometimes overheat and cause cracks in the brake pads and rotor.Also, when brake calipers and raptors heat up, this heat can go to the brake fluid. After that, the brake fluid can heat up and boil. Generally, this case is called a brake fluid vapor lock. When this happens, your ATV loses control of the breaks system. In this scenario, you need to flush the brake fluid and refill the brake fluid.
The Bottom line
We use ATVs for every day to day work. Riding for fun, racing, exploring, and farming are the most uses of an ATV. So, your ATV needs good brakes to keep riders safe and avoid accidents. When we look at the maintenance of ATVs, taking care of brakes is at the top. I hope you successfully replaced the brake pads on your ATV according to my instructions. I always clean my ATV after riding in the mud. It will help to keep my brake pads without rusting. I recommend doing a nice clean at least once weekly on your ATV. Happy riding, manual riders!
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