2003 Honda VFR800 VTEC Front Brake Pad Replacement

Hi everyone, in this video I am going to be carrying out the relatively straightforward procedure of replacing the brake pads in the front calipers of my VFR800 VTEC.
I used EBC Double H sintered pads for the replacement and these can be found at the best price I could find at the link below.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EBC-HH-Fro...
All links to products are affiliate links for which I will receive a small commission on any purchase made, at no additional cost to you.
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[@wirenut3020]

Very good replacement video. I like to actually work my pistons out a little and clean them as you did with a shoe string soaked in brake fluid. I keep working them in and out until they both move equally with a squeeze of the lever and obviously I use the rear brake to work the center piston in and out. When everything is moving nicely, I push the pistons in to their pad installation depth and do what you did to install them. Like you said , cleaning and freeing the pistons is a routine maintenance item....if you want 100% braking force. Cheers Kevin!

[@KevsShed]

Nothing like a good cleaning regimen to keep the brakes in good order, I do thus every couple of months. Sadly most people don’t pay any attention to their brakes at all until they hear a metal on metal noise or notice a severe drop in performance!

[@godluckandgoodspeed]

These videos have been so helpful while working on my VFR, much appreciated!

[@KevsShed]

Thanks bud 👍🏻

[@darrenwalker3724]

Clear and concise as usual on your vids cheers 👍

[@KevsShed]

Thanks Darren 👍🏻

[@guystevens162]

Hi yes good video as always. Changed my pads last year but ended up with Genuine as allsorts like EBC and others and work good. Yes be good to see do the back one too. Also maybe a future video on chain and sprocket set think be good too. Thanks once again Kev.

[@17nubian]

thank you very much

[@sullenerzoo4358]

Hi kev, love the vids really well presented and full of great camera work (camera person take a bow) i wondered if you might be doing the ole shim check at some point? Id be very interested to watch that as to date your vids have been highly professional..

[@KevsShed]

Thank you for your kind assessment! I am going to be doing a valve clearance check just as soon as I get the time, I’m incredibly busy at the moment. Rest assured that it is in the pipeline 👍🏻

[@martingerhold2111]

No copper anti-slip to be seen! - a man after my own heart (oh, that sounds dodgy). After all, Honda choose SS sliding clips & springs for a reason - and you just cleaned them.

[@KevsShed]

Nice one Martin! It seems that there are some sane people in the world! You'd be surprised at the number of comments from people telling me that I am an idiot for not slathering an anti seize compound over my brakes! 🤔

[@UnCivilEngineerIRL]

Good men ! None of this ''butter it like a biscuit'' stuff. Cannot fathom why guy reuse pins etc that are absolutely corroded beyond all recognition, out of laziness or to save a few kopecks, and then turn around and apply copper grease to everything in sight.

[@holbeckghyll4997]

The scales have fallen from my eyes, I've been copaslip-ing these all my life but no more! I checked and it's not applied from the factory, not called for in the manual and not recommended by brake manufacturers either. thank you Mr Shed.

[@MrLukas2411]

My kind of man 😉. Used toothbrush is best choice for it!

[@AdeReeves]

Something i have to think about over the winter month on the ZX9R ... defiantly need to get some clean fluid in them too it been a good couple of years since it was done ..

[@KevsShed]

I’m looking forward to getting started on my 9R 👌🏻

[@paulscott1100]

Great vid as usual, do you ever worry about your brake lines. For all I know my 2002 vfr has the original ones

[@KevsShed]

I’m not concerned about mine, I check them regularly and there are no warning signs such as cracking or crazing to the rubber. When they do need to be replaced then I will change them for braided ones.

[@johnreeves6854]

Man I need one of those bike stands you have I had one I made out of a person lift with some mods I made but I moved and just found out my uncle gave it away ughe but I see need a stand like what you use

[@brianroyle2533]

Hiya Kev just wondered if you had noticed much difference with the feel of your brakes since fitting the braided lines ??? brilliant channel by the way.

[@KevsShed]

One thing that you will nearly always recognise with braided lines is this; you will notice much greater power at the calipers but this comes at a loss of feel at the lever. It's kind of hard to describe but this is the way I would regard it: It kind of makes the brakes feel more like an on/off switch as opposed to progressive. You only notice this after first fitment though and this gets better the longer you have them as you develop your feeling for the brakes. The brakes are bloody awesome now though! 👌😎

[@davisnyman4393]

Next time you have a minute I would love it if you would show a video on how to rebuild a caliper from the same bike. Is it the same or is it different from others because of the linked system?

[@KevsShed]

I certainly will at some point, keep an eye out!

[@alancattermole4444]

Hi Kev dont no if you can help with this one just changed all the pads on my old vfr800fi 1999 looked at the old pad and noticed that on the piston side of one pad there is a .5 mm shim between the s/s part on the back and the back of the pad the new pads do not have the shim Thank Alan

[@gerardc79]

Hi Kev, Completely off the subject. I rode through Andorra a couple of years ago on my '98 VFR and it didn't like the altitude at all, it was like riding with the choke out. I thought as it's a fuel injection bike that runs perfectly at normal altitudes the thin air wouldn't affect it but it did seem to. Any thoughts on the subject would be much appreciated as I would like to take it to the mountains again. Really like the videos. Thanks, Ged

[@sjg6074]

Nice vid as usual, do you not use the skylift anymore?

[@KevsShed]

Not needed so much on the VFR as it has a centre stand and the jobs that I’ve done recently didn’t warrant it. The ZX9R is currently on the stand in the back of the garage waiting for my workshop to be completed before the tear down commences 😎

[@sjg6074]

Cheers Kev. Only reason I asked was that I am considering one but as I’ve not seen you use it recently, I wondered if you’d given it the elbow. Thanks for your efforts each week.

[@N269]

What is that 3rd (middle) piston for? And you never greased the "runner".....agree on the cops slip comment, but you should lubricate the "runner" as well as the spring slider.

[@romacogna8242]

Hello, I cleaned the pistons of my front caliper after changing my tires. I'm wondering if it's normal for the caliper to move a bit while driving. I've never really paid attention, but I did disassemble and reassemble it with the correct torque. Taking a look while riding, I noticed it moves during driving. Is it because it's a floating caliper, or should I be concerned? Best regards, Romain

[@ethanmacheras5967]

Easy day!

[@KevsShed]

Yes it was!

[@trantas4]

Hello. So i have a problem with the front left caliper (cbs system). I changed the tires so the wheel was off. The mechanic reinstalled the wheel but now the front wheel is constantly under light braking. After a really short ride the left disc is hot while the right is still cold. I removed and reinstalled the wheel with extra care, according to the manual but still the same. What do i do??

[@KevsShed]

My initial suspect would be that one of the pistons is sticking in that caliper, take the caliper off, give the pistons a good clean, there are many ways that you can do this but an old toothbrush can be good here and attempt to push them back into the caliper. If any won't budge under reasonable finger pressure then you will have found the issue and a caliper overhaul may be in order!

[@jensenmiller6410]

Hey Kev, noticed that at 19:16 your pin is missing the O ring on the end of the pin. Part #8 (45111-MAJ-G41) on the partzilla left front caliper diagram. It appears on both front caliper pins. I know my bike has them, but have you had any issues with this ring missing? I'm ordering new pins for my 03 as well and figure I'll just transfer them over if they are needed. Also, have any plans to do a video on greasing the swingarm and pivot bearings?

[@KevsShed]

You are absolutely correct mate, they were missing and I didn’t realise until I removed them that they wouldn’t be there! I didn’t have any at the time of filming! 🤦🏻‍♂️ I have since replaced them 👍🏻

[@KevsShed]

Also, I will be no doubt looking at those bearings in the future! Lots of videos planned! 👌🏻😎

[@jensenmiller6410]

@@KevsShed I look forward to it. My chain slider tore at one of the lower screws and I'd like to see someone take the swingarm out before I go after it.

[@ChutesBrewing]

Jensen, worth pointing out that these o-rings will require the occasional replacement. I pulled my calipers off and cleaned everything today and my o-rings (probably 17-year-old rubber rings on the 17-year-old bike) had dry rotted and came apart as soon as I touched them. So that was fun.

[@tonimontenegro8136]

hello, very good Video at good time! What brand of dynamometer do you use in your videos ... ?? thank you very much! Greetings

[@KevsShed]

None

[@tonimontenegro8136]

thank you very much very kind

[@giovannimaraniello4073]

Hi Kevs, Hope you are well? I've followed your instructions per video and changed my front break pads on the VFR. However afterwords I've notice the my wheel is not spinning freely. Any suggestions? Help pls

[@KevsShed]

Did the pistons move back in freely or were they very tight?

[@giovannimaraniello4073]

@@KevsShed a bit tight but I've pushed them back. I must say I didn't spend the same level of dedication you did in the cleaning. Could be that? Should I get them out again and give the pistons a good clean like you did?

[@KevsShed]

It may help, better still would be to completely remove the calipers and rebuild them with new seals. This will require a full rebleed of the braking system however but I have a video available detailing the process.

[@giovannimaraniello4073]

@@KevsShed thank you, will do the process again, but I know previous owner had that done few months before I got the bike. Thanks for your help and advices.

[@martingerhold2111]

I had a 2001 VFR, and after 16 years it was becoming almost impossible to push the pistons back during a pad change - I pressed the pistons out as far as I dared without removing them completely, cleaned round them with scotchbrite, greased with silicone (no rubber grease to hand) and pushed them back. Worked perfectly for the last 3 years.

[@mathiasgonthier5436]

Having issues with both front calipers. Both centers were not moving. Hot the brake side to work after some cleaning but the left brake side didn’t want to move. Pressured the outer calipers and still didn’t move. Was able to remove and was able to hit the level to see if fluids went through snd it did. I cleaned and flushed out and bled but still nothing. Any Thoughts?

[@KevsShed]

My recommendation is a good replacement of the seals in each caliper, paying particular attention to the recesses that the seals fit in to remove any corrosion. This should sort your problem bud!

[@mathiasgonthier5436]

@@KevsShed Got still one caliper not working right.. seems like its' clogged internally. I don't think seals are the issue as there is some fluid showing up in the center chamber, but nothing leaking out of any seal.. Pressure is building as the two outer pistons do move one from another, but yeah after this long seals are a good idea, but it still feels like its clogged in the shared channels. Is there a diagram of the internal path of the caliper? it's passing from #1 to #3 and #3 back to #1 but nothing happens in #2 piston.

[@KevsShed]

@@mathiasgonthier5436 No you misunderstand me, if corrosion sets in behind the seals it pushes them out which grips the pistons and prevents proper operation

[@mathiasgonthier5436]

@@KevsShed wish I could send photos.. all was original and looks very clean.. i rolled my finger over to see if I saw issues, but nothing I could see or feel. No dent or deterioration of seal.. but yes I can see your step o thinking seals.. ok.. well it will take ordering some to make sure.

[@andreibax]

@@mathiasgonthier5436 press rear brake and the middle piston will come out

[@vegazvegaz8276]

Does the front pads fit in the rear caliper ON a 6gen? 2002mod

[@KevsShed]

Yes, the pads are identical

[@gamemaster6487]

What is the part number for the front brake pads.

[@sa432jh]

Hi Kev what’s the history of the bike

[@KevsShed]

Very little known unfortunately, I bought the bike as a commuter hack and to be honest, the bike is probably receiving far more attention than it ever did before. Mechanically it is pretty sound but the paintwork is a bit shabby and scratched. I have a number of large jobs yet to do such as valve clearances,rear hub rebuild and a throttle body sync.

[@gibatron]

But copper grease tho ☺️

[@KevsShed]

😂