I was looking at my front brake pads today on my '01 Xplorer 400 and I was wondering if I should change them. They are the same pads that were on it when I purchased the ATV about a year ago so I don't know when they were last changed. The only way I had to measure the pad thickness was with a tape measure and they were 3/16 of an inch thick. When is a good thickness to consider changing them? I could probably still get some miles out of them but when I do change them, what's a good pad to use?

Thanks in advance.

 

if the pad itself, not including backing plate is that thick then leave'em on. you've got a ways to go before they need changed. make sure all the pads are about the same.

 

I only measured the pad so they must obviously still be in pretty good shape then. I'll need to check the back pads though. Thanks for your response.

 

A good rule of thumb, and easier than a tape measure, is the pad should be at least the thickness of a dime.

Larry