Wooden Brake Pads, huh?

I've been preparing to change my brake fluid for my first time. Just bought my first Beemer and in researching service requirements I learned about the importance of changing the brake fluid. New to me. So, I've been watching several YouTube videos and bought a brake fluid hand pump. Just been waiting for the time to do it. However, I just read another post on herd where wooden brake pads where referenced and deemed necessary. This is new to me.
Can someone please explain or provide a link that explains this?
Thanks

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biliv said:

I've been preparing to change my brake fluid for my first time. Just bought my first Beemer and in researching service requirements I learned about the importance of changing the brake fluid. New to me. So, I've been watching several YouTube videos and bought a brake fluid hand pump. Just been waiting for the time to do it. However, I just read another post on herd where wooden brake pads where referenced and deemed necessary. This is new to me.
Can someone please explain or provide a link that explains this?
Thanks

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Click to expand...

Its always helpful to list your model and year when asking technical questions. Do you have servo brakes?

Sorry. 2000 r1100rt.

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Just flushing?

You should find that link that stated you needed "wooden" pads and post. I need a good giggle.

Be careful when opening the reservoirs, lots of rags and brakleen handy, open the bleeders on vacuum, pull the reservoirs to half, fill, pull to half, fill, pull to half and then close bleeders. Fill to the right level, close the reservoir caps, pump the levers til hard, go for a ride.

I've heard of folks using wood wedges to force the brake pads as far apart as possible when bleeding the system, but wooden brake pads went out of fashion back in the Flintstones era.

For me there is a lot of factors when manipulating brake calipers. I have found that if they have been on a long time that I try to disturb the calipers as little as possible, this is because long serving calipers on a vehicle that has seen a lot of rain, snow or condensation will "generally" form a rust line and a "hyper expansion" of the caliper past this line, frequently causes a leak.
My guess on the pads made from wood is that it is a substitute for leaving the existing pads in place- risking contamination. As we all know, brake pads that have seen brake fluid to the stopping material get kinda grabby.

FWIW- the brake calipers don't really "return" much once the brakes have been applied. The applied brake pressure is trying to force a square-edge o-ring to "roll over" and any real return/retraction of the pistons is cuz the o-ring is trying to straighten itself back out.
It's a great system but it's rather exacting and fussy to tolerances.

YMMV
OM

dieselyoda said:

You should find that link that stated you needed "wooden" pads and post. I need a good giggle.

Be careful when opening the reservoirs, lots of rags and brakleen handy, open the bleeders on vacuum, pull the reservoirs to half, fill, pull to half, fill, pull to half and then close bleeders. Fill to the right level, close the reservoir caps, pump the levers til hard, go for a ride.

Click to expand...

Seems like the wood spacer thing was from an older post recently brought back to the surface-
http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?72527-02-R1150RS-ABS-II-Brake-Line-Change-and-Flush
OM

You can purchase wedge shaped door shims from one of the big box stores like Lowes or Home Depot. When you remove the calipers just leave the pads in place, insert two wedges from opposite directions between the pads and lightly tap them on the ends to hold them in place. No need to make customized wooden brake pads. This method is cheap, only a couple of dollars for the shims, and will hold the pads open during the fluid flush.