Ducati Monster Forum

Here is a tutorial on how to do a full braking system upgrade with EBC components on a Ducati Monster S2R1000. This should generally apply to most monsters, with the main difference being the older DSS Monsters.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/1.jpg)
Here is what we are going to be installing. EBC XC series fully floating rotors for the front, a matching rear solid contour rotor, Extreme Pro pads for the front, and HH for the rear. These will be perfect for both the street and the track, a huge upgrade from stock. I also recommend flushing out all the fluid with some fresh quality stuff such as EBC fluid.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/2.jpg)
Here you can see the XC front rotor in full detail. A much lighter, and better looking alternative from the OEM rotors. You will also notice they only use 6 buttons, the buttons are a different improved design so they don't need as many as other brands. I like this a lot because it also lets you see more of the wheel and also makes cleaning much easier.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/3.jpg)
A close-up of the front pads.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/4.jpg)
Now lets get to work. First thing you need to do is get the front of the bike on a front stand.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/5.jpg)
And remove the front fender.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/6.jpg)
Begin my removing the caliper bolts.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/7.jpg)
Pull the caliper off from on the rotor and use a bungie or something to hold it off to the side.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/8.jpg)
Loosen these bolts so that we will be able to remove the front axle.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/9.jpg)
Remove the axle nut.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/10.jpg)
Loosen the same two bolts on the other fork leg and proceed slide out the axle, you will now be able to remove the wheel.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/11.jpg)
With the wheel removed, lay it on the floor on something soft and thick like this movers mat I am using.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/12.jpg)
These torx will need to be removed so we can replace the rotor. They are very tight and secured with a thread locker. It will require a lot of force.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/13.jpg)
The best option is to use an impact hammer like this. You attach your torx socket to it and then hit with with a nice heavy hammer while twisting it.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/14.jpg)
Use it on all of the bolts, once you break them loose you'll be able to use a normal ratchet to back them out the rest of the way.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/15.jpg)
Lift the rotor out of the way.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/16.jpg)
Now repeat on the other side. You may notice I took this opportunity to thoroughly clean the wheel as well as give it a coat of wax. I'd recommend everyone also doing this as this point. This is the easiest it will ever be to clean the front wheel.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/17.jpg)
Set the new rotor in place. They are offset out so make sure when installed the offset is pulling the rotor away from the wheel and not towards it. They should be oriented like this ) ( and not like this ( ).

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/18.jpg)
I used blue Loctite for ease of removal in the future. Some may say to use red, but it is up to you.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/19.jpg)
I reused the original hardware, but you can optionally replace it if you like. Consult your service manual for torque specs as they may vary. Then repeat on the other side.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/20.jpg)
Torque them all, making sure to go in a star pattern.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/21.jpg)
Now we move to the calipers.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/23.jpg)
You can see the front pads still had plenty of life left in them, but they weren't the best performers by far so I'd recommend upgrading yours regardless of their condition.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/25.jpg)
First thing you need to do is remove the small clips on the top of the caliper.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/26.jpg)
They are small, so be careful not to lose them.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/27.jpg)
Now pull out the pins.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/28.jpg)
With everything removed from the top of the caliper your pads will no longer be held in place.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/29.jpg)
Once you remove them, clean the pistons of dirt and grime and push them back in flush.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/30.jpg)
Put the new pads in place.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/31.jpg)
Reassemble and repeat on the other side.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/32.jpg)
Put a little grease on the axle.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/33.jpg)
And hold the front wheel in position while you slide the axle in.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/34.jpg)
Tighten the pinch bolts and then the axle nut. Again refer to your service manual for torque specs as they can vary.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/37.jpg)
Install the front caliper.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/38.jpg)
Install the front fender, and admire your beautiful new front brakes.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/39.jpg)
I also recommend wiping the rotors down with Brakleen prior to use.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/40.jpg)
Now for the back. Begin by putting it on a rear stand and removing the rear wheel.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/42.jpg)
The service manual states you will need to disassemble the entire rear but we won't need to do this. A ratchet and socket can easily fit in place to loosen the bolts one at a time. I recommend getting it in position to do one bolt, putting the bike in gear, and then having someone stand on the rear brake pedal while you break the bolt loose.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/43.jpg)
After you repeat that for all four bolts, remove the caliper and position it out of the way.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/46.jpg)
Now that the bolts are all loose you can easily remove them without any force.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/47.jpg)
Remove the rear rotor.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/48.jpg)
Position the new one in place after wiping it with Brakleen.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/51.jpg)
Replace your pads just like you did with the fronts.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/52.jpg)
Tighten everything up and your done!


Flush out your old fluid, bleed the brakes and then enjoy your new brake upgrade! After riding with this setup for a decent amount already I absolutely LOVE it and would never go back to the OEM setup! ALSO REMEMBER YOUR NEW BRAKES NEED TO BED IN A LITTLE, SO STOPPING POWER WILL BE LOWER THAN NORMAL INITIALLY. BE CAREFUL FOR THE FIRST RIDE AND USE YOUR BEST JUDGMENT.

Excellent writeup!


One small comment. This pic shows an impact driver with a non-impact type 1/2" to 3/8" adapter and non-impact torx socket attached.

Using these with an impact driver COULD cause the non-impact parts to fail.  It's not as likely with manual strike tools like this, but with air impact stuff it can happen and it can be ugly. 
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/oooverboost/ebcduc/13.jpg)

Thanks.

Regarding the non-impact pieces, I'm aware. I don't normally use either with anything other than a hand ratchet, plus they're Craftsman so they're warrantied for life regardless.

yay craftsman tools.   [thumbsup]

Nice write up! Very detailed Loads of pics! this is a good example of how it be done son!

AH, one more point:  Keep the brake cleaner away from the wheels' surface.  It will eat the paint off.

Ill challenge that statement, i tired using DOT4 brake fluid to strip the paint, it didnt do anything but make a mess. I didnt even make it less shiny.

One addition, one +1

When you've got the guide pins from the calipers out, I suggest you run a wire brush over then to clean off caked brake dust/gunk. Too much of that crud can cause your pads to hang. Which, I can tell you from FHE can cause a cooked rotor and so much heat->pressure that your brake line will blow out of the banjo fitting... yeah that was a good day.

The +1 is going with blue (medium) thread lock. The red stuff is supposed to be permanent save for the application of heat. Since taking a torch to painted surfaces is a poor way to keep the paint nice, leave the red at home.

Bolt sizes are always good to have in a how to...  though some bikes may very..

brake fluid takes a little while to eat the paint. 

let it sit overnight and you'll have a nice lasagna of paint.

Yes, spray it on a rag and then wipe the rotors with the rag  [thumbsup]

Great post.  Other than changing my oil, I have 0 clue how to work on a bike :-(

But I am tired of paying, so I will attempt this.  I have bought the ebc hh brake pads.

Dumb question - I am guessing I don't have to take the front wheel off to do the brake pad change correct?  In addition, where exactly do I spray the brake cleaner? (on the rotors or on the caliper).  Do I need to worry about bleeding the brake when changing the pads (doubt it but have to ask as I know not what I speaketh).

(next task - spark plugs)

You can change the pads with the wheel on and the caliper in place.  You may need to remove some brake fluid from the reservoir before pushing the pistons back.  You won't need to clean the rotors unless you get greasy fingerprints on them.  Don't forget to pump up the brake lever before heading out.

How are your EBC rotors holding up OP? I'm really hesitant on buying any EBC brand things now after hearing about terrible experiences with jap bikes. Apparently their rotors tend to warp really badly.

They're perfect still! I've been nothing but happy with them so far. EBC updates their products a lot and makes a lot of running changes. For example the steel that mine are made out of is a new material that they just started using. I too have read some bad things about EBC rotors on bikes, but the stuff I saw was old. Their products now are different than those.

If you are just replacing rear brake pads is it possible to change it without taking off the rear wheel?

There is no reason to remove the rear wheel to change pads.

1.  Locate pin that goes through the brake pads.
2.  Remove clip.
3.  Remove pin (Outward direction).
4.  Spread pads apart, forcing pistons back into caliper.
5.  Remove rattle spring and pads.
6.  clean area where pads go.
7.  Install new pads, and, if it fits with the new pads, if not put it with  your spare parts box.
8.  Install pin and clip, tab facing in.
9.  pump brake lever until you have a pedal.

You also might want to move this to "Tech"  to get more responses.

Great thanks! Step 7 has me slightly confused with the "if it fits with the new pads"?? Can you elaborate?

Also I guess its a tradeoff of hassle between taking the rear wheel off and having an easier time cleaning the rotor vs having a harder time getting the rotor cleaned off.

The shape of the backing plates on some of the aftermarket pads will not accommodate the spring.  The purpose of the spring is to help with noise problems.  It is not an essential part.  You will know if it fits when you install the new pads.

I'm having a hellacious time getting the clip out. Really hard to fit the grips on it at an angle with the wheel on. Any advice short of taking the whole wheel and caliper off?

I'm needing to install a new rear rotor and pads after doing I dont know what wrong in a rear tire change. My rear rotor got some nasty grooves on one side from the pads on the first ride after installing and my rear braking power is almost nill. Not sure if my rear tire wasn't aligned and the tilt cause this (cause its only on one side) or if I messed up the pads while trying to slide the rotor into them. I need to take it all off to see whats doing. If I ride with no hands the bike goes straight does that mean my alignment is okay? Getting the rear tire, shoe and swingarm holes aligned so I could slide the rear axle shaft through was a huge pain in the butt. The How-to's seem to make this seem easy. Is this difficult for anyone else? I dont have an impact screw driver either will I need one to remove the bolts on my rear rotor?  ???

I was looking at these as a rear rotor replacement for my 05 Monster 620. They seem to be a bit cheap pricewise ($66) From what I've read everyone says the OEM rotors are more expensive than the EBC ($135). Any reason I shouldnt just go with these? I just worry whenever I see something that seems to good to be true. Also any tips on what pads to get with these?

https://secure.oppracing.com/product_display/30711-brembo-oe-brake-disc-245x4mm/