| Author | Message | ||
     Bikerrides |
Just had new brake pads installed front and rear. Also rebuilt the rear master cylinder. Second time I took it out, it felt like the engine was straining; the rear brake was dragging. I pulled over at a quick mart and the bike would barely roll because it was as if someone was applying the rear brake. The pedal would move, but only seemed to clamp down tighter. After about 10 min, it had released enough to ride the mile or so home. It started dragging again just before home. When I got home, the caliper was very hot. I bled the line a little and rode 200+ miles since w/out issue. Today, it happened again when I went out for a short ride; was only about 5 miles in when I felt the engine straining. Same issue. I bled off a little fluid and rode the remaining 25 or so miles. Does this sound like a caliper, master cylinder, pads, problem or what? | ||
| Pash |
Did you rebuild the master cylinder correctly? When you pushed the pistons back in to take the new pads, did you clean them or are they seized? | ||
| Bikerrides |
A mechanic did the work, so I can't speak to those questions. I do know that he was having some kind of issue after putting in the rear pads, which he traced to the master cylinder; hence the rebuild. It took him a while to get everything bled out and working right after the rebuild, but something is still wrong. I had this same issue back in March shortly after I bought the bike and the HD tech went through the rear brake system completely; cleaning, adjusting, bleeding, etc. HD tech said it would need a master cylinder rebuild, if it gave more trouble. I had no issues at all with it until the new pads went in. Maybe a caliper rebuild and/or thorough cleaning? New brake line, fittings,etc? Just fishing for answers based on other folks' experiences. | ||
| Two_seasons |
These calipers do get caked up with lots of brake dust. Since your mechanic was having trouble putting in the new pads, it sounds like the pucks were binding. Was the master cylinder and line flushed, refilled with the proper DOT brake fluid? You may have a warped rotor. You'd know that if you shut your bike down and coast for a ways in a parking lot. You may have scored or corroded puck(s) that are dragging in the bore, thereby not completely releasing. Have you lost any brake fluid? Look for a build up of dirt right below where the pucks slide in and out. Good luck finding the problem Stacey. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
My X1's rear brake pedal used to hang up at the pivot due to the frame paint getting chewed up. I fixed it by scraping off the offending paint. Make sure your issue isn't just a sticky linkage or something goofy. All it takes is the pedal not going all the way back up when released and the bleed back hole in the master won't be open, causing the brake to maintain pressure. | ||
| Pontlee77 |
check the Big bad and Dirty there is a nice post of how a guy sorted out his front brake maybe it could give you some ideas to try out. | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Dirty/sticky piston is not retracting. Heat build-up causing the caliper to tighten on the disk it's never really letting go of. If your rotor isn't warped it would get that way pretty fast. | ||
| Littlebuggles |
If you swap out the rear line consider using a XB rear line and brake light switch, it makes the the line a lot easier to clear of air bubbles than the stock line. You do have to splice the switch in to match stock wiring, but that's really not hard at all. If you get to doing that yourself I took a lot of pics and can post the link for you. | ||
| Buellistic |
Here is a little PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE "TIP" !!! CHANGE YOU BRAKE FLUID IN EACH MASTER CYLINDER "ONCE" A YEAR AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE MASTER CYLINDER OR CALIPER PROBLEMS !!! Have done this in on my 1997 S3T(15 years old now with 111,819.6 miles) and have had no caliper or master cylinder problems !!! This also works on you 4 wheel vehicles too !!! | ||
| Psykick_machanik |
from the manual "Brake pads drag on rotor- will not retract. Cup in master cylinder not uncovering relief port. *Inspect master cylinder Rear brake pedal linkage out of adjustment. *Adjust linkage." it sounds like the master cylinder to me. the pressure after being applied cant bleed off and properly retract the pucks. Id rebuild it. Straight forward task. And look for a Manual, it will be your new bestest friend. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Psykick nailed it. It's the master cylinder. The bleed hole isn't being uncovered to let the brake fluid bleed back into the master reservoir. The master cylinder will have come back apart and be checked. Linkage is also suspect. Make sure your brake pedal isn't binding and preventing full retraction. I had this happen on my M2 some time ago. The pedal was binding a bit at the very top of the stroke. I took everything apart, cleaned and lubed it. Problem has never recurred. What happens is the bleed hole isn't uncovered, the pads drag on the rotor causing heat to build up in the slave cylinder. The heat causes the brake fluid to expand causing more pressure to be applied to the pad causing more drag, more friction, more heat buildup and more pressure... eventually the wheel will lock up. I'll bet your brake light is on too! Brad | ||
| Buell_lee |
Don't know if this helps but one of the guys I ride with had a similar problem on his S3. We found that the linkage was just slightly bent causing the same problem as Bluzm2 described above. | ||
| Firemanjim |
Or he adjusted the linkage too tight and it is keeping slight pressure on brake causing pressure to not bleed off completely and build up. | ||
| Bikerrides |
Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm taking it back in to be sorted out and will be sure to mention all of these possibilities. Unfortunately, I don't have the space or know how to work on brakes my self, but I can give it the ole eye ball test to see if anything is bent/binding, etc. before taking it in. | ||
| Psykick_machanik |
I'd be weary to take it back to the same shop that messed it up the first time. Ask lots of questions about what they found, get back any parts that are bad, and DONT pay for a thing if it was their mistake or oversight. good luck | ||
| Psykick_machanik |
Also Make sure they flush out the brake lines. After i re-read your post's it seems this problem was here before the last rebuild. Makes me think their is a partial blockage in a line or port. |
