| Author | Message | ||
     Juniorkirk |
For the past week or so, i've been noticing that my front brake isnt as smooth as it was in the past. Every time i go to apply the brake it doesnt squeeze that well. It seems to stick a little and makes me either not apply enough braking or too much at a time. Would it be in the MC and just need to take it apart and clean all the components, or would it be in the caliper? I've already looked over the line and there are no binds or bends that would suggest it would be there. I just want smooth braking again. | ||
| Hammer71 |
Clean the disk with some fine steel wool and sand the pads a little | ||
| Sprintst |
sounds like some stiction in the brake cylinders | ||
| Mountainstorm |
Here's the fix. Remove the caliper and pads and extend the pucks a little past the crud line and hose them down with brake cleaner. Use an old tooth brush (electric vibrating ones work great) to decrud the pucks. If you did it right all the pucks will move in and out smoothly. The way to test this is to use a strong small spring clamp to squeeze most of them in and use the brake lever to extend one or two at a time. If all is well pushing in one puck will make one or more move out smoothly. Push them all in and squeeze the lever. They should all move out to some degree. If one or more do not you still need to clean more. Reinstall and you will notice the brakes are back to normal if not better. | ||
| Nuts4mc |
if you can put the front end up on a stand ( spin the front wheel while activating the brake) - you could determine what Sprint and Hammer suggest quickly - 1)loosen but do not remove the pad retaining pins ( the (2) silver looking hex screws) pull the caliper - then unscrew the pins - pull the pads, tape some 200 grit (med) sand paper to a flat smooth surface ( counter top)- in a figure 8 motion sand the pads till 100% of the surface looks sanded. 2) with a old toothbrush and brake cleaner clean off the pistons where they meet the seals 3)put some disc brake grease on the pins, and where the pads touch the calipers - not too much - don't want to go slip slide n' away... 4) clean the rotor - brake cleaner and scotch brite/steel wool 5) reassemble 6) try it OR the M/C is not of high quality - are all the pivot points of the lever clean and well greased? OR The lever feels spongy - the contact/brake point seems to change - the fluid level mysteriously changes (goes down) - rebuild the M/C - you'll need a kit ( $30-50) and good pair of small snap ring pliers - PAY attention on how it comes apart - clean and reassemble (pre-lube the "cup" with CLEAN brake fluid)...it's spring loaded be careful wear safety glasses!...have someone standing by to catch flying parts! good luck | ||
| 1_mike |
One thing no one ever mentions...it's simple...and needs to be done once a year or so for the best feel. Clean up the handle pivot...! Remove the brake handle, clean the pivot pin/screw, clean the bushing in the handle, the "hinge" area of the handle and bracket, the outside of the piston and the area...of the handle that pushes on the piston. Lube the pivot areas well and reassemble. Will make it feel like a new system. Mike | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
Mike that's a great suggestion as I too have seen that over and over again. Moly-b paste makes a great lube for the pivots and the handle to piston interface. | ||
| Juniorkirk |
Alright, i think she is fixed. I took the brake handle off and cleaned it up real good with some WD40 and it doesnt feel sticky anymore. Charging the battery right now, but it the morning when i head to work, i'll see if that was the entire problem. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
kirk what did you lube the pivot with? | ||
| Juniorkirk |
WD40 only, just sprayed it down, and wiped up the extra that spilled out. If that was the problem and it does come back any time soon i'll try that Moly-B paste and see if that lasts longer. A few months back my clutch lever was 'sticky', not in the actually applying of the clutch, but when you push the lever away from the handlebar it would stick out and SLOWLY move back, and all i did was take it off and clean it up with WD40 and it has stayed free as can be since. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
1_mike beat me to it. A little wd40 in the lever pivot can work wonders! | ||
| Juniorkirk |
From what it looked like, the part that made it feel sticky was where the lever contacts the piston on the MC. it is pretty rough and one of these days i need to get me some fine grit sand paper and sand it smooth again, but right now the WD40 looks like it will work pretty well | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
cool deal. getting a lot of rain here and the bike living outdoors and being ridden in all weather i found wd-40 didnt hang out long for me. so i switched up to the moly paste do it once ever 6-8 months |
