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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Front Brake Caliper
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Message started by ralfyguy on 09/10/12 at 16:40:01

Title: Front Brake Caliper
Post by ralfyguy on 09/10/12 at 16:40:01

That thing just drives me up the wall. The brake performance is more than adequate to me but this thing is something else with releasing the pads. I had two different calipers and both caused the same problems with not releasing correctly. The problem lies with the sliding pins. The pistons goes really easy and the caliper is bled correctly. I can push the piston back in with both my hands holding it and pushing it in with my thumbs. So that is out of the equation. The pad springs are like new and not bent crooked or anything. Takes them out of the equation as well.
The real problem is the pins. I once lubed them with that grease that is made for use on brakes. It even says it is suitable for rubber parts. Well after a few weeks of riding I realized that this is untrue. The pin that rides in the rubber bushing gets stuck, because that grease made the rubber sticky inside. The pin that rides in the caliper housing is fine. So i cleaned that out and used a silicone based grease for both pins. Well after a few weeks of riding like that it is the opposite. The bigger upper pin is sticking and the silicone grease is all black in there, whereas the stuff looks fine in the lower smaller pin that slides in the rubber bushing.
So i took the darn thing apart again tonight and cleaned everything again and just left the lower pin alone. Got the brakes grease out again and brushed a thin film of it on the rails where the edges of the pads move and the pin that holds the pads in place and on top of the pad springs.
We will see how this works out over time.

How do you guys fix that stuff when doing pads? Anybody ever greased their pins, and if so with what. Or am I the only one with this pesky problem?

Title: Re: Front Brake Caliper
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/10/12 at 17:11:23

Brake pads are meant to be dry. Grease catches dust & sand.

Title: Re: Front Brake Caliper
Post by verslagen1 on 09/10/12 at 17:29:48

I've read this and mean to look into it someday.

All street brakes don't release completely.
Racing brakes just as brembo do.

Title: Re: Front Brake Caliper
Post by Serowbot on 09/10/12 at 17:48:28

I think there's supposed to be a boot on both,.. upper and lower... I suppose that's the bushing you're talking about... (it's boot'ish... ;D)...

I clean and lube mine,.. no problem... I use them squirty brake lube packs you get at the auto store for a $1...

Title: Re: Front Brake Caliper
Post by ralfyguy on 09/10/12 at 17:52:23

Well thing is the rotor gets really warm, especially on the highway. I started noticing this one day when standing at a red light and I let the bike roll forward slowly and it squealed. I pulled over and lifted the front pushing it up with the handle bar and spun the wheel by hand. It was really dragging and made that same squeal. That's when it all started. I've been fighting this ever since. I could swear that this was about the same time my gas mileage started dropping.

Title: Re: Front Brake Caliper
Post by Serowbot on 09/10/12 at 17:54:31

I know it seems crazy,.. but that's normal... Too hot to touch for 1/2 hour after a ride...

Normal...

As long as you can spin the wheel when the front is off the ground, it's not draggin'...
;)...

Title: Re: Front Brake Caliper
Post by RidgeRunner13 on 09/10/12 at 18:04:57

Make sure there is some clearance between your brake lever & the piston in the master cylinder. Mine didn't have any & did just what you describe. I filed down the lever until I had about .010" clearance before it contacted the piston & the problem went away. Apparently it wasn't allowing the piston to come all the way out, holding pressure on the caliper & causing it to drag & getting worse as heat built up & the fluid expanded. 8-)

Title: Re: Front Brake Caliper
Post by ralfyguy on 09/10/12 at 19:03:18

122924272512352E2E25327173400 wrote:

I'm gonna check that out tomorrow. :)

Title: Re: Front Brake Caliper
Post by thumperclone on 09/10/12 at 23:03:23

you can push the piston in by hand??
i had to use channel lock pliers when i replaced my pads..
me thinks a re bleed is in order

Title: Re: Front Brake Caliper
Post by thumperclone on 09/10/12 at 23:03:40

you can push the piston in by hand??
i had to use channel lock pliers when i replaced my pads..if no leaks
me thinks a re bleed is in order or the wrong fluid??

Title: Re: Front Brake Caliper
Post by ralfyguy on 09/11/12 at 04:28:07

Well it wasn't that easy to push it in by hand. It took both hands and then squeeze really hard. I happen to have pretty good hand strength. I had some elbow problems and had to have physical therapy and upon initial evaluation, they measured the hand strength and. The right hand had 150# and the left had 140#.
But I still might check out if I need to bleed it again.