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Message started by PerrydaSavage on 09/17/13 at 00:33:02

Title: Wooden feel to front Brakes?
Post by PerrydaSavage on 09/17/13 at 00:33:02

Past few days, the front brakes on my '06 Honda VT750DC have developed a "wooden" feel ... lever requires more effort and brakes aren't giving same feedback as before ... difficult to modulate ...

Bike has only 6200 miles on it and otherwise is in excellent shape ...

Kinda scary Riding with front brakes like that ... what might be the likely culprit? Any potential easy fixes? All advice appreciated! Thanks!

Title: Re: Wooden feel to front Brakes?
Post by Oldfeller on 09/17/13 at 02:00:04

Perry, you need to bleed your brakes. While you are doing it, replace the brake fluid completely while doing all your "pump throughs".

Go to Tech Section and read about bleeding your brakes.

Title: Re: Wooden feel to front Brakes?
Post by WD on 09/17/13 at 05:14:51

Check the pads and the disc surface as well. You may have an accumulation of road film that has glazed the pads. If needed, change the pads and then do a full flush and fill.

Brake fluid in a marine environment is only good for a year or two usually. The pads might go 3 or 4 years, depends on how close to a marina or a tuck route you live (boat trailers and big rigs lose a lot of petrochemicals going down the highway).

Title: Re: Wooden feel to front Brakes?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/17/13 at 06:56:31

Maybe Pine will say something here.. seems if anyone , uhh, wood know,,he wood..

Title: Re: Wooden feel to front Brakes?
Post by Serowbot on 09/17/13 at 09:33:03

Could it be weather related?... Have they gotten really wet recently?...

Try a vigorous rubbing of the rotors with a rubbing alcohol... then a light sanding with fine sandpaper or steel wool...
Might also be the pistons are sticking...(since it came on sudden, I'd inspect those little rubber boots that cover the guides)....

Title: Re: Wooden feel to front Brakes?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/17/13 at 10:06:03

Yep,, Pry the piston back & then see if you can move the caliper on the slides,,If Not,, fix it,,

Title: Re: Wooden feel to front Brakes?
Post by PerrydaSavage on 09/17/13 at 22:56:36

Thanks for all of the suggestions. A friend and I looked into this last evening and indeed, one of the two caliper pistons was stuck. Will be fixing this hopefully this evening.