Author Topic: Front Brake Issue : Please give me some pointers  (Read 4041 times)

Offline BADS197

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Front Brake Issue : Please give me some pointers
« on: November 12, 2012, 01:21:33 PM »
Last wednesday I was leaving work and the front brake was spongy and responded slow. The lever went almost all the way to the grip. I pumped it and it stiffened up and then the pistons didnt want to back off and put death grip on the rotor(s).

I took the calipers off and put new seals in them, both looked fine but I did it anyway.

In hindsight I remember the left one having two pistons that were barely out and were very hard to remove.

Saturday I did the rebuild and bled the front calipers and it seemed fine. So I left the bike sit.

This morning I was pulling out of my garage and tested the brakes and had to pump them again and i would get stiff for a few pumps and then soft and mushy for the next couple pumps.


Any ideas what might be wrong? A bad caliper? they appear to be pieces of alluminum with a channel in them and a few pistons/seals, no real internal working parts.

i plan on bleeding them again tonight but am looking for possible other causes as well.

In the grand scheme there is only the lines and master cylinider and then the calipers which appear to not have internal parts.


PLease help, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jake

Offline pmackie

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Re: Front Brake Issue : Please give me some pointers
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2012, 04:48:58 PM »
Your on the right track. Check all of your connections for leaks...the slightest weep or evidence of any wet needs to be fixed. Make sure you don't have any soft hoses.  If you have no leaks, and you have rebuilt the calipers with new seals, then you are down to the master cylinder, which could be bypassing.
Paul
2002-GSF600S, Progressive Fork Springs, B12 Shock,
SS Brake lines, EBC HH pads, Leo Vince Ex & Kappa bags.
Ex Bike Mechanic (late 70's), somewhat rusty
32 years in the Fuel/lubes industry(Retired)