Question regarding Front Brake feel

[MickO]

The other day I pulled the front brake calipers to check the condition of the brake pads and to add a little brake grease at the metal contact points (squeaking at slow speeds while braking). I pushed the caliper pistons slightly backing to the caliper in order to get the caliper to reinstall over the pads. I now find that the front brake lever is engaging much further away from the handle bar grip than previously, and too far away from the grip to be comfortable for me. Can anyone offer suggestions to correct this problem? Thx.

[T.J.]

Gee Mick,

 

Try bleeding the brake some and see if that will move the piston and free it up. Don't know what else to say and must be, nobody else did either.

 

Good luck in getting it back the way you liked it.

[V7Goose]

The other day I pulled the front brake calipers to check the condition of the brake pads and to add a little brake grease at the metal contact points (squeaking at slow speeds while braking). I pushed the caliper pistons slightly backing to the caliper in order to get the caliper to reinstall over the pads. I now find that the front brake lever is engaging much further away from the handle bar grip than previously, and too far away from the grip to be comfortable for me. Can anyone offer suggestions to correct this problem? Thx.

 

Absolutely no reason you should need to bleed that if all you did was take the caliper off. But something you said does not make any sense to me: "in order to get the caliper to reinstall over the pads." The pads are supposed to sit up in the caliper on the rails, so the caliper is never installed over them. In fact, if you just put the existing pads back in, there should have been NO problem slipping the caliper with pads back over the disk without having to push the pistons back in to make more room. Make sure you have them put in correctly, as this is the only thing I can think of that would cause the symptom you describe.

Goose

[T.J.]

At least you are getting some answers MickO.

 

Thanks Goose, I was feeling bad no one was answering this post so I gave only what I could give. A thought!

[MickO]

Goose and T.J.

 

Thanks for your ideas. Regarding the comment I made "in order to get the caliper to reinstall over the pads." , I should have wrote "to the the caliper with pads now installed back over the rotor". I thought that pushing the caliper pistons back just bit would make it easier to reinstall.

 

I will try bleeding the system (its probably due for it anyway), but I couldnt understand why that might be necessary when I did not open the system up to begin with. Thanks for your ideas. I will supply some results asap.

 

MickO

Edited October 23, 2008 by MickO
add info

[Monsta]

Listen, if you have air in the system in which bleeding would solve then the handle would not engage the brakes FARTHER away from the bar. You would be squeezing it in farther.

 

Save your time bleeding and instead redo the job and check & touch everything. Maybe something isn't seated correctly.

[MickO]

Thanks for the ideas so far. I did bleed the system last night. Unfortunately, no change. The front brakes still engage and stop well. I would just like the lever to engage closer to the grip as it did before. I will use the suggestion to pull everything apart and reinspect for other issues. Appreciate the suggestions.

MickO

Edited October 24, 2008 by MickO

[Tom]

Just a question,when was the last time you completely flushed the system? Mine did similar to that and the fluid was very dark so I bled brakes and clutch..All is back to normal.

[Yammer Dan]

Shouldn't have changed it that much unless you had air in it. Did you open bleeder when you pushed the pads back?

[MickO]

In response to the last two questions/comments, I flushed the system pretty good (thought I am sure not commpletely) last night when I bled the system. I got the color of the fluid to change to being pretty clear.

 

When I disassembled the caliper and pads, I did not open the system at all. Just slightly pushed the pistons back (1/8 inch or so) and then reinstalled.

 

Would the symptoms described at the top result from a stuck piston? Could my pushing the pistons back into the caliper result or aggravate a stuck piston?

 

The ideas and comments are very much appreciated.

MickO

[GeorgeS]

I see you have an 2002 bike. That fluid was almost 5 years Old. It Was time to change it !!!!

 

Good time to do the REAR, and the Clutch System also. ie. Replace the Fluid.

 

I know lots of folks don't agree with that,

 

How do the brakes Actually stop the bike ?? Did you try a few High speed stops, ?? how to they actually work ?

[Squidley]

Mick,

If you want to adjust the throw of the lever there is a phillips head bolt with a locking nut on it that you can adjust in or out to get it to feel like you want. You might want to try that and see if it cures your problem as far as the feel goes. Once you take anything apart it will always feel different as components move around and never go back exactly as they were.

[Marcarl]

Mick,

 

If you want to adjust the throw of the lever there is a phillips head bolt with a locking nut on it that you can adjust in or out to get it to feel like you want. You might want to try that and see if it cures your problem as far as the feel goes. Once you take anything apart it will always feel different as components move around and never go back exactly as they were.

I think along the lines of that you did something that caused it to change, or maybe it's just all in your head,,,,not saying you're not smart, but often we think there is a change when really there isn't. To adjust the setting at the lever at this point is a little touchy, for if you are right and there is a malfunction or misalignment somewhere, then if that were to correct itself you might find yourself without a front brake. Just be very cautious with this whole issue.

[Yammer Dan]

One piston could have been stuck and they would still work. This is probally what happened. When you pushed it back and broke it loose it repositioned things in there.

[Ferrantelli]

One piston could have been stuck and they would still work. This is probally what happened. When you pushed it back and broke it loose it repositioned things in there.

I was thinking of that as well. But the master cylinder would take up the slack with more fluid. Yes you can adjust the lever at the master cylinder like SQUIDLEY said, but that would fix the symptom not if there is a problem. Retrace you step carefully make sore everything is installed correctly and move as they should. Than you can make adjustment at the lever to bring it to you comfort zone.

[dynodon]

Is it possible that you had a stuck piston as mentioned, and that was giving an abnormally long swing to the lever before the brakes bit. Maybe the lever was even adjusted to make up for this a little?

 

Now maybe you have it working right, and just need to get used to it, and possibly re-adjust the lever?

 

But it was good advice, to take apart that caliper again and make sure everything is put in correctly. Maybe the pad got in a touch crooked and isn't letting the piston move back and forth properly? Can't hurt to take it apart and check it out again.