Okay, I guess I really need to learn to work on my own bikes.

[highsider]

I just recently sold my street bike, a 2000 Triumph Sprint RS. As soon as I bought the bike, I had a myriad of different repairs done by a friend/local bike shop. Amongst this work was new front rotors and brake pads.

I heard from zombie (who is friends with the fellow who bought the bike) that the front brake pads fell right out of the caliper while the guy was riding, and he went to pull into a driveway and discovered he had no brakes. Apparently some retaining pin was not properly tightened. Jonathan, the bike's new owner, was fine, he used the back brake and got the bike stopped, and quickly diagnosed the problem.

This has me pretty nervous, though. I had a person I trust work on that bike, and I had confidence in the work. I did two sessions at Loudon, and countless runs up and down Route 17. If those pads had fallen out in T3 at Loudon, or in a corner next to a cliff on Route 17, there would be a thread on this site about the details of my fucking funeral.

I dont know why, but hearing that news really has me rattled. I may not be the best mechanic in the world, but I know enough to tighten down any bolts related to the brakes. I guess I had a false sense of security in my now former bike mechanic.

[RandyO]

I have discovered, that even if things are properly tightened (not saying your brake pins were) that shit happens, and shit loosens

[union]

We all start learning at some point. Best thing you can do is go out get the shop manual for what ever bike you have and get a decent ratchet set and a torque wrench for starters. All the other little things and big things can be obtained when they are needed. It also helps to find someone you know that knows their stuff about bikes and work with them a bit and ask them questions.

[highsider]

Originally posted by RandyO
I have discovered, that even if things are properly tightened (not saying your brake pins were) that shit happens, and shit loosens

I'm sure you are right, you would know better than I....here's what Mick said happened:

as he was pulling into his uncles house in dc he pulls his front brake and lo and behold nothing
happens, grabs the rear and stops.. He gets off and has a looksee and
the left front caliper have no brake pads in them. The pin holding in
the brake pads backed out and he lost the pin, the pads and the spring
backer that holds the pads in place.

It sounds more to me like someone didn't torque the brakes down to specs, but as you say, shit happens.

Just made me nervous. I'm a pussy, I suppose. But I think I'll be working a bit harder on educating myself on bike repair in the future.

[Billy]

I've always lived by this, if you want the job done right, do it yourself.

If you don't know how to do it, go by a repair manual for your bike and learn. At least that way you know the job was done correctly.

[RandyO]

I know better, last time I wrenched my bike, the whole damn rear caliper came flying off and thru the rear wheel

[Tricky Mike]

Originally posted by RandyO
I have discovered, that even if things are properly tightened (not saying your brake pins were) that shit happens, and shit loosens

No doubt. Almost lost a mirror on Rte 2 yesterday. Stopped to fix it... they were both loose.

[FastJohnny]

Originally posted by union
We all start learning at some point. Best thing you can do is go out get the shop manual for what ever bike you have and get a decent ratchet set and a torque wrench for starters. All the other little things and big things can be obtained when they are needed. It also helps to find someone you know that knows their stuff about bikes and work with them a bit and ask them questions.

+1

Stuff can rattle itself lose under vibration. Always use loctite and a torque wrench when working on brakes.

[Uncle Snake]

My rear caliper fell off this summer after a very bumpy ride and I use a torque wrench on EVERYTHING. Torqued to factory spec and it had been on there for about 2500 miles.

[Awesome]

That's why I don't ever want help working on my bike. With the exception of one or two specific people.

I'm waiting for some bolts that I ordered, then I'll get the parts I need and we'll have a 600RR mechanics day where you can learn everything ground up. Sometime in the next few weeks.

[number9]

Originally posted by FastJohnny
+1

Stuff can rattle itself lose under vibration. Always use loctite and a torque wrench when working on brakes.

Back in Oz I drove rally cars for a short while, and we'd always use paint pens to make sure the important stuff stayed bolted up. Lots of vibrations meant lots of stuff working loose...

For the important things, get a torque wrench and torque them up properly. Then, get a paint pen (yellow works well) and draw a line over the head of the bolt/pin/whatever and onto the surface it mounts again. If you see it's moved, it's loosened.

Loctite was a good suggestion too.

[Awesome]

If you're that concerned then use saftey wire.

[Paul_E_D]

I'm with Jay. SAFETY WIRE brake components. It's easy, and looks trick, and is 100 percent failsafe. That's why they do it in aircraft applications.

BTW, that little pin is exactly how we lost Bryan Paquet a few years back. It's serious business.

I think it's MORE critical to wire these components on a street bike because they get checked so infrequently...

[highsider]

Originally posted by hessogood
That's why I don't ever want help working on my bike. With the exception of one or two specific people.

I'm waiting for some bolts that I ordered, then I'll get the parts I need and we'll have a 600RR mechanics day where you can learn everything ground up. Sometime in the next few weeks.

Sounds great.

I think I am going to go through and safety wire the DRZ as well, just as a preventative measure. Worst case scenario, I can go take the Penguin school on it and lose a few races.

[Doc]

This is the pin that just slides in and hold the pads up right? It is what you remove to replace your pads, you pull it out, pullout the brake bads install new ones and slide that pin through Calliper, pad, pad, caliper... Right?

There is no torqueing that down or saftey wiring it or loctiteing it. The thing I am thinking of just slides in and is held there by the tension from the retaining spring and maybe a circlip???

[Awesome]

Originally posted by highsider
Sounds great.

I think I am going to go through and safety wire the DRZ as well, just as a preventative measure. Worst case scenario, I can go take the Penguin school on it and lose a few races.

If you want to wait we can do it next time I come up for some dirt riding.

Doc, it depends on the bike. i'm not familiar with this one but on mine they are hex bolts that screw in.

[highsider]

Originally posted by hessogood
If you want to wait we can do it next time I come up for some dirt riding.

Doc, it depends on the bike. i'm not familiar with this one but on mine they are hex bolts that screw in.

Whenever is good for you. If you want to bring it up in pieces, I (oddly enough) have a shit-ton of tools, so we could conceivably do it at my place.

And yes, that was the issue - it was a hex head screw-in jobbie that backed out/wasn't torqued properly/whatever.

[Awesome]

I meant we can do the saftey wire there. It'd be a pain to bring everything up in pieces and I'm sure we'd be missing parts that way. As far as tools we need about 5 sockets, two screw drivers, a ratchet, and a couple allen keys.

[Doc]

Can I come too? I need a saftey wire lesson.

[highsider]

Originally posted by hessogood
I meant we can do the saftey wire there. It'd be a pain to bring everything up in pieces and I'm sure we'd be missing parts that way. As far as tools we need about 5 sockets, two screw drivers, a ratchet, and a couple allen keys.

Ah...yes, bringing a bike in pieces would be a pain in the ass, plus I want to see how this whole hot tub thing turned out.

You didn't mention a hammer...we need a hammer, right?

[Awesome]

Hopefully we get the hottub wrapped up this weekend. I bet I can get it done if everyone would go to bed early or maybe go away for a couple hours.

P.S. - new signature.

[Paul_E_D]

I once saw a pic of the Ducati motogp shop. There must have been 20 different hammers on the wall/rack. Apparently at that level it's the most important tool in the box!!!

[skiierx]

I believe you just need to go through the bike every couple of thousand miles and retorque bolts. As Tony's site says you should go over your bike prior to each trackday.

Saftey wire is nice but some bolts you will not be able to wire. So checking it over should be normal habit.

[oreo_n2]

if its a tard check it a LOT more... mine rattle shit off every time i turn around!!!

[lopycam]

Originally posted by oreo_n2
if its a tard check it a LOT more... mine rattle shit off every time i turn around!!!

Try going on a diet and see if that helps.......