Front brake drag?

[youngblood]

I just changed the front brake pads. This the first time I have a front stand and am able to spin the wheel. How free should the front spin? With a hard spin it barely makes 3/4 of a turn and this is after a test ride. The rear spins free with only the chain drag slowing it down. I cleaned the calipers and break pin with brake cleaner but didn't lube anything. Anything to worry about ?

[BluGixxer]

is it broken in yet ?

[tonup]

If you didn't put some sort of caliper pin grease or hi-temp bearing grease, at the minimum, on the slide pins and slide contact areas then you are asking for trouble. The caliper piston seal is what actually does the "release" of the piston when you let go so you need all sliding parts to be lubed. Don't slather it on like buttered corn, just a nice even coating. A little blue loctite on the caliper mounting bolts doesn't hurt either.

[stoinkythepig]

How many pistons? Some calipers slide, some don't.

[OreoGaborio]

Always clean the pistons before pushing them into the caliper to accommodate new brake pads.

Pull the calipers off, remove the pads, squeeze the brake lever a couple of times to push the pistons out slightly, clean them with brake cleaner, THEN push them back in.

[RSVR65]

Here's something else to keep in mind. If your reservoir level is too high, it can cause excessive drag on your brakes.

[richw]

Air in the system will also cause pucks not to retract

After sitting all winter some air could creep in
Bleed and all the bango bolts too

[youngblood]

OK, so I need to lube for the brake pin and pump the pucks out so I can lube them. Is there a specific lube for the brake pucks? I have been dirt riding all my life and never lubed a brake caliper! I tried cleaning the pucks best I could. I never thought to much about what makes the pads retract. When it's done right does the front wheel just spin free with little or no break drag? Still new to this track riding thing.

[TTD]

There will always be some brake drag. In your case, sounds like there is some issue though.

The comments above should solve it.

[GixerJockey]

OK, so I need to lube for the brake pin and pump the pucks out so I can lube them. Is there a specific lube for the brake pucks? I have been dirt riding all my life and never lubed a brake caliper! I tried cleaning the pucks best I could. I never thought to much about what makes the pads retract. When it's done right does the front wheel just spin free with little or no break drag? Still new to this track riding thing.

Don't lube the pistons!!! They are already well lubricated by the brake fluid, which is surrounding the back side of the piston within the caliper. Adding another lubricant could possibly damage the o-rings in the caliper. And will certainly contaminate the brake fluid. Also, don't squeeze the brake lever with the pads not installed in the caliper. You run the risk of popping the pistons right out of the caliper, and making one hell of a mess of brake-fluid. As well as having to re-build the calipers and re-bleed the entire brake system.

To answer your other question... No, the wheel will not spin freely when everything is working correctly. There will always be brake-drag. There is no mechanical action that draws the pistons back into the caliper. When you release the brake lever, the pressure in the system drops to "0" and the pads stop "grabbing". But they never pull away from the rotor, because nothing is pushing them back.

I've been doing my own brakes for years and I'm always surprised by how much the pads drag on the calipers. My 1000 has Marchesini magnesium wheels, with ceramic wheel bearings. When the calipers are off, I can spin the wheel and it just rotates FOREVER. I can literally walk away, smoke a cigarette, and when I come back, the wheel is still spinning slowly. With the calipers installed on the rotors, and the brake system properly bled... I spin the wheel and it comes to a stop within 1 or 2 revolutions.

[TTD]

I agree with Noel about the lube on the pistons. I believe I heard/read? something about not putting lube due to possibly contaminating fluid.

[youngblood]

Thanks for the info...I won't put lube on the pucks. That makes perfect sence to me. How about the retaining pin? I guess if there is a very small amount on the pin it would help. I'm just leary of any lube heating and getting on to the pad.
The bent spring plate between the pads and the retaining pin seems to be a very tight fit. With the pressure from the retainer clip I wonder how they retract at all with no force to pull them back.

[Kitt]

Don't lube the pistons!!! They are already well lubricated by the brake fluid, which is surrounding the back side of the piston within the caliper. Adding another lubricant could possibly damage the o-rings in the caliper. And will certainly contaminate the brake fluid. Also, don't squeeze the brake lever with the pads not installed in the caliper. You run the risk of popping the pistons right out of the caliper, and making one hell of a mess of brake-fluid. As well as having to re-build the calipers and re-bleed the entire brake system.

To answer your other question... No, the wheel will not spin freely when everything is working correctly. There will always be brake-drag. There is no mechanical action that draws the pistons back into the caliper. When you release the brake lever, the pressure in the system drops to "0" and the pads stop "grabbing". But they never pull away from the rotor, because nothing is pushing them back.

I've been doing my own brakes for years and I'm always surprised by how much the pads drag on the calipers. My 1000 has Marchesini magnesium wheels, with ceramic wheel bearings. When the calipers are off, I can spin the wheel and it just rotates FOREVER. I can literally walk away, smoke a cigarette, and when I come back, the wheel is still spinning slowly. With the calipers installed on the rotors, and the brake system properly bled... I spin the wheel and it comes to a stop within 1 or 2 revolutions.

Good post... I'll assume it came from one of your co-workers

[Paul_E_D]

The rotor actually pushes them back. The seal itself may pull the puck back a hair, but any runout in the rotrs will push them back. On the road, drag is not as drastic as it seems when spinning the wheel by hand.

[Cerberus]

Air in the system will also cause pucks not to retract

After sitting all winter some air could creep in
Bleed and all the bango bolts too

hate to have to do this to ya rich, but this is just BS

if the bleeder or banjo were loose enough to allow air in, they would bleed fluid profusely when you apply the brakes.

not to mention, there is no force that i am aware of that would drive this ingress of air.

certainly the brake system could be under a slight vacuum.. theoretically.. though i can't imagine why.. but if a slight vacuum could draw air in through a seal, the braking pressure would piss fluid out through that seal.

[Pittenger5]

Did you replace the brake lever? Cause that can cause problems. Dont ask me how I know.

[richw]

Clarification

Bleeding the brakes AT the banjo bolts in addition to the bleeders in the system.

There is a small negative pressure in the system from just gravity. Or perhaps dissolved gases ( don't really understand) but you sometime will find a bubble after storage that wasn't there in the fall.

He had been f'ing with the brakes so great possibility of air getting in. The air can act as a spring leaving some positive pressure in the system after brake released.

If the braking caliper is in like new shape the seals usually O rings will lift the piston. I too think this goes away quickly though but puck O rings should be easy and cheap also there may be corrosion where the pistons are riding now with new pads ( further in then old pads).

Lastly clean the rotors with brake cleaning juice. I have removed some amazing tar like spooge from brake rotors that is sticky enough to adhere pads to the rotor. For solid 1 finger braking I recommend brake cleaning a few times a season especially if you went to some where paved with oiled gravel and/or fresh tar snakes.

[GixerJockey]

Good post... I'll assume it came from one of your co-workers

What? And after I gave you the best brakes you've ever had??? Fucker!!!

I told you I'm the king of brakes! You of all people should believe me now.

It was Sunday, which means I was not at work and came up with that all by myself.

[richw]

Must be out of beer