My new-to-me '03 FXST won't keep the choke **** pulled out, keeps wanting to go back in. Is this a coomon problem? Anyone know a fix? Carb says H-D on it, looks stock.

And the front brake SQUEALS like a mother. Seriously guys and gals, the more I pull in the lever, the louder it gets. Starts as a light squeak then develops a medium high squal that sounds like the disc is resonating at a high pitch, ya can hear it a 100 feet away.

The bike is sano and looking at the brake pads -- we're talking front brake here -- looks like there are pads in there. No scoring on the disc. Maybe spray-on wax from a detailing wash glazed the pads? I dunno.

Thanks, and any suggestions, opinions always gratefully accepted...

 

My Sportster "choke" (I think they are actually called enricher *****) doesn't stay out. Its a good think too cause I forget about it more often than not. I can adjust it by tightening the plastic nut thing at the base of the ****. Not sure if the FXST is the same set up.

I have no idea on the brakes other than changing the pads. That's what I would do.

 

The choke **** comes through a steel bracket between the cylinders. On the back side of the bracket there is a nut that should be HAND tightened to increase drag on the choke cable.

 

Quoted for emphasis.

 

take the front pads out and clean the pistons with brake cleaner and a tooth brush. Coat the back of the pads with "I can't remember what it is called" and put it back together. If you want, flush the fluid and bleed the line.

Drew

 

+1 on the little knobby thing, friction ring. Front brakes- pull pads, scratch the pad surface with some sand paper, clean pistons with brake cleaner real good. Deglaze disc (rotor) again with sandpaper, do this in a circular pattern. I use A spray on product, disc queit, from Permatex. works pretty good. Replacement thickness is <.04 inches or if your into metric 1.02 mm.

 

While you have the front brakes apart,,sand the pad serface,, lay the sandpaper on a flat serface and rub the pad on the paper untill any glaze is gone,,,

 

I take copperpaste.

 

Although the **** says choke it is in actuality and "enrichener" ****. That means it's dumping extra fuel when it's in the pulled out position. My very experienced and knowledgeable mechanic informed me when I had my 99 Heritage that it wasn't too good on the motor to dump the extra fuel in if not necessary. He taught me to pull the ****, start the bike, push in the **** and keep the idle up a bit by locking the throttle with the "cruise control" **** on the handlebars until the bike was warmed up a bit. That would be the thumb screw next to your throttle on the bars.

Auto parts stores sell small $1 packets of brake grease. It's to be used on the back sides of the pads where they contact the calipers and on the pins that hold the pads in place. I've used it every time I've done brakes and never had a squeek or squeel. Never used a tooth brush either but if I ever start squeeking that's what I'll try. I wonder how it'd work on the wife?

 

My '05 Ultra had that problem, the dealer did this to it.
http://www.harley-heaven.com/Brake_r...wap_M1192A.pdf