A Man's Gotta Know His Limitations...
#11
03-25-2011, 05:23 AM
Road Master
More than anything, make sure you get the shoes seated into the springs and that they stay seated as you re-install the caliper. I did the job about a year ago with the help of a more experienced friend, but still botched the job. The shoes probably came out of the springs as we were putting the caliper back on. Seemed to work alright for awhile, but as I was screaming down the highway with a bunch of other friends one day on a semi-long distance tour, I (and one of my buds) noticed a ringing sound coming from my bike. Nudging the rear brake stopped it for a few seconds but it came right back. We pulled over and had a look. All seemed fine except that my rear brake rotor was SUPER hot around the edge. We took it in to the closest HD dealer and the took the caliper apart. They were about to put it back on, saying that nothing was wrong, but upon further inspection, they found that the pads weren't seated correctly in the springs and that the spring was rubbing on the rotor. They bent the misshapen spring back with an needle-nose plier, but said I might need a new one eventually. $70 later I was back on the road. I chalked that up to the price of experience. Will I try it myself, again? Absolutely! Won't learn unless you try. Now I know what to look for and be careful of.
If your friend falls into the "multiple times" category, then I need to rethink doing mine myself at all when the time comes.
Last edited by kanelakos; 03-25-2011 at 05:26 AM.
#12
03-25-2011, 06:08 AM
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#14
03-25-2011, 08:20 AM
On every brake reline I do whether it be car or bike or truck:
1. Remove caliper, clean piston face & area with brakekleen
2. Open bleeder and retract pistons forcing old contaminated fluid out
3. Clean rotor and mic
4. Replace pads and lubricate
5. Reinstall caliper & torque to spec
6. Bleed system
7. Bed in new pads 30/30 method.
Never a problem.
1. Remove caliper, clean piston face & area with brakekleen
2. Open bleeder and retract pistons forcing old contaminated fluid out
3. Clean rotor and mic
4. Replace pads and lubricate
5. Reinstall caliper & torque to spec
6. Bleed system
7. Bed in new pads 30/30 method.
Never a problem.
#15
03-25-2011, 08:23 AM
You can slip the pads in and out by just loosening the caliper. I don't do that because I have my own procedure I learned from a master mechanic years ago.
#16
03-25-2011, 08:26 AM
Dealing with brakes on a bike with the attitude "Won't learn unless you try" can get you killed. If I were to attempt brakes on my own ride, I would be damn sure I had help that has done it multiple times and teach me the "little things" that are not in the manual.
If your friend falls into the "multiple times" category, then I need to rethink doing mine myself at all when the time comes.
If your friend falls into the "multiple times" category, then I need to rethink doing mine myself at all when the time comes.
#17
03-25-2011, 08:29 AM
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I'm a chronic "do-it-yourselfer" but I'm leary about messing with brakes on my Jeep or bike. I've had the heads off my old Chevy pickup, and my old Sportster, I've changed drive shafts on trucks, and drive chains on bikes, but there's something about messing with brakes, and mounting tires that I just rather have a professional handle...especially on my bikes......
#18
03-25-2011, 08:30 AM
If at first you don't succeed, give up and sell your tools and bike.
Brake pads aren't rocket science--I change them on my bike, my truck, my wife's jeep and my daughter's car all in the driveway, so I'm no master mechanic. But it's one of the few car repairs that the do it yourselfer can still do. Just pay attention, follow the manual and keep everything as clean as possible. It doesn't always go right the first time, but you'll get the hang of it. And don't forget to put a rag over the open master cylinder.
Brake pads aren't rocket science--I change them on my bike, my truck, my wife's jeep and my daughter's car all in the driveway, so I'm no master mechanic. But it's one of the few car repairs that the do it yourselfer can still do. Just pay attention, follow the manual and keep everything as clean as possible. It doesn't always go right the first time, but you'll get the hang of it. And don't forget to put a rag over the open master cylinder.
Last edited by Sharknose; 03-25-2011 at 08:35 AM.
#19
03-25-2011, 08:42 AM
+1 me too. I won't let anyone touch my brakes after watching a dealership guy do my wifes car once. He skipped about 50% of the steps I have been taught as necessary and just slapped new pads in. Screw that. I do all of the brake relines on all of the family cars and use OEM parts and always bleed the fluid. Plus, bedding in new pads by doing 25 -30 slow stops from 30mph down to 5mph with a 2 mile cool down in between will increase pad life by a factor of 2.
#20
03-25-2011, 08:44 AM
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I try to do all my own work whenever possible, and have plenty of experience wrenching on cars and trucks (bikes not so much, but bolts are bolts, right?). I decided to install a mini tach on the nacelle of my Road King, knowng that drilling would be required on the nacelle. Well, that turned out to be the easiest part of the job - it never occurred to me that I'd be pulling the gas tank to install a tach on the handlebars.......
Still, if you're not comfortable with what you're doing (especially with brakes, suspension, etc) there is no shame in paying someone that knows what they're doing to get it right.
Still, if you're not comfortable with what you're doing (especially with brakes, suspension, etc) there is no shame in paying someone that knows what they're doing to get it right.