I replaced the brake pads on my 2010 Street Glide and now find the back brake is nothing like it was before. Using the back brake doesn't seem to stop well at all and requires much more effort on the pedal. The fronts are fine!

Changing the pads was a piece of cake and I'm sure that everything is installed correctly. The question I have is that I pushed the caliper pistons in to make room for the new pads like I've done when replacing brakes on bikes before, gently of course, but did not remove or loosen the master cylinder covers. Did this cause an issue with something or do the brakes just need some wear in time? Thanks

 

If you pushed dirty pistons back, the crud can be binding them. Were it my bike, I'd pull the caliper, pull the pads, pump the pistons out, clean them, and reinstall.

Pad material can also make brakes feel markedly different. Are these the same pads as before?

 

Sounds like you need to bleed out the system. Clean master and new fluid will probably help.

 

I've made that mistake on a car before. When I made that mistake, the brakes would bind and drag on the rotor. I had to take the whole thing apart and start over and clean the caliper pistons.

 

Yes stock Harley and the pistons were very clean. I obviously use the back brake for final stopping and slow speed maneuvers. I wanted to ensure I hadn't done anything by pushing the fluid back into the master cylinder without a loose cap. The level of fluid did rise as expected. I'm assuming the weep hole accommodated excess pressure. I didn't want the Dot 4 bubbling out over the top. I know the Master had room and wasn't over filled. This is the only ABS bike I've ever done. Fronts work fine with new pads.

 

Fluid was flushed and changed before winter storage and the caliper bores are clean. May just need some breaking in?

 

Rick - Take her out around the neighborhood. Do some nice easy gradual stops. My guess is they need to break in a little but please be careful. I had same experience after mine were changed. Didn't take much to get them to seat (if thats the term). Regards, Jim

 

New pads gotta break in. This has happened to me every time I change them out. Just use em.

 

Just did brakes on my wife's 13 sg, no problems at all. You didn't accidentally get any of the grease on one or both of the pads or the rotor? That made me so nervous, first time doing brakes on the new bike, my 04 didn't come with grease for the bake pads.

 

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When i replaced stock oem HD pads with same oem hd pads on front and rear they perf/grabbed great right off the bat with no breakin required at all.

Bike is an 09 FLHTCU.

I'd try bleeding rear brakes and see how that works out.

Scott