Stiff front brake lever
#1
05-17-2011, 08:10 AM
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Homewood, IL
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Stiff front brake lever
'03 Road King Classic with 30k miles...
Beginning of the season I cleaned the pistons with a tooth brush and brake clean and noticed the pads had some wear. Put Lyndall front pads on it last night and now the front brakes are very stiff and "over-responsive." There is almost now lever travel before the brakes are on the verge of locking up. Rode in to work today and the bike nose-dives when I attempt to kick off the cruise control with the front brakes.
Tonight I will tear them back apart an clean and grease everything to make sure the pads are releasing properly and probably bleed the brakes out. Yes, I understand that air in the lines would be a spongy feel, but it takes 5 min to do so I might as well flush in some clean brake fluid. Any other suggestions as to what to look for?
Beginning of the season I cleaned the pistons with a tooth brush and brake clean and noticed the pads had some wear. Put Lyndall front pads on it last night and now the front brakes are very stiff and "over-responsive." There is almost now lever travel before the brakes are on the verge of locking up. Rode in to work today and the bike nose-dives when I attempt to kick off the cruise control with the front brakes.
Tonight I will tear them back apart an clean and grease everything to make sure the pads are releasing properly and probably bleed the brakes out. Yes, I understand that air in the lines would be a spongy feel, but it takes 5 min to do so I might as well flush in some clean brake fluid. Any other suggestions as to what to look for?
#2
05-17-2011, 08:42 AM
Cruiser
'03 Road King Classic with 30k miles...
Beginning of the season I cleaned the pistons with a tooth brush and brake clean and noticed the pads had some wear. Put Lyndall front pads on it last night and now the front brakes are very stiff and "over-responsive." There is almost now lever travel before the brakes are on the verge of locking up. Rode in to work today and the bike nose-dives when I attempt to kick off the cruise control with the front brakes.
Tonight I will tear them back apart an clean and grease everything to make sure the pads are releasing properly and probably bleed the brakes out. Yes, I understand that air in the lines would be a spongy feel, but it takes 5 min to do so I might as well flush in some clean brake fluid. Any other suggestions as to what to look for?
Beginning of the season I cleaned the pistons with a tooth brush and brake clean and noticed the pads had some wear. Put Lyndall front pads on it last night and now the front brakes are very stiff and "over-responsive." There is almost now lever travel before the brakes are on the verge of locking up. Rode in to work today and the bike nose-dives when I attempt to kick off the cruise control with the front brakes.
Tonight I will tear them back apart an clean and grease everything to make sure the pads are releasing properly and probably bleed the brakes out. Yes, I understand that air in the lines would be a spongy feel, but it takes 5 min to do so I might as well flush in some clean brake fluid. Any other suggestions as to what to look for?
When you install new pads it forces the pistons into the calipers farther than they were when the pads are worn and this forces more fluid into the
master cyl. If the master cyl has too much brake fluid in it then the extra fluid can't enter and you get the results you described, Check your fluid level. Try removeing some and see if this fixes the problem.
#3
05-17-2011, 08:45 AM
Stage I
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Houston, TX
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I'm experiencing the same symptoms. Removed the master cylinder cover and found small beads of what appear to be "greasy" silicone pooling at the bottom of the reservoir. I'm thinking moisture entered over time and contaminated the system (DOT 5 does not absorb water). As friction from the rotors heat up the calipers, the water expands and causes trapped pressure in the lines, thus the stiff brake lever and constant drag of pad-on-rotor effect.
I 've dismantled the entire system and found same small beads in each caliper!. Cleaned and air dried all parts and waiting on cylinder and caliper rebuild kits to come in within a few days. Will reinstall, cross my fingers and post results then!
I 've dismantled the entire system and found same small beads in each caliper!. Cleaned and air dried all parts and waiting on cylinder and caliper rebuild kits to come in within a few days. Will reinstall, cross my fingers and post results then!
#4
05-17-2011, 09:15 AM
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Homewood, IL
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When you install new pads it forces the pistons into the calipers farther than they were when the pads are worn and this forces more fluid into the master cyl. If the master cyl has too much brake fluid in it then the extra fluid can't enter and you get the results you described, Check your fluid level. Try removeing some and see if this fixes the problem.
Duh...that would make sense. The little things you overlook when you start diagnosing problems.
As for moisture in the system...it was rebuilt 1 1/2 years go and I bleed the brakes out usually twice a season as preventative maintenance. Thanks for the info though.
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