I pulled my wheels and replaced the tires, reinstalled the wheels, and now the rear break doesn't work. I didn't press the rear pedal while the wheel was off, the caliper rested nicely on the swing arm the whole time. Why wont my break work now ? Hmm.... any thoughts ?

 

Hi, I've always had to pump the brakes back up when I do wheel removal - removing the wheel moves the brake pads in the caliper, and you'll have to pump the brake lever a few times to get it functional again. If you have done that, then it sounds like something is either improperly installed, or you got unlucky and a part failed. Let me know what you find out.

 

I'm pretty sure everything is installed right. Not sure how I could have done it wrong.??? Still no break after bleeding it twice. It's like the pedal barely moves(depresses). Hmmm

 

That helps - did much air come out of the line when you bled it? You said the pedal doesn't move much - is it very stiff, or is there no resistance and it bottoms out?

If you have the rear wheel off of the ground, will it rotate freely?

 

If the pedal don't move, which indicates the fluid is compressing in the system, and there is no fluid going anywhere, and you have bled them and still have no brake....sounds like you have something jammed in the caliper. Sure you have all the spacers in the right place and like the other guy said....does you wheel rotate freely. Maybe the piston/pistons are seized in the caliper.

 

The wheel spun freely when I had it on the jack, 100% ! When I'm on the bike, it'll float down my driveway as freely as can be. I'm leaning towards the caliper is jammed or something. I marked the spacers as they came out when removing the wheel, and reinstalled them the way I had them marked. Everything seems & looks spot on, just no break. The pedal does not depress to the bottom, as if there is no pressure, it just barely moves and has no travel . Can I split the caliper and remove it with out removing the wheel ? There are three bolts on the face of the caliper. I am assuming they are holding the caliper together.

 

I don't have all the caliper mounting variations in my feeble brain and I am not sure how yours comes off. It may be bolted to the bracket in such a manner that you can remove it without removing the wheel....don't know. In any event, remove it and stick something like a piece of plywood, paneling, or something else in the caliper where the disc runs. Push your brake pedal and see if it locks down on the plywood. If it does...you have some sort of fitment issues elsewhere. If it does not, you could have a piston wedged up in the bore, a line kink, or some other obstruction. I am assuming you did nothing to the front controls that would block pedal travel. It sounds to me like you have some sort of alignment problem, or have managed to get a piston wedged up in the caliper, or a pad stuck in there somewhere. If that is the case, you will have to tear it apart and be very careful in how you free it up. Don't score the bore in the caliper.

I hope you discover something real simple or overlooked somehow in the reassembly.

 

Ok guys, all is now well with my rear break issue. I took it to a friend's shop. Lifted it, and he double checked the assembly, and alignment. All was together right, and when we spun the wheel by hand and pressed the rear pedal, the break grabbed. Hmmmm, we lowered it, and he took it for a short ride. Came back jumped off, and said "works now ! " He said the pads must have been glazed, or something slick was on them(don't know what) . He said he stomped it fairly hard and the rear tire chirped. Sped back up a little, applied the break normally, and they were right there like new. So, I rode it about 25 miles and they are definitely working well again. Thanks for the input !

 

Pretty sure something was stuck and is now non-stuck. Probably the piston that got pushed up in the bore when you wiggled things off or a cocked pad.

Don't matter now....you got brakes and learned something in the process. The best sort of problems are those that fix themselves....as long as they stay fixed.

 

Glad to see your brake didn't break.