too much brake travel.

[Guest]

i've been fightingthis problem with my front brakes for a while now. i've had the bike for right at a year now. the front lever travels 1 3/4 of an inch before i have any noticible braking at all. i have replaced the pads and seals on the calipers, and i can promise there isn't any air in the lines. one other thing i noticed was that when i was bleeding it, it wouldn't even move any of the fluid until i reached the point at which normally engages(1 3/4 travel before any fluid movement). could it be that the master cylinder needs to be replaced?

[cowboyup3371]

Not replaced just rebuilt. Get it apart and have a look see. I would be willing to bet you will need to replace the piston and cup set inside as well as give a thorough cleaning. See Basscliff's site for some good instructions under the brakes_odds-n-ends

[shinzon1]

ok. thanks! i'll check it out.

[chuck hahn]

Clean it out and check the rubber on the plunger and cup for any damage or wear..also if they are still pliable. You can try the tie back trick with the handle as well. it seems to have worked on all my bikes. Pump up the brakes as hard as you can getb them and then hold the handle as hard to the grip as you can. Wrap a bungee around it to hold it in the depressed position and let itm sit over night. Unwrap it in the morning and then see what your lever feels like. It may not be perfect, but it may be much better.

[shinzon1]

how would that help exactly? wouldn't that just hold pressure on everything? i don't understand how that would help with lever feel.

[chuck hahn]

Dont ask me but it works

[shinzon1]

ok. well i'm willing to try it. just do it overnight?

[Nessism]

I'd replace the old rubber brake lines too if you still have the originals. Suzuki calls for replacing them every two years.

The holding the brake lever trick allows the caliper pistons to creep out of the caliper bore and move closer to the discs. Getting the pistons as close as possible to the disc, which actually applying pressure, will give that firm lever that's desirable.

[Baatfam]

I've done it all, SS lines, new pads, rebuilt master, rebuilt calipers and had the same issue.
One of the members here told me new calipers seals tend to pull the piston back a bit after contact and release, until the wear in a bit...(does that make sense?)

Anyway...the solution is to pull the caliper off the rotor, give the brake lever a LITTLE squeeze to move the piston out a bit. It should be a tight fit to get it back over the rotor...then do the other side...

It works...solid lever...

[shinzon1]

i figured i needed to replace them. i'm pretty sure they r the originals. most everything on this bike i can tell hasn't been touched since it rolled out of the factory 32 years ago. i've done pretty much everthing on basscliff's website except this obviously.

[Nessism]

I've done it all, SS lines, new pads, rebuilt master, rebuilt calipers and had the same issue.
One of the members here told me new calipers seals tend to pull the piston back a bit after contact and release, until the wear in a bit...(does that make sense?)

Anyway...the solution is to pull the caliper off the rotor, give the brake lever a LITTLE squeeze to move the piston out a bit. It should be a tight fit to get it back over the rotor...then do the other side...

It works...solid lever...

Strapping back the brake lever usually does the trick, but in extreme cases drastic action may be needed. I've experienced this situation two different times when using aftermarket K&L brake caliper rebuild seals as sold by Z1 Enterprises. Pure crap. The seals are inappropriately sizes and don't allow the pistons to move out like they should.

[shinzon1]

that does make since. i understand where u r coming from baatfan. i'll try that first. thanks!

[Octain]

Dont ask me but it works

Not for me it didnt(on the 850). But then again maybe my brakes were as good as their gonna get.
I rebuilt everything with brand new parts. Calipers, master cylinder and I run stainless lines. Something I highly recommend.

[Baatfam]

Strapping back the brake lever usually does the trick, but in extreme cases drastic action may be needed. I've experienced this situation two different times when using aftermarket K&L brake caliper rebuild seals as sold by Z1 Enterprises. Pure crap. The seals are inappropriately sizes and don't allow the pistons to move out like they should.

OEM seals...and I tried strapping back the lever for days at a time...

Don't know...

[shinzon1]

the caliper rebuild seals i used were the oem suzuki seals. i don't trust most of the aftermarket stuff. especially with something designed to make me stop. nothing like going down the highway and someone lock up their brakes infront of u and suddenly u don't have brakes.