HELP! took front brakes off now wheel locked

[Anonymous]

After replacing my stem and wheel bearings, which of course meant removing everything on the front end (including all they hydrolic pieces of the front brakes) and putting everything back together, the front brakes seem to be stuck. At first, after putting the caliper units back on the wheel, the brake lever was soft. I pumped it a few dozen times and the tension came back. Now, however, the wheel won't spin. It takes a lot of effort to turn it, as though the brakes were stuck, but I can still pull the brake lever and make the wheel impossible to turn, so they are working.

What did I do wrong? I'm working on this RIGHT NOW, and was really hoping to go for a ride tonight since I haven't in, like, a week and am totally jonesing.

[Anonymous]

Be sure the speedo drive is in its slots, and not binding up the front wheel bearings

[Anonymous]

Just "tried" to pull the front wheel and check the speedo. The brake calipers were so damn tight I had to loosen the 'hydrolic' bolt (where the front brake line "T's" and splits to the right and left brake calipers) to relieve some pressure just to get the calipers off. I did remove the wheel and check the speedo, though.

Any other ideas?

[Anonymous]

I think bikebandit.com just answered my question. Looks like I didn't have the "T" lines arranged correctly. That'll teach me to look at bikebandit more often.

[bjrehill]

I was going to suggest cleaning tthe check valve in the master cylinder. It is veryu small and gets clogged real easy and will lock yoru breaks like you are seeing. You have to remove the resevior to see teh check valve. It can be cleaned with a fine wire, like from a wire brush. I forget which hole is which.

[Detman101]

I was going to suggest cleaning tthe check valve in the master cylinder. It is veryu small and gets clogged real easy and will lock yoru breaks like you are seeing. You have to remove the resevior to see teh check valve. It can be cleaned with a fine wire, like from a wire brush. I forget which hole is which.

Thsi is exactly how I had to relieve my locked up brakes.
Dissasemble the master cylinder and thoroughly clean it of all debris.
Also, clean the 3 relief holes in the plunger of the Master Cylinder. That is where they usually get plugged at.

[DMPLATT]

Re: HELP! took front brakes off now wheel locked

After replacing my stem and wheel bearings, which of course meant removing everything on the front end (including all they hydrolic pieces of the front brakes) and putting everything back together, the front brakes seem to be stuck. At first, after putting the caliper units back on the wheel, the brake lever was soft. I pumped it a few dozen times and the tension came back. Now, however, the wheel won't spin. It takes a lot of effort to turn it, as though the brakes were stuck, but I can still pull the brake lever and make the wheel impossible to turn, so they are working.

What did I do wrong? I'm working on this RIGHT NOW, and was really hoping to go for a ride tonight since I haven't in, like, a week and am totally jonesing.

Just a different thought here. I had some binding before and when I changed my front tire, it was totally locked up. Turns out that my forks were out of alignment. Don't ask me how it happened. :roll: . I "Think" I tightened the Axle nut BEFORE tightening the end caps. So, I essentially PULLED in the bottom of my forks.
Anyway, I loosened the Fork brace, the end caps and axle nut. I then tightened down the calipers and had to play with the forks until it all came free. Then tightened the end caps THEN the axle nut.

Anyway, I see where you just took off the front tire a put it back on.

Thanks to Bolder Biker for that lesson. (THanks again Simon )

[Macmatic]

Speaking of brakes....

Has anyone run ATE Super Blue or ATE Typ 200 brake fluid? Those are what I use in my cars but the manual says something about the lord calling me home if I use anything but Suzuki OE brake fluid.

I like the Super BLue because it comes in both blue and a goldish color... this comes in handy when flushing the system....swtich colors and you know when you've got new fluid all the way to the calipers.

Mac