soft rear brake...

[Guest]

The bike is coming along. Runs well now after a couple of test spins so I think the motor is sound. Question now about the rear brake. Brakes are 2 years old from new. Brakes were great last year and until I had oil-over-flow/blow problem with oil/fluid coming back out thru the air box....thats fixed...
(Now I know what happens when you have TOO much oil in the bike!!!! )

But I suspect some of the blown out oil on the right side of the bike may have hit my brake which is also on the right. I've 'degreased' the brake rotor but rear brake is still soft. (Can't lock it up on pavement, can lock it up on dirt.) If oil got on the pad is it trashed now and must be replaced? Can it be 'cleaned' while on the bike?

Funny how one thing leads to another.....

Thanks!

[salty_monk]

The only way you clean it is to take it out, get some alcohol, cover it in it & set it on fire, this will burn the oil off.

To be honest it's an old trick used mainly on old cars when parts aren't in easy supply. They are never as good as new ones.

If I was you I would just stick new ones in, they're only 20 bucks. Make sure the adjustment is right, piston isn't sticking & that you don't have air in the lines too.

Dan

[jbs80106]

Thanks Dan!

I'll have to read my manual a bit more...maybe call down to the dealer to see what it might cost to have them do it, esp if I have to take the rear tire off to do it...should be just like brake shoes on a car, right? Easy peasy....

[salty_monk]

On my bike it takes about 10mins if that. No need to remove wheel caliper or anything.
Flick the dustcover off, pull out the pins & the rattle clip & yank them out, push the piston back a bit with some wood & drop the new ones in.

Simple.

Dan

[Gene]

A 20 minute soak in clean lacquer thinner is cheap and removes a lot of oil. A longer time might be better. Carb spray is too oily.