April 29th, 2014, 03:55 PM | #1 |
The Luck Dragon
Name: William
Location: Stuart, FL
Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja ZX-6R B/W Posts: 738
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Please Help! I'm an idiot without front brakes!
Sooooooo, hi guys .
Usually I never have problems replacing my pads but for some reason on this day, everything just went down hill. I take the caliper off, take the pads out, push the pistons back, put new pads in and try to mount it. Hmm pistons aren't pushed back far enough, so I try pushing them further, no dice no matter how hard I try and even if I get them both all the way in at the same time they both pushed back out. Soooo I had this brilliant idea of pulling the front brake lever to get the pistons all the way back out, except only one piston would come out all the way and the other was stuck at about 50%. Now, here is where my IQ jumps through the roof into the Genius level. I thought to myself, maybe if I just keep pulling the lever the other one will come out further. Plop! The freaking piston that was out all the way falls out of the caliper and I quickly move the caliper away from everything and luckily the brake fluid only got on things that it won't damage. So now I'm at the point where I got the piston back in and was able to push them both all the way in since the liquid had now released itself into the wild. I got the pads on and put the caliper back on the rotor and bolted it in. Now the problem is since the brake fluid came out My brake lever no longer does anything aside from flop around, yay.... Which obviously is intentional when the fluid leaves the system. So I put more brake fluid in and tried doing a ghetto brake bleed to get the front brakes to function at least a little, no dice. That thing is still flopping around like it drank way too much Whiskey. Help |
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April 29th, 2014, 04:17 PM | #2 | |
Daily Ninjette rider
Name: Hernan
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot.
MOTY - 2016, MOTM - Dec '12, Jan '14, Jan '15, May '16
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Quote:
Your problem is pulling all the air out while keeping the system full of fluid.
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Motofool .................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí |
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April 29th, 2014, 04:34 PM | #3 |
Ninjette Jockey
Name: Tim
Location: Stockton, Ca
Join Date: Oct 2010 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250R, Harley Davidson Heritage Softail, 2 Honda Monkeys, Polini & GRC mini GP Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 3
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Some of the air that gets trapped is often at the top of the brake line. Loosen the banjo bolt where the brake line connects to the master cylinder. Use it like another bleeder; pump, hold, loosen bolt, snug it down, release lever, repeat. I just did this when changing brake lines recently.
Be sure to cover anything that may get brake fluid on it. Use DOT-4 only.
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For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?. |
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April 29th, 2014, 05:23 PM | #4 |
The Luck Dragon
Name: William
Location: Stuart, FL
Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja ZX-6R B/W Posts: 738
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I ran over to my father's to get a 8mm wrench so I can easily do the bleed instead of using the 5/16th ratchet I had which wasn't cutting it.
Bled it real nice and good and made sure I still had a good amount of brake fluid up top and everything seems to be working perfectly now. There was a lottttt of air in there. Ha, well at least it makes for a good story . |
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April 29th, 2014, 05:36 PM | #5 |
wat
Name: wat
Location: tustin/long beach
Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much.
Blog Entries: 5
MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14
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lets not leave out the most important detail that started all of this...
your disgusting stuck piston. you need to do something about that.
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April 29th, 2014, 05:37 PM | #6 |
The Luck Dragon
Name: William
Location: Stuart, FL
Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja ZX-6R B/W Posts: 738
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Yeah this weekend i'll probably sit down and take the caliper back off and clean everything.
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April 29th, 2014, 05:54 PM | #7 |
wat
Name: wat
Location: tustin/long beach
Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much.
Blog Entries: 5
MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14
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maybe it's just me, but i would not even bother installing a caliper with a stuck piston. and riding it with a stuck piston is asking to melt your caliper and scorch your rotor
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1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
April 29th, 2014, 05:58 PM | #8 |
The Luck Dragon
Name: William
Location: Stuart, FL
Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja ZX-6R B/W Posts: 738
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Oh it's not completely stuck.
I've had a stuck piston in the rear before when I got the bike. It just doesn't come out all the way, it will come out enough for the little travel distance it needs now with the new pads so i'll be fine for a few days. |
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April 29th, 2014, 06:46 PM | #9 |
The Luck Dragon
Name: William
Location: Stuart, FL
Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja ZX-6R B/W Posts: 738
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So I rode it around the msf course the next block over and the brakes work fine, the only problem I'm having is backing the bike up. Seems like it goes a little bit and then the brakes are just grabbing onto the rotor.
So that piston s definitely seizing on me it seems. From what I can tell i'll be fine to ride it but backing up is going to be a pain. I don't have the time tonight or the 8mm wrench anymore incase I need it to do anything tonight so I'll probably take it back off tomorrow. |
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April 29th, 2014, 07:08 PM | #10 | |
Fast-Guy wannabe
Name: Jason
Location: Brentwood, Ca
Join Date: Oct 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja250, 2011 RM-Z250, 2004 NSR50, Posts: A lot.
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April 29th, 2014, 07:11 PM | #11 |
Fast-Guy wannabe
Name: Jason
Location: Brentwood, Ca
Join Date: Oct 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja250, 2011 RM-Z250, 2004 NSR50, Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Jan '13
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April 29th, 2014, 07:18 PM | #12 |
The Luck Dragon
Name: William
Location: Stuart, FL
Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja ZX-6R B/W Posts: 738
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April 29th, 2014, 07:50 PM | #13 | |
wat
Name: wat
Location: tustin/long beach
Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much.
Blog Entries: 5
MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14
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Quote:
riding on this thing is asking for front brake failure. do you know what front brake failure means? often times it means you crash. either the front wheel locks up, or it simply stops working and you smack into a car or a pole or something. or the caliper just melts. look up photos of melted calipers from stuck pistons. be smart.
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1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
May 1st, 2014, 07:35 AM | #14 |
The Luck Dragon
Name: William
Location: Stuart, FL
Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 Ninja ZX-6R B/W Posts: 738
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Just to update everyone I did a thorough cleaning and lube job on the front caliper last night and it works beautifully now.
I often forget how much wear and tear my bike gets with 24k miles and being outside the majority of it's life. |
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May 1st, 2014, 07:36 AM | #15 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much.
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