Front Brake is sticking...Help!

[skilletmo]

So this has been happening for a while now, i think it has been since i replaced my brake lines to the Apex ss lines. I replaced both back and front lines and the rear works perfectly. Im sure I bled the back correctly as well as the front but if this is a bleeding problem let me know so I can re-do the front line!

The problem is the front, everytime I pull on I more than 50% it starts to stick and the front brake lock up and I cant move until I pull the front brake lever back normally and not moving (complete stop). So basically i've been braking very lightly with my front brake and more with my rear because of the fear of it locking up while im riding.

This is dangerous and I need a solution asap! Especially since I hate using my rear brake because my rotor is in a lot worse shape than my front one and only really use it if i have to! And of course the obvious reason that front is just plainly better haha.

[csmith12]

Sounds like you basically need to reseat your pads an caliper.

Take the front brake caliper and pads off. Ensure everything is clean, clear and the seals are in good working condition. Gunk can cause this kinda stuff. Next, push the piston all the way in to ensure there is no binding with the piston. Reinstall everything and be sure to pump them up before trying to ride it.

Hopefully it's that simple.

[csmith12]

Not that I think it's the problem but check your rotor for straightness while your in the area and looking.

[skilletmo]

I think since im going to be there ill just replace the pads then... I replaced my rear pads and the 2 (rear and front) lines but not the front pads. Ill do that and let you know!

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by skilletmo

I think since im going to be there ill just replace the pads then... I replaced my rear pads and the 2 (rear and front) lines but not the front pads. Ill do that and let you know!

That sounds to me like the spring effect of water vapor.
However, that is only possible if the fluid contains a lot of humidity, and you just replaced the lines and fluid (from a new sealed container, I assume).
If such is your case, the heat of braking boils that water and the vapor increases the volume in the line by much, pushing the pistons out.

[skilletmo]

Originally Posted by Motofool

That sounds to me like the spring effect of water vapor.
However, that is only possible if the fluid contains a lot of humidity, and you just replaced the lines and fluid (from a new sealed container, I assume).
If such is your case, the heat of braking boils that water and the vapor increases the volume in the line by much, pushing the pistons out.

I replaced the fluid from a new container that was sealed, yes. But if what you're saying is the case does that mean i might have to change the fluid again?

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by skilletmo

I replaced the fluid from a new container that was sealed, yes. But if what you're saying is the case does that mean i might have to change the fluid again?

Nope; if the fluid was new and dry, then the problem is not steam.
Do as Chris has suggested above: clean pistons and seals make a happy brake.

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_..._brake_pads%3F

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Brake_caliper_rebuild

[simook]

This happened to me on the track with a GSXR 750 after replacing my stock brake lines with SS, except my front brakes locked up completely in the middle of a pack

After investigating it turned out to be a manufacture defect with an aftermarket brake lever that I installed along with the ss lines. Scary stuff...

[ekonkjack]

Did you replace the brake lever? If so the new one might not be letting the master cylinder back out all the way. There is a small hole that lets expanding fluid return to the reservoir. With use or even just normal "kissing", the pads heat the caliper and the fluid expands. If the return hole is blocked by either dirt or the master cylinder piston, because it hasn't returned all the way, the fluid will increasingly push on the caliper pistons.

[skilletmo]

I know this is pretty late, but i have been ignoring the issue by not braking super hard and ive been getting by. I recently got a lot of free time and took care of a lot of things that ive been needing to do. One of the things was the front brake problem i had in this thread. The brake lines i got from Apex went bad pretty quick and i spoke to Raymond and said that is does not often happen and he's heard about 3 cases in which my brake lines situation was in. Which if you could see by the pictures, they were tearing somehow, and in one part of the line it actually cut pretty deep. Well when i found out all that is happening i said i might as well take care of this now, since its also sticking (before the cutting in the lines). So i went ahead and contacted Raymond with apex and he gave me both lines for 20$ because of this unusual occurrence and said i should get a clear or black color. I got the wrong colors ( he gave me clear instead of black)... but it was all good. I mean they don't look too bad. I also went ahead and did the front and rear brakes and cleaned the calipers pretty good like y'all suggested along with aligning them perfectly. I bled it like crazy, and now its all perfect with no sticking. It was either that i needed to clean the caliper and get new pads or the lines i got were defective, because i did not have that problem with the previous lines, and i know i bled them correctly. So whatever it was, either the lines or new pads and cleaning calipers, its all done now!

Ill post pics with them on later! Im doing other things to my bike and have already done a pretty big project on the rear part! Check out my project build for updates!

[csmith12]

Either way, glad you got it sorted. Being safe trumps a smoking gun.

[skilletmo]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Either way, glad you got it sorted. Being safe trumps a smoking gun.

Ya man! Thanks! I just edited it and posted pics, im also about to post pics on my other threads on what i did to the bike, ill have em uploaded on the other threads in a bit! You should check it out!

[csmith12]

WTF!!!!!

[skilletmo]

Originally Posted by csmith12

WTF!!!!!

Ya but that was after the problem that i was having. All this tearing in the rear and front happened within the last month. He said this doesn't usually happen and it might be exposed to major heat. I explained i ride it for fun, not as a commuter and its only kept in the shade. So he said it was probably a defective item and recommended black or clear. In which i chose black, but he wrongly gave me clear. Its not a problem though, as long as i got them and they're all working now... lol

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by skilletmo

Ya but that was after the problem that i was having. All this tearing in the rear and front happened within the last month......... Its not a problem though, as long as i got them and they're all working now... lol

The external cover is just to protect your bike from the erosion caused by the stainless still mesh.

The important thing to find out is what was rubbing against the hose, which was able to eat the SS mesh in the way your third picture shows.

Otherwise, you will end up with the same dangerous situation pretty soon again.

[choneofakind]

Don't know if it's been suggested yet, but have you tried pulling the caliper apart and cleaning out the pins that allow the caliper to 'float'? Those get gunned up nicely after a while and when they're unable to slide freely, the caliper stops floating and starts dragging.

[skilletmo]

Originally Posted by Motofool

The external cover is just to protect your bike from the erosion caused by the stainless still mesh.

The important thing to find out is what was rubbing against the hose, which was able to eat the SS mesh in the way your third picture shows.

Otherwise, you will end up with the same dangerous situation pretty soon again.

Yes i dont know what was, i mean it was the front line that was torn along the fork. So it could have been it rubbing against it when the forks go up and down. But i had it through the loop where it is supposed to run through. It may have gotten out of it or something but im sure it wont happen again. Im inspecting it almost every ride, and by inspecting it i mean just glancing at it while i get on making sure there's no sign of tear. But i checked and there is just no way it could cut that bad the way it is running through the fork into the loop.

But im just happy all is good now!

[skilletmo]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Don't know if it's been suggested yet, but have you tried pulling the caliper apart and cleaning out the pins that allow the caliper to 'float'? Those get gunned up nicely after a while and when they're unable to slide freely, the caliper stops floating and starts dragging.

Well the problem is fixed now so its all good! It was one of the thing i suggested to do in my previous post that made it work! Either the line was defective or cleaning and replacing the pads did the trick!

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by skilletmo

.........But im just happy all is good now!

[skilletmo]

Here are the pics of the new lines as promised!