2 brake questions

[hightower]

Getting ready for mot tomorrow and couple of stupid questions if you will all entertain me for a bit.

1) changed rear pads. Discs spot on but pads shot. Also ordered piston seals but didn't realise I didn't have much brake cleaner left, and with mot tomorrow I didn't want to do that job yet. I had enough brake cleaner left to clean up pistons before inserting new pads though. Anyhow, went for spin to test and rear brake is superb. However, the wheel isn't spinning as freely as I might expect when the rear brake isn't applied. It feels fine to ride but on stand spinning it by hand it slows quite quickly. Question: is this OK, not an mot fail, and OK to ride until I get a chance to redo seals and give complete clean?

2) completely redid front brakes about 3 months ago, seals and everything. No problems since, except for last week been getting a small amount of quiet squeel at very low speeds. Took one of the calipers off for a look and piston has small amount of rust (light) as well as edge of pad. Other than that brakes are fine. I'm gonna clean these when new brake cleaner arrives. Question: is this mot fail or is it perfectly acceptable?

Thanks

[unfazed]

The pads have not bedded into the disc properly yet.
Even though the disc looks OK there will be a certain amount of wear which will require bedding in for new pads.
Neither should cause an MOT failure

[hightower]

Thanks pal, thought so - just needed a bit peace of mind

[hightower]

On ride in this morning (~4 miles) I decided not to use the back brake to see, just the fronts.


On arrival at work the front brakes (which had been used, not much, just a normal amount) - the discs were warmish to the touch.


The back brake which hadn't been used at all - the disc was hot to the touch, I could touch it but not hold my hand on it for more than half a second.


Is this normal bedding in, or do I have a problem? The back brake does work fine for stopping though.

[ogri48]

I'd say that was too much for normal. When you had the pads out did you pump the pistons out til they were almost completely out and scotchbrite them nice and shiny alround before easing them back in mate? They are hanging on a bit too much by the sound of it. Unlikely the mot guy will pick up onnit in the interim unless it's physically difficult to push around

[Frosties]

Too hot to "touch n hold" is a bit too much contact for my liking.


You've probably already planned it out that a caliper overhaul with the new seals you have will pretty much sort the issue.


Good luck fella.

[hightower]

Cheers guys. I'm off to a rally tonight for the weekend so didn't want to do the overhaul beforehand in case something went wrong and I was left without a bike.


Brake cleaner on order, I will do the overhaul first thing Monday.


I did try and clean up the pistons with a toothbrush - I got a lot of crud off, but then ran out of brake cleaner. I would say they were a lot cleaner than before but that they didn't look like they'd been cleaned once in their life so will plan the overhaul.


The rally is only 6 miles away which means I will only be doing about 25 miles (over 4 days) before I get chance to sort them, so hopefully the bike will be alright.

[Buzz]

Might be best to totally remove the caliper if you're going to do the seals anyway in a few days?  Better riding 25 miles without a rear brake than a warped disc, plus then you won't be always worrying about the disc overheating when you're riding.

[hightower]

I've just had a thought actually! The reservoir was quite full with the old worn out pads - it will be even fuller now with new pads. If that is too full will it cause this sort of thing or is there no such thing as too full?

[JoeRock]

I've just had a thought actually! The reservoir was quite full with the old worn out pads - it will be even fuller now with new pads. If that is too full will it cause this sort of thing or is there no such thing as too full?

Yes, probably worth to get that checkded out! With new pads you want the fluid to be on the "max" line

[hightower]

Not sure I have a max line that I saw, but will go get one of those suction thingies from science department and suck a load out.

[Dave48]

All you need is a plastic pipette or disposable syringe & length of poly tubing. There is a max mark on rear  reservoir.

[Frosties]

Not sure I have a max line that I saw, but will go get one of those suction thingies from science department and suck a load out.

Failing that fella, just a straw will do. Dip it in, finger over the top to hold it in and voila! School science 

[hightower]

I got a dippa, it's ok - to the batmobile! (Getting the dippa was easier than it would have been to get a straw!) - UNRELATED: Yesterday a plastic lug snapped in my indicators when I replaced a bulb. Went to DT department, can you help? Cool, thanks, how will you cut it to shape/size, with a hacksaw? Response: "What do you think. We're a technology college. To the Bat-Laser Cutter!"


And if someone wants to tell me what their real name is, it's killing me. Petit something I think.