Binding front brakes

[Arbie]

Hi there. The front brakes on my foxy have just started binding slightly....not badly mind but the disc gets slightly warm to the touch even when ive tested it by riding for a few miles only using the rear. I've done the obvious of thoroughly cleaning the pistons and they all move freely using finger pressure which is why this is a headscratcher. I wouldn't have thought the seals would need replacing as the bike has only covered 20k. Any light shone in my general direction would be much appreciated. Thanks

[mickvp]

The bike may only have 20k on it...but the rubber the seals is made from will be a minimum of ten years old. I would consider a rebuild

[fazersharp]

How does it look when you spin the wheel by hand (get somone to lean on the back)

[Dave48]

Cheaper to overhaul the calipers-new seals & good clean up than have to replace warped discs!

[His Dudeness]

If the pistons are moving freely the seals in the calipers must be ok. Did you replace the pads recently or top up the brake fluid? Is the reservoir over filled?

[fazersharp]

I only say because the other week on here somone was saying that the pads touched and the7 could hear a "shhhhh" noise when spinning the wheel which was all normal, as they do touch slightly all the time so even that would get some heat in the disk would it not?

[His Dudeness]

It would generate heat but not much if you're not using the brakes. The master cylinder is responsible for returning the pads isn't it? Maybe that needs some attention.

[Punkstig]

the disc gets slightly warm to the touch even when ive tested it by riding for a few miles only using the rear.

Slightly warm would be completely normal as the pads are constantly in contact with the discs, therefore this friction resistance will create the heat.

[Hiswitsend]

You've not fitted after market levers recently, no?

[tony22]

Are the front wheel bearings ok? Do you have sintered pads?

[HaVoC]

Mine were binding recently, I took the calipers apart and the pots were covered in crap which I buffed down with a wide brush, but the main cause was loads of crystallised salt on the side of the pads themselves which didn't allow the pads to freely return with the pots. So much better now, I'm actually able to push the bike around easily... :-P

[Arbie]

Thanks for all the advice guys. It seems to be ok now. I took the shims off the back of the pads and gave the edges a clean like havoc mentioned and now it seems to be fine so maybe there was a bit too much fluid in there. I'll take a bit out when I come to fit new pads next time. I have sintered pads and an aftermarket lever fitted btw and the wheel bearings are fine.

[fazersharp]

You've not fitted after market levers recently, no?

So when fitting aftermarket ones should we be filing off a little bit of it first as it seems like a part of it is too big and is already putting pressure in the system when not in use

[Hiswitsend]

Not all the time, but they're have been issues where the poor for of the lever has many that there was some pressure on the brake which blocked the small return hole on the piston which stops the fluid returning to the reservoir. The upshot of this is that when the fluid heats up it expands, it has nowhere to go other than push the pistons out, which adds more heat, which pushes the pistons out and so on, up to the point where one of two people have crashed with the front brake seizing on.

When I fitted them on an ER6 I had I made sure that, once fitted, that I could easily push the pistons back into the caliper.