Brake issues

[Fazer to stun]

Just wondered if anyone else had experienced this.


The brakes on my Fazer600 have never felt great.  The lever always needed a good tug to stop the bike, and the brakes generally lack any feel, although they stop the bike ok, and if the lever is pulled to bar, I can lock the front wheel. The lever also doesn't have a smooth action, with a slight "judder"in the middle of the range.


I've had the callipers off and cleaned the pistons and renewed the fluid. The brakes took an age to bleed.


Master cylinder maybe?

[Fazer to stun]

Sorry, forgot to mention, I also fitted goodridge braided hoses, which didn't make the difference I thought it should.

[darrsi]

I had 'judder' issues for ages, virtually replaced the front end of the bike!
Turned out to be a dodgy braided brake line, replaced them with new one's and it sorted it out.
If i hadn't experienced it before i still wouldn't have guessed that as being the problem, it was a friend who suggested it!
Saying that, there was nothing else to try!

[darrsi]

Ha ha, scrub that then! 

[Fazer to stun]

Thanks. Was the judder from the front end under braking? The judder I was talking about is in the action of the lever. I doesn't can back to the bar smoothly, but feels a .. I dunno, sticky.

[stevierst]

If you've done the calipers and brake lines, I'd put a bet on the master cylinder.

[packie]

A lot of folks including yourself are focusing on one aspect of the braking which from the caliper, pads right up to the hoses, fluid and master cylinder. But what about the other major player in your brakes....the discs themselves?? What shape are your brake discs in? Get your hands on a Micrometer and check to see if your discs are they under the wear limit? Are the rivets loose and can the disc move slightly when you give them a tug?

[darrsi]

Judder in the lever normally aims at a warped disc.
If a disc is slightly warped as you travel it will spread the brake pads further apart than normal so when you do go to brake the first pull of the lever can feel unresponsive or spongy, so you have to pump the lever again.
Then when it does grab the pulsing or juddering that you feel will be the uneven disc moving about.
If it is a warped disc then you must also address why it has happened, it could be a seized pot in the caliper which means the pads may be pushing on to the disc from one side only causing it bend?

[Fazer to stun]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. The judder I am feeling is not while the bike is moving. The judder is in the lever action itself, operating the brake while stationary.


I'm still suspicious of the master cylinder.

[darrsi]

We're getting there.........slowly 


Brake levers wear out where they pivot.
You can start by taking it off and making sure it's all clean and then grease it up, or just get a new one, they're very cheap.
If that doesn't sort it, bleed the brakes again.

[unfazed]

Before you start replacing anything try spraying the area where the lever pushes/touches the master cylinder piston with WD40 including the rubber boot around the master cylinder piston. If that solves the problem then remove the lever and grease the pivot and the point where the lever pushes the piston of the master cylinder.
 
 
 

[Fazer to stun]

Thanks guys.


Ill try that tomorrow and let you know how I get on.

[alexanderfitu]

another +1 for master cylinder, lots of rubber parts that deteriorate in there.

I bought a 1991 XJ600 that had a very similar lever feel, very notchy and juddery and no feel at all. I rebuild the master cylinder with a rebuild kit and changed all calliper seals and all is well  

[packie]

Before you start replacing anything try spraying the area where the lever pushes/touches the master cylinder piston with WD40 including the rubber boot around the master cylinder piston. If that solves the problem then remove the lever and grease the pivot and the point where the lever pushes the piston of the master cylinder.

I didn't know your "judder" was on the brake lever while stationary, so that rules out my Disc suggestion. But on the plus side, I had your problem a month ago and sorted it the way "unfazed" suggested above with WD40 up into the master cylinder piston where the lever comes in contact.

[Fazer to stun]

All,


Sorted. Spot on. I sprayed some WD40 in to the brake lever pivot, and am now judder free. Did as unfazed suggested, and dismantled and copper greased, just to do the job properly.


I pride myself in being fairly mechanical, but I was all set to spend £50 on a master cylinder repair kit there.


Thanks all.

[darrsi]

That was a nice easy one.


If you spray WD40 or brake cleaner in the rear brake lever pivot and then oil/grease on a regular basis you'll notice a big improvement as well, as it tends to clog up quite easily and make the rear brake feel spongy. 

[spoonlamp]

Yummmmm....spong....

[Fazer to stun]

Great tip on the rear brake darrsi. Feels miles better. 




Thanks

[unfazed]

Glad to hear all is ok again and a very cheap easy fix.    Sometimes we forget the simple things like the smaller pivots and where they touch.