NO stoppy like it use to!

RADAMS445

RADICAL
I recently changed fluid on the front brake reservoir and used dot 3. Then after researching, pulled the whole front resv. and caliper and line apart and flushed, dried, and refilled with dot 5 syn. Everything looked brand new, Buttt...now the brake doesn't have the same stopping power as before.
Question: The brake use to have a nice humming sound when it stopped. This is gone. I cleaned everything with brake clean, the system bled perfectly, and I have a great lever at the bar. The pads are original. could they have shit the bed but still have lining?? Huh.. rotors had a little black residue but otherwise look fine. Also seals in resv. and caliper were soft and pistons are like new...
 

standuprick

Active Member
If you got oil on the brake pads they are toast. Once oil is in the pads they just wont stop the same ever again. Snce you pulled the caliper apart I bet you left the pads in it and some oil soaked into the pads. That would be my first guess.
 

Panhead Bill

New Member
Won't stop like it used to

If you did get some fluid on those pads clean them real good with some brakeclean and skuff them up with a lite sand paper to take the glaze off them and they should be fine
 

erldawg

Guru
Yo RJ.:hi::hi:..If your have a good stiff lever at the master I'd clean the pads up like Bill suggested. I'd break clean the rotor as well....

Is Performance having bike nights this year?
 

RADAMS445

RADICAL
I did the obvious cleaning everything with brake clean fluid. Another wrench told me today that dot 3 will effect the seals, and even if they look O.K. replace them anyway...
That seems a little excessive to me but maybe. Anybody know what size the resv.seal kit is?
 

RADAMS445

RADICAL
If you got oil on the brake pads they are toast. Once oil is in the pads they just wont stop the same ever again. Snce you pulled the caliper apart I bet you left the pads in it and some oil soaked into the pads. That would be my first guess.
Nope, strangely enough I took the pads out be for the disassembly and flush. Still I think the pads are toast
 

erldawg

Guru
I did the obvious cleaning everything with brake clean fluid. Another wrench told me today that dot 3 will effect the seals, and even if they look O.K. replace them anyway...
That seems a little excessive to me but maybe. Anybody know what size the resv.seal kit is?
There was just another thread here a few weeks back on rebuilding the master and seal kits...Bikers dream...I would bet that if you took it apart HD might have one.

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/help-wanted/37293-leaking-master-cylinder.html#post488759
 
Last edited:

07bigdog

07BIGDOG
Install new pads and it should be good. I've got Dot 5 and my crush seal on the caliper leaked a drop on to the pads. Tried cleaning but to no avail. Had to replace pads.
 
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