BREAKING

Feature Bikes

Braking News!

Spring Tech Tips

Article By: Daniel Donley – Pandemonium Custom Choppers – www.pandemoniumc2.com

Originally Published In The May 2012 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine

CSM-MAY2012-P18_Page_1_Image_0001

After years and miles of use, your brakes could be providing you with lackluster performance and you don’t even realize it. Do your brakes provide smooth progressive braking or do they work like a switch – all or none? This doesn’t mean that they are bad or worn out, your calipers just need serviced. There are sealing o-rings in your calipers that just need cleaned and lubed. By doing this service, it will increase your braking performance drastically. I have found that a lot of mid to late model Harleys are in need of caliper servicing.

CSM-MAY2012-P18_Page_1_Image_0002

The way to tell if your bike is in need

CSM-MAY2012-P18_Page_1_Image_0003

of this is to just squeeze the brake handle. If it touches or comes close to the throttle grip, your calipers need serviced.

CSM-MAY2012-P18_Page_1_Image_0004

What you’re going to need to do this job is some brake clean and some sort of lube like Tool Box Buddy or WD-40 and a pry bar.

CSM-MAY2012-P18_Page_1_Image_0005

Remove your calipers from the bike and pump the brake handle. As you can see, just two of the four pistons in the caliper are actually working okay. The other two are sticking.

CSM-MAY2012-P18_Page_1_Image_0006

Now what you need to do is clean the caliper pistons, spray some brake clean on them and blow dry with compressed air. You might need to do this a few times depending on how dirty your calipers are.

CSM-MAY2012-P19_Page_1_Image_0003

Now that your caliper pistons are clean, spray some lube on them. Then take your pry bar and insert it in between your brake pads and pry the pistons back into their bores. Now pump your brake handle and take notice of how the pistons come out of the caliper. What you are after is that all of the pistons all come out equally and at the same time. You’re going to have to do this a few times to get them to come out smoothly.

CSM-MAY2012-P19_Page_1_Image_0004

This is what you’re after: all pistons equally extended. This should take five to ten pumps of the brake handle.

CSM-MAY2012-P19_Page_1_Image_0005

Reinstall your brake and torque the caliper bolts to spec., normally 35 ft. lbs.

CSM-MAY2012-P19_Page_1_Image_0006

Pump your brake handle till you have a nice solid feel. Notice how far away the handle is from the throttle grip. This is how your brake handle should look and feel. Now you’re ready to take your bike for a test ride. Be careful and give yourself enough time to adjust to the newly serviced brakes.

CSM-MAY2012-P19_Page_1_Image_0007

This tip can be applied to anything that has brake calipers, even your old shop truck.

Related Posts

1 of 54