Guest Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Hi guys, got a quick question about the front brakes on my 81GSX1100.They work fine, but after a while(say, 20-30 mins of riding), they tend to stay on. If I loosen the bleed valve and bleed the brakes a little, then they come good again. Any ideas whether this will be the calipers or something further back in the system? Any help is muchly appreciated!*Mods - if there is a tech section and I missed it, please move this there. Thanks, Waity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houdini Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 There is a Pitstop section but Im sure they'll forgive you.I was going to put replace with Hel or goodridge hoses as I was expecting you to put they faded, but sounds to me like they bind. Discs in good nick?For the money Id replace the pads, overhaul the calipers and put new fluid in, depends on budget but may even treat em to new lines as well. Your bike is lets see 27 years old yup? So sooner or later to keep things sweet your gonna need to spend a few quid.So after all that going on lol, the pistons, push rod thingies (you can tell Im a mechanic at heart) are seizing possibly be build up of crud, time for some tlc before the season kicks off, watcha reckon?Am I good or what?okay fair enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest akey Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 ^^^ agree with that, so in price order here we go:Take the calipers off (no need to disconect them) take pads out and use brake cleaner (wynns and muck off brake cleaner are both available from halfords) and give the things a real good clean. Spray the caliper with either wd40 or muc-off bike spray before you put the pads back in. Then put the pads back in with copper slip on the rear of the pads. Refit calipers and then go out and test them.This should cost less than £10.If this doesnt work then your calipers need a strip and service, you can do it yourself but you really need an airline to pop the pistons out. you will also need a new set of seals to do this job which can be anything from £20 - £80. Last time I needed this doing I got a local garage to do it for me, its usually about an hours labour if you take the calipers off and take them in. Then is just refit and bleed.Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicane Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 If you ride all year round this happens round about now the pistons get sticky or summat, mine have just been stripped and freed off. Seems to affect the front mostly so I just book the bike in for a spring service and post winter overhaul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 WOW!Thanks for all of the quick replies!This is my first bike and today is the first day I have really ridden it. Don't know much about them and really don't know much about this one. Keen to learn though. Have spent many years working on cars, just thought I'd try my hand at bikes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hodgy Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 If the brake lever is going hard with no free play in it when the brakes stay on, then its the master cylinder that needs rebuilding, if the lever still has movement, then its the callipers that need rebuilding, or at least the pistons cleaning up.Hope you get it sortedIan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Aye ... strip and rebuild time me thinks You could, if you feel like it, also see what (if any) later calipers might fit..You might be able to get a bit more power then ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 ^^^ agree with that, so in price order here we go:Take the calipers off (no need to disconect them) take pads out and use brake cleaner (wynns and muck off brake cleaner are both available from halfords) and give the things a real good clean. Spray the caliper with either wd40 or muc-off bike spray before you put the pads back in. Then put the pads back in with copper slip on the rear of the pads. Refit calipers and then go out and test them.This should cost less than £10.If this doesnt work then your calipers need a strip and service, you can do it yourself but you really need an airline to pop the pistons out. you will also need a new set of seals to do this job which can be anything from £20 - £80. Last time I needed this doing I got a local garage to do it for me, its usually about an hours labour if you take the calipers off and take them in. Then is just refit and bleed.Hope this helps apart from the WD40 bit as it can perish rubber use GT85 Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 The simplist thing to check first is that someone hasn't overfilled the fluid reservoir. Brake fluid expands as it gets warm and if the reservoir is overfull it has nowhrere to go and ends up holding the brakes on. Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 The simplist thing to check first is that someone hasn't overfilled the fluid reservoir. Brake fluid expands as it gets warm and if the reservoir is overfull it has nowhrere to go and ends up holding the brakes on. Chris. Okay Chris, you're new so I'll let you off - this time. The system we run on this forum is this; everyone gives a little suggestion, every one of which sounds plausible but costs money and is time consuming. Only when they have been given the runaround for long enough do we come up cheap, sensible suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Oops! I'll remember that for next time. chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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