Smell of burning rubber

[Jag]

Crud builds up around the piston and won't let it return all the way, sometimes. A lot of brake clean and a tooth brush can clean her up and might solve your problem?

 

[Bladerunner13]

Well since I don't have the tools to do either job right now I'm going to drop it at the shop and see if I can't get them to at least do the piston part, supposedly only a ten minute job so ............hoping. After that I'll do what I have to make it right.

If you are just pushing them back into the calipers, no, you won't need to bleed them.

If it verified you have a sticky piston, then yes, to rebuild it you'll have to remove the caliper, remove the brake lines, remove the piston, wash it out and clean it. Then rebuild with new seals, and re-install, bleed brakes.

e

 

[Bladerunner13]

That's a great thought, plenty of brakleen I have so it's worth a try tomorrow.

Crud builds up around the piston and won't let it return all the way, sometimes. A lot of brake clean and a tooth brush can clean her up and might solve your problem?

 

[Bladerunner13]

I thought of that, especially with the highway pegs but I'm satisfied it's not that. Thanks for the thought though

Have you set the brake pedal height to suit yourself? this is also very easy to do.

It may be that with boots on you are slightly applying/dragging the brake and don't know/feel it. From factory they are set to a "normal" position but no ones the same. Nearly melted mine this way when I first got the bike many years back.

Also if it is burning rubber not brakes, sure its just not wheel-spin?

h

 

[Bladerunner13]

While you are correct that these actions could be taken, wouldn't it be unusual for a 4-yo bike to have a sticky caliper ?

Could be right? The liberal brakleening spray may correct this? Going to try it anyways, can't hurt. I figure as long as I don't go to far and over the rotor I should be okay to test ride it after trying to clean it.

 

[Claviger]

I agree it's abnormal but in my 2 years and 5,000 miles I have had:

A ****ed transmission
Bad Injectors
A bad TPS
A burst water pump output hose.

So, yeah, I wouldn't rule it out.

The fact it's the rear surprises me though, Brembo made parts shouldn't have errors.

 

[Fingers]

Should be able to pull on the caliper and feel the movem3nt of the piston going back in.just remember to pump the brake pedal to get your brakes back

 

[barbagris]

While you are correct that these actions could be taken, wouldn't it be unusual for a 4-yo bike to have a sticky caliper ?

That depends on SO MANY things.

But if the calliper is like the Standard Rear - then it's has a fixed pad and a pistons pad - with a cross slide system to centre the disc.
Cross-Slide callipers are NOTORIOUS for the slides to corrode or otherwise gum up. Normally you can fix this without having to remove pistons, or hoses.

Damp/salt etc can knacker a slide in a year. There are parts of bikes best rinsed off with distilled water - this is one of them.

 

[mr hunt]

Crud builds up around the piston and won't let it return all the way, sometimes. A lot of brake clean and a tooth brush can clean her up and might solve your problem?

+1

Just had to do this to my fronts

 

[Bladerunner13]

Should be able to pull on the caliper and feel the movem3nt of the piston going back in.just remember to pump the brake pedal to get your brakes back

So today I found out there are no bike mechanics in the little town where I'm working and living now so I guess I'll do this myself. Question though, the manual I have says to remove the wheel spindle nut and torque reaction bolt to get the caliper off, amongst other things like the retaining pin. Is this the only way?
I don't have a torque wrench nor a bike stand so my other question is: how much damage am I going to do taking the bike three hours to the nearest mechanic? Today I took it for a 20 km run, hit the back brakes hard and then felt the rotor, nearly burned my fingers off. Tapped the caliper lightly with a hammer and freed everything up no problem. So what's going on? The manual also says you can't rebuild the caliper and that you must replace it. Maybe I'm best off just ordering new parts and trailering it to the shop in Saskatoon but **** it all, I'm missing valuable riding time here! lol. Winter is coming early !