Front brakes dragging...

My front brake lever got real hard today. I just barely have to press it and the brakes engage. I also noticed while riding that they were dragging and bogging down the engine. Bogging to the point that I would have to downshift to keep speed. I pulled over and was able to get them to release. Kept going to work and just made sure to only use the rear brake.

My question is what is usually the cause of this? Can I get by just changing my old crusty brake fluid? Do the calipers need rebuilding? I know I need pads, but I don't think that would cause it. We have also had very hot humid weather for the last couple weeks. Is that a possible cause?

Hey Saved,
I believe that there'also a valve in the master cylinder that can cause brake dragging. I've had some luck by just changing the fluid.
Good luck.
Bill

Sounds good. I'm probably well overdue for a fluid flush and fill. What's the best method to accomplish this? Does the Clymer manual cover it? I'll have to check when I get home.

If you have the round style master cylinder then there are 2 holes. What happens is the one hole is like a pressure relief and it gets clogged over time, I had the same problem with my brakes dragging especially when it got hot outside. You need to take a safety pin or something similar in size and pretty much unclog the hole (try both holes). If you have clean fluid you will see the dirt in the hole start floating around. I know this sounds crazy but it really works. You might have to look really hard for the small hole but trust me it's there.

Mike

mikekz900 wrote:

You might have to look really hard for the small hole but trust me it's there.
Mike

Maybe I'm a perv, but does that sound Dirty?:S

Ok, get your minds out of the gutter, hehe Seriously though, thanks for the info on the holes mike. These would be at the bottom of the master cylinder? For example, if I remove the cap and stare straight down I would see them?

To be honest I think my fluid is so crappy I can't look through it. Last time I opened the cap there was a big white glob floating in the middle. :pinch:

Post edited by: savedrider, at: 2006/06/30 18:45

savedrider wrote:

To be honest I think my fluid is so crappy I can't look through it. Last time I opened the cap there was a big white glob floating in the middle. :pinch:<br><br>Post edited by: savedrider, at: 2006/06/30 18:45

It's big brother !

ambergrismooon wrote:

savedrider wrote:

To be honest I think my fluid is so crappy I can't look through it. Last time I opened the cap there was a big white glob floating in the middle. :pinch:<br><br>Post edited by: savedrider, at: 2006/06/30 18:45

It's big brother !

:laugh: :laugh: HEY, how did you get that picture of my master cylinder??? You are Big Brother aren't you??!!

savedrider wrote:

:laugh: :laugh: HEY, how did you get that picture of my master cylinder??? You are Big Brother aren't you??!!

get a piece of clear rubber hose to go on your bleeder valve run it to an old jar with some brake fluid in the bottem make sure the end of hose stays submerged under brake fluid.start pumping brake lever open bleeder valve you wont have to close valve as long as hose is submerged in fluid,just keep topping off mastercylinder as you start getting clean brakefluid out the hose look in bottem of mastercylinder for trash in bottem clean it out with a rag and top off mastercylinder.if you have dual discs repeat process on other caliper.then do rear brake.i like to use dot5 brake fluid myself and try to flush a little out of system once a year to keep it clean.

New fluid can help, but I bet the master cylinder needs rebuilding. Have the same problem, tore the master cylinder down and cleaned everything up, but only fixed like 75%. I chose a good used one as a base because my original was so bad, may need to put new internals in the good used one just to be safe. I have seen brand new universals on e-bay for fairly inexpensive compared to a new factory one, but they are square if you are worried about the asthetics.

Does the brake lever have alot of free end play -- can you wiggle the end of the lever alot? The piston in the master cylinder is sticking if you can, or the return spring has collapsed.

My clymer did not have diddly on the rebuild.

Good luck!

Louie

gpzrox wrote:

Does the brake lever have alot of free end play -- can you wiggle the end of the lever alot? The piston in the master cylinder is sticking if you can, or the return spring has collapsed.

Thanks for the info. Yes I had a lot of free play in the brake lever since I got the bike. Never really worried about it too much since the brakes seemed to work OK. I may need to go to a univeral master cylinder if a fluid change doesn't help.

I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to work on the brakes. Today riding to work they started dragging bad again. Making the motor bog in 100 degree heat. I had to pull over half way to work, whip out my tool kit and crack to bleeder open to release some fluid.