My brakes are not operating normally: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Brakes]]

There is a pulsing when I apply my brakes.

====There is a pulsing when I apply my brakes.====

Jack up the front wheel. Spin the wheel and look for rubbing. Apply the front brake ever so slightly to see where it touches first. Mark that part of the wheel. There are 6 allen head bolts holding the front rotor to the wheel. Tighten the two or three bolts ~~clostest~~ to the spot on the wheel where the rubbing ~~occured~~.

Jack up the front wheel. Spin the wheel and look for rubbing. Apply the front brake ever so slightly to see where it touches first. Mark that part of the wheel. There are 6 allen head bolts holding the front rotor to the wheel. Tighten the two or three bolts closest to the spot on the wheel where the rubbing occurred.

If that doesn't fix it, replace the pads. ~~Still no luck? Have a machine shop resurface~~ the ~~rotor ever so slightly as to not make it too thin~~. If ~~all else fails replace~~ the rotor.

If that doesn't fix it, replace the pads. Note that this is just the $25 E-Z fix. If you have pulsating when you use the brakes, it's almost certainly the rotor, although if you put on a new rotor you should use new brake pads, too, so it's not like you're throwing money away.

My brake pads are grinding.

Still no luck? It's time to replace the rotor. You can't machine rotors on a motorcycle like you can on a car. They're too thin. Note that normal rubbing of the rotor by the pads is fine; they're designed to do that. However, if you start to get a pulsating or shaking of the bike (usually the front end) when you hit the brakes, then it's serious. And serious money; this is definitely an [[Where can I buy parts/tools online?|eBay/junkyard]] item. New ones are $250 worth of expensive.

====My brake pads are grinding.====

It is normal for the pads to drag slightly, especially just after replacing them. Excessive grinding can be caused by having the torque link nut too tight, or having the hex nuts that hold the caliper to the caliper mounting bracket too tight. Be sure to correct this before the rotor warps from being overheated.

My rear brakes don't feel right.

====My rear brakes don't feel right.====

The rear caliper on this bike has a single piston. One brake pad is pushed by one piston, the other brake pad just kind of sits there on the other side of the rotor. You only need to push from one side to compress the whole she-bang. (Not exactly true, but really close enough)

Now, unevenly worn pads DO happen. Excessive uneven wear is usually caused by dirty pistons, or (more often in the case of the rear brake), dirty pins. Another potential cause for uneven wear would be neglecting to loosen/tighten the brake torque link bolt when adjusting chain tension.

Now, unevenly worn pads DO happen. Excessive uneven wear is usually caused by dirty pistons, or (more often in the case of the rear brake) dirty pins. Another potential cause for uneven wear would be neglecting to loosen/tighten the brake torque link bolt when adjusting chain tension.

~~To fix~~ the ~~problem to supremo standards:~~

Most of the following information is also in the [[How do I replace the brake pads?|replacing brake pads]] article, with more detail.

1. Unbolt the caliper and remove the brake pads

2. Thoroughly clean everything that is visible with perchlorethelyne-based brake cleaner ~~(don~~'t get it on your hands.~~.. if~~ you do, use lots of moisturizer afterwards. With lanolin. ~~Canadians: Go to crappy tire and look for the stuff with the gold lid)~~

2. Thoroughly clean everything that is visible with perchlorethelyne-based brake cleaner. Don't get it on your hands. If you do, use lots of moisturizer afterwards. With lanolin.

3. Carefully apply a '''BIT''' of pressure to the rear brake lever to push the pistons out. Be careful not to push them all the way out! Temporarily installing ONE pad will help prevent this.

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16. Ride normally for 50-100 miles in the city before worrying about your brakes again (they'll have to bed in)

~~NOTE: Steps 15 and 16 aren't optimal; a little more mileage wouldn't hurt. Racers should take a look at Jim Race's brake-pad bedding articles.~~

If you have ever worked on anything with disc brakes, the rear brake on the Ninja 250 is easier and more obvious. Really, it's about as easy as it gets.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Category:Brakes]]
-There is a pulsing when I apply my brakes.
+====There is a pulsing when I apply my brakes.====
-Jack up the front wheel. Spin the wheel and look for rubbing. Apply the front brake ever so slightly to see where it touches first. Mark that part of the wheel. There are 6 allen head bolts holding the front rotor to the wheel. Tighten the two or three bolts clostest to the spot on the wheel where the rubbing occured.
+Jack up the front wheel. Spin the wheel and look for rubbing. Apply the front brake ever so slightly to see where it touches first. Mark that part of the wheel. There are 6 allen head bolts holding the front rotor to the wheel. Tighten the two or three bolts closest to the spot on the wheel where the rubbing occurred.
-If that doesn't fix it, replace the pads. Still no luck? Have a machine shop resurface the rotor ever so slightly as to not make it too thin. If all else fails replace the rotor.
+If that doesn't fix it, replace the pads. Note that this is just the $25 E-Z fix. If you have pulsating when you use the brakes, it's almost certainly the rotor, although if you put on a new rotor you should use new brake pads, too, so it's not like you're throwing money away.
-My brake pads are grinding.
+Still no luck? It's time to replace the rotor. You can't machine rotors on a motorcycle like you can on a car. They're too thin. Note that normal rubbing of the rotor by the pads is fine; they're designed to do that. However, if you start to get a pulsating or shaking of the bike (usually the front end) when you hit the brakes, then it's serious. And serious money; this is definitely an [[Where can I buy parts/tools online?|eBay/junkyard]] item. New ones are $250 worth of expensive.
+====My brake pads are grinding.====
 It is normal for the pads to drag slightly, especially just after replacing them. Excessive grinding can be caused by having the torque link nut too tight, or having the hex nuts that hold the caliper to the caliper mounting bracket too tight. Be sure to correct this before the rotor warps from being overheated.
-My rear brakes don't feel right.
+====My rear brakes don't feel right.====
 The rear caliper on this bike has a single piston. One brake pad is pushed by one piston, the other brake pad just kind of sits there on the other side of the rotor. You only need to push from one side to compress the whole she-bang. (Not exactly true, but really close enough)
-Now, unevenly worn pads DO happen. Excessive uneven wear is usually caused by dirty pistons, or (more often in the case of the rear brake), dirty pins. Another potential cause for uneven wear would be neglecting to loosen/tighten the brake torque link bolt when adjusting chain tension.
+Now, unevenly worn pads DO happen. Excessive uneven wear is usually caused by dirty pistons, or (more often in the case of the rear brake) dirty pins. Another potential cause for uneven wear would be neglecting to loosen/tighten the brake torque link bolt when adjusting chain tension.
-To fix the problem to supremo standards:
+Most of the following information is also in the [[How do I replace the brake pads?|replacing brake pads]] article, with more detail.
 . Unbolt the caliper and remove the brake pads
-. Thoroughly clean everything that is visible with perchlorethelyne-based brake cleaner (don't get it on your hands... if you do, use lots of moisturizer afterwards. With lanolin. Canadians: Go to crappy tire and look for the stuff with the gold lid)
+. Thoroughly clean everything that is visible with perchlorethelyne-based brake cleaner. Don't get it on your hands. If you do, use lots of moisturizer afterwards. With lanolin.
 . Carefully apply a '''BIT''' of pressure to the rear brake lever to push the pistons out. Be careful not to push them all the way out! Temporarily installing ONE pad will help prevent this.
@@ Line 51: / Line 53: @@
 . Ride normally for 50-100 miles in the city before worrying about your brakes again (they'll have to bed in)
-NOTE: Steps 15 and 16 aren't optimal; a little more mileage wouldn't hurt. Racers should take a look at Jim Race's brake-pad bedding articles.
 If you have ever worked on anything with disc brakes, the rear brake on the Ninja 250 is easier and more obvious. Really, it's about as easy as it gets.