Skip to main content

Honda Varadero Brake Clean

Well, I had a look at the front brake pads on my Varadero the other week. so I loosened up all the nuts while it was on the bike (to get better leverage on things like the pad retaining pins), wiggled the caliper to push the caliper pistons back into the caliper body and took the calipers off the bike.

The pads have plenty of friction material left, so I decided not to change them yet. I did get an old toothbrush and some brake cleaner, push the pistons out a bit and clean off some of the crud that had built up. so the pistons and caliper body were a bit cleaner. I then put it all back together.

While the friction material on the pads was fine, I did notice that the back of the pads had a really bad build up of muck on the back of them, but I had a good look and it didn't look like it would affect braking at all, so I just put them back into the calipers.

Of course, next day, on my way to work, I'm pootling along the motorway and all of a sudden the brakes start to drag. I pulled the clutch in, and yep it's definitely the brakes. They just came on suddenly and started dragging.

Okay, my normal fix for this (whilst on the motorway) is to pull into lane one, make sure that no one is behind me and to apply the brakes hard. I believe that this will help the caliper pistons get pushed back into the caliper body. So I pull in to lane one, but there is a car behind me.

Well, as I'm now beginning to slow, I hoped that the car would overtake me soon. but he didn't, so I couldn't apply the brakes.

As I was working out what to do next, the brakes freed themselves.

Okay, at least I can continue on to work.

on the way, I was thinking that it was a bit of a coincidence that I had played with the brakes the day before. So I started thinking about it a bit, and guessed that some of the crud that had built up on the back of the brake pads had come loose and jammed somewhere applying the brakes. Now as the varadero has linked brakes that meant that as the front brakes were applied, the back brake got applied as well.

And I also guessed that the piece of crud either got worked loose due to vibration, or just broke up and the brakes loosened.

So the moral of the story is : If you see crud near your braking system, dont just ignore it. clean it up and make sure that all of the components can move freely.

I have now taken the calipers apart again and used wet and dry on the pads to clean all of the gunk off them, so this shouldn't happen again.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Project Z750 part 16

The piston puller has arrived. it looks like a pair of pliers, but works opposite so that when you press the handles the "nose" of the pliers expands. the idea is that you put the nose into the piston, grip very hard and turn and pull the piston so that it comes out. the theory is great, but actually using one isn't. in use you are trying to grip as hard as you can, and at the same time trying to pull the piston out of the caliper (as well as maybe turning it if it's stuck like mine). it took a herculean effort to get one of the pistons out, I was gripping as if my life depended on it, trying to twist the piston and pull it out of the caliper. when it turned (a little) it gave me renewed hope of getting both pistons out, and eventually the piston was out, so just one more left. so now on to the fifth and final brake caliper piston. I put the piston puller tool into the caliper, gripped with all my might (no laughing please) and twisted. Well something mo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Project Z750 part 18

I have done a bit of reading on how to clean brake caliper pistons, and found an article that said you could use fine wet and dry to clean corrosion off them [ http://www.motorcyclenews.com/new-rider/choosing-kit/2006/november/jan26-05-how-to-service-brake-calipers/ ]. as it suggested using 1500 grit wet and dry, I decided to be cautious and start with 3000 grit. I cut the wet and dry into strips about an inch in width. I put some wd40 onto a strip and started polishing the rear piston. After quite a while I started to notice the difference. it was getting cleaner. well, it was working, but it was going to take a long time. well, I was patient and I really didn't want to rush it and ruin the pistons. Over the next couple of weeks, I polished all of the pistons using the 3000 grit wet and dry. As it seemed it was going to take the rest of my life using 3000 grit wet and dry, I decided to take a risk and bought some 2000 grit. yep I was really pushing my luck here. I cut the 20...
Post a Comment
Read more

Triathlon Training in the new year

So, my 2019 training has got off to a good start. I'm running regularly and my knees seem to be holding up. I've got a training plan to get me to a middle distance triathlon in September and I am managing the run distances I have set myself. I need to find some longer cycling routes to work and ones with a few hills too, but that shouldn't be a problem. my weekly cycling distance is okay, I just need to move to get my ebike to be doing less of the work. last week I did use my normal commuter bicycle and managed the whole four days as well as my runs, so that was a really good sign. Swimming won't be an issue, I have always found that to be the easy part of a triathlon (not that I'm fast, but I can keep going, and I did manage to swim the distance within the cut off time when I tried the ironman 70.3 last time) The main worry about going longer is my knees. I've got a 10K booked in late January which will test my knees out and I'm hoping that they hold ...
Post a Comment
Read more