wd-40 and brake pads????

[vadrr650]

Ok I know this probably wasnt the smartest thing to do but the brakes were pretty much seized when I got the bike.

It has an f2 or f3 front end on it and the pistons in the cylinders pretty much wouldnt budge. I tried cleaning and dosed them with WD40 a bunch of times and they seem to work now.

The thing is the bike isnt stopping no where as quick as it should. The master is bled really well as its really hard and not spongy, stainless lines.

I was wondering if its the brake pads and the WD soaked through them and they lost their grip?

If I get some new pads do you think that should solve it?

[tkm433]

Re: wd-40 and brake pads????

Ok I know this probably wasnt the smartest thing to do but the brakes were pretty much seized when I got the bike.

It has an f2 or f3 front end on it and the pistons in the cylinders pretty much wouldnt budge. I tried cleaning and dosed them with WD40 a bunch of times and they seem to work now.

The thing is the bike isnt stopping no where as quick as it should. The master is bled really well as its really hard and not spongy, stainless lines.

I was wondering if its the brake pads and the WD soaked through them and they lost their grip?

If I get some new pads do you think that should solve it?

WD40 was not good!

Now if you did manage to get the pistons working as they should new pads would most likely fix the problem. You will want to clean the rotors well before you install new pads. Good old rubbing alcohol and a clean rag will clean the rotors before you install ne pads.

If you are cheap you can take the old pads off and rub them against the concrete on your driveway until you remove the top layer or contaminated part of the brake pad. Clean your rotors as indicated above and install the pads and go for a slow test ride and bed in the brake pads.

Again this is the cheap way out but can work when you contaminate a set of pads.

Be safe!

[vadrr650]

ordered a set of new pads....

[MrDude_1]

if they were that seized, i would rebuild the calipers.

[DefTrap]

Yeah, I bought a replacement s/h caliper once with decent looking pads. They must have been contaminated as stopping power was zero and no amount of scrubbing made any difference.

[JR]

FWIW I was also told never to use any other oil on the pistons as the rubber dust seals absorb the oil and swell, thus gripping the piston and stopping it from going back.

[GatorHawk]

Oil for rubber boots on slide pins

For the slide pins, try to use silicon based grease and not petro based grease. Permatex makes a good one sold at Pepboys.

As mentioned, using a petro based grease will swell the boots and other rubber parts and increase the stiction or may even lock up the slide pins.

[vadrr650]

in rebuilding the calipers if I pull out the pistons to clean them up will brake fluid leak out? was wondering if I could simply pull them out, clean them up and then slide them back in...

anyone have a link to rebuilding calipers?

[ParcNHawk]

If you pull out the pistons, fluid will definitely come out... all of it. You've got to take the caliper completely off the bike. You'll also have to replace the piston the seals. It's rebuild time for me, too... top piston is a little slow to move.

Where should I get the rebuild kit? Is the dealer ok, or priced way out of line? I'm in Canada, and when I buy US over the internet, shipped with UPS, they manage to double my cost through brokerage fees, customs and taxes.

PS I've rebuild lots of calipers before (only Yamaha RZ350, though) and a neat little trick to help put the piston seals in the bores is to leave them in the freezer for a while. This hardens the rubber, and keeps it from stretching as you're trying to tuck them in. -- Don't know if this applies to the Hawk, never tried it yet.

[JR]

Not sure you will need to replace the pistons unless they have corroded, just the seals