Front Brake Drag?

[portland-dustin]

Hey team, I just installed a new EBC rotor + HH pads on my Hawk. Rebuilt the caliper with new seals and cleaned and polished the brake pistons. Cleaned and polished and re-greased the caliper slider bolts. Brakes feel great, but they're dragging more than I'd expect. I pulled the caliper, pressed the cylinders all the way back, and reinstalled. Still dragging. Caliper doesn't seem to be misaligned.

Any suggestions? Or do I just need to wait for the rotor/pads to wear a bit and free things up?

[yorkshire]

1, one of the piston is sticking, I have had the same problem, completely stripped the caliper( I have overhauled these calipers before). when the pistons are out the groove for the seal has to be really clean, i thought I had done this but one of the pistons was stiff but still moved.
2, could there be air still in the system?

[portland-dustin]

1, one of the piston is sticking, I have had the same problem, completely stripped the caliper( I have overhauled these calipers before). when the pistons are out the groove for the seal has to be really clean, i thought I had done this but one of the pistons was stiff but still moved.
2, could there be air still in the system?

I bled the heck out of it, so no air. Dang, I guess I need to take it apart again. Beginning to hate this thing.

[ricksax]

I had the same problem when I upgraded my front caliper. It was slight misalignment of the front end components. It rotated freely with old sloppy brake shoes, but new pads did not have the tolerance. My mechanic, Mike Cardenas, lifted the bike with a front stand (you could use a sturdy ladder with racket straps) and loosened everything: pinch bolts, axle, caliper bolts, even triple trees slightly as I recall. When he found the point where the wheel turned freely, he gradually tightened all bolts and torqued them to specs. It worked.

[portland-dustin]

I had the same problem when I upgraded my front caliper. It was slight misalignment of the front end components. It rotated freely with old sloppy brake shoes, but new pads did not have the tolerance. My mechanic, Mike Cardenas, lifted the bike with a front stand (you could use a sturdy ladder with racket straps) and loosened everything: pinch bolts, axle, caliper bolts, even triple trees slightly as I recall. When he found the point where the wheel turned freely, he gradually tightened all bolts and torqued them to specs. It worked.

Oh, good idea. What about loosening everything, clamping down the brakes, then tightening it all up? That way the caliper would align properly?

[Talon]

Oh, good idea. What about loosening everything, clamping down the brakes, then tightening it all up? That way the caliper would align properly?

That would be a good first step. It was on here or FB someone posted a Dave Moss video showing the steps to reinstall the front wheel and caliper(s). I use the same method as the video and it works, no binding.

[portland-dustin]

Sounds good. Once this is done the bike is for sale, BTW.

[rpcraft]

Bleeding issues shouldn't cause brake drag. What usually causes it is expansion from moisture in the lines or a sticking caliper. It sounds like everything you did was right but what you might try doing is taking the caliper off and using your finger strength press in on one piston a little. It should push the other one out, then take and do the same with the other piston, and it should also push the other out. If they both move freely in and out then maybe what you are feeling isn't drag but just a difference in the rotor and the way the holes are staggered? Just throwing out some ideas. If all else fails you might try swapping back to the stock rotor and see if there is a difference in "feel"

[portland-dustin]

Thanks all! I pulled the caliper and redid the rebuild, giving everything a bath in the ultrasonic and another scrub down and polish. Reassembled and reinstalled, loosened wheel, pinch bolts, and caliper bolts, then clamped the brake, then tightened everything up. Did the trick! There's just a tiny bit of "drag" now. Basically the pad is just barely touching the rotor. Thanks for the help and suggestions!

Cheers,

Dustin