My Brakes are cr*p

[harrisn]

Off on a bit of a tour at the end of next week and i am concerned about my front brakes, they seem to have deteriorated over the last year alot (or i have just got used to them) the lever is soft but they do kick in if you pull it all the way to the bar! We are going to do a couple of laps round the nurburgring while away and im now worried that the brakes just arent up to it!

would a set of lines solve all the issues, or could it be deeper and require a caliper and master cylinder rebuild? if just the lines how easy are they to replace on a 1100 with ABS? Pads are fine, put HH in last time i changed them just to see if they got any better! Disks are still ok as well still life in them, not much of a lip and plenty of thickness etc. Last time i replaced the pads i blead alot of the old fluid through to try and get some new stuff in it. Normally i would just chuck a set of braided lines on but this ABS thing worries me!

Ta all

98 1100GS just about to hit 60k

 

[oblertone]

Replaced mine ...

... with HEL stainless lines (from Steptoe); bleeding the ABS is time consuming but not difficult especially if you pump it in at the low point using a syringe, rather than bleed through from the top.

And yes, they do make a difference

 

[Stewart H]

There seems to be a rash of this on 1100s lately, if its this then there will be a bulge in the bottom end of the line from the lever to the ABS unit
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118100
Stewart

 

[ELIMINATOR]

If it's not the above failure then, I'd buy an aerosol of brake cleaner. Remove the calipers, get a toothbrush & give the pistons a good brushing, then have a look to see if there is any corossion on them. Check the retaining pins to see if they're grooved, this will not make the pistons life any easier in moving the pads across them.

Then see if there is any corossion on the calipers on the area where the pads have to slide to & fro. Clean the crap from the metal parts of the pads that slide on the caliper.

Get some red rubber grease & once cleaned, stick some of this (not too much) at the protruding area of the piston from the caliper. Copper grease the back of the pads & the aforementioned contact area between pads & calipers.

 

[Packer]

Check that all of the pistons move freely!

My 1150GS with BMW/Brembo calipers had one piston in each caliper that were very stiff. The left one was so badly corroded that it blew out part of the seal retainer when I clamped the remaining pistons and then used the lever/servo to force out the seized piston. Cost me a replacement caliper.

Cleaned up all of the pistons on the other caliper and brakes are hugely improved. I hadn't noticed how much they had deteriorated as I don't tend to use them hard.

 

[ELIMINATOR]

Packer, I'm intrigued. I have a servo braked 2003 1150. MY front caliper pistons are dark grey in colour, my assumption is that they are plastic. Are yours steel?

Got to ask, how does it run without the silencer? I've read about this before & thought of doing it, but.....................................?

 

[harrisn]

gave both front calipers a bloody good clean at the weekend as i just didnt have the time to replace the hoses before i go this week, worked a treat! i once again have a fantastic front brake! have checked all of the hoses and they are all ok, so will leave changing them for now as i hate bleeding brakes!

thanks all for the guidance

 

[Packer]

Packer, I'm intrigued. I have a servo braked 2003 1150. MY front caliper pistons are dark grey in colour, my assumption is that they are plastic. Are yours steel?

Got to ask, how does it run without the silencer? I've read about this before & thought of doing it, but.....................................?

The part that contacts the pads looked grey but once the pistons slide out of the caliper they are metal, I didn't really pay much attention to the type to be honest, I just attacked them with very fine wet & dry used wet. The result was great. I have a november 03 servo ABS model and the calipers are marked BMW on the outside and Brembo on the wheel side.

Without the rear can it runs a treat. The cat is still in place (stamped as an approved silencer) and there is very little additional noise. Everyone who has heard the bike are amazed at how little additional noise is produced. To try it simply remove the can and run for a short trip on an open cat. It won't do any harm as the stub pipe only serves to redirect the hot exhaust.

In terms of running it seems to use substantially less fuel and breathes easier which gives it more low rev flexibility and response. It will generally pull one gear higher for any given speed than it does with the can fitted.

It also means that when I save up some drinking vouchers for alloy boxes I will be able to have two full size ones as I won't need the can cut-away.

There seems to be quite a few people who have done this mod and I haven't heard of any problems.