Seized Brakes

[GSAde]

My 05 GSA has suffered this problem 3 times recently, eventually get them to free up by constantly applying & re-applying them but piss poor on such a new & well maintained bike.

Checked with Steve today (service manager @ Rainbow) who says they've changed the pad design & they had an even newer GSA with the same problem this week, seems they're more prone to seizing due to salt / crud - Never happened with any of my three previous GS's so looks like a mod that is a pretty good improvement - suggested this to Steve who just smiled

Said just need to clean them out regularly - heard this in the mags about some bikes but never needed to before on my GS's - or any of my cars for that matter - retrograde step methinks

Ade

 

[Mzokk]

You might fid this useful .

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38909

 

[GSAde]

Thanks Mzokk

You might fid this useful .

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38909

Job for tomorrow methinks - first time it happened roads were greasy & I nearly lost it on a left hand corner junction - lucky not to drop 'er.

Cheers

Ade

 

[Pukmeister]

Strip and clean them properly, a guy in our bike club just threw his ZX7R down the road through seized front brakes, luckily at 15mph. It's not worth wrecking your pride & joy, let alone risking your life, for half an hour of basic bike maintenance.

 

[GSAde]

Strip and clean them properly It's not worth wrecking your pride & joy, let alone risking your life, for half an hour of basic bike maintenance.

Done today but never needed to on my previous three GS's (over about 80k miles) - maybe just lucky. Anyway now I've done 'em once should be piece of p*ss to do 'em regularly, & do 'em I will, brakes are just too important not to be on top form

Ade

 

[(RIP) sherpa]

me too!

Done mine today Ade - but I've filed about 1mm off the ends of the pad backing to make them a looser fit in the caliper body as well. It takes very little crud to make them stick. I think that the change of munufacturer is the problem - slightly bigger but no doubt cheaper for BMW!

Sherpa

 

[pegasus]

Would like to clean the brakes on my 1200gs, would anyone be so kind as to post up an idiots guide to doing this

 

[JAY]

I had this problem last winter on my 1150GS. Was told by my dealer that the tolerances between the pad backing plates and the calipers was too small and clogged up easily. They recommended filing them off a little at each end and that solved the problem. My first thought was that the pistons had seized but they were ok.

 

[pomm001]

Done mine today Ade - but I've filed about 1mm off the ends of the pad backing to make them a looser fit in the caliper body as well. It takes very little crud to make them stick. I think that the change of munufacturer is the problem - slightly bigger but no doubt cheaper for BMW!

Sherpa

Sherpa

i would be very nervous about filling brake pads,normaly its a build up of crud on the mounting faces of the caliper thats causes them to be sticky,anything more than a rub with sandpaper should be treated with caution.

Be safe

 

[Mouse]

Would like to clean the brakes on my 1200gs, would anyone be so kind as to post up an idiots guide to doing this

Look in the FAQ for some advice on doing the rear brake.

The front brakes are even easier, for a quick clean you don't even have to take the calipers off, just undo the pad retaining pin, take the pads out and clean the pistons + caliper with a toothbrush.

 

[~Stef~]

My 05 GSA has suffered this problem 3 times recently, eventually get them to free up by constantly applying & re-applying them but piss poor on such a new & well maintained bike.

Ade

My 1100 seized the rear twice on me this winter. So I stripped and replaced the seals and I got a mate to knock me up a stainless steel pin. Hopefully that'll help.

 

[GSdude]

Mmmmmmm..perhaps you should have hung onto your old 'yellow peril' ABS / GS !!!! By the way, she's still going strong mate - s'funny though, she never mentions you by name !!

 

[(RIP) sherpa]

I haven't!

Sherpa

i would be very nervous about filling brake pads,normaly its a build up of crud on the mounting faces of the caliper thats causes them to be sticky,anything more than a rub with sandpaper should be treated with caution.

Be safe

I've filed the ends of the back plate of the pads so as allow more room between the caliper and pad - bigger gap allows the crud to fall out again rather than sticking.

As has been said already its the tightness of the pad in caliper thats the problem - the pistons are as free as a free thing!

Thanks for the concerns
Sherpa

 

[pegasus]

Look in the FAQ for some advice on doing the rear brake.

The front brakes are even easier, for a quick clean you don't even have to take the calipers off, just undo the pad retaining pin, take the pads out and clean the pistons + caliper with a toothbrush.

Thanks Mouse will have a look around....