Sticking Brakes

[Cone Bolt]

When I have parked the bike up after a ride out in the rain or given it a good hose down to wash off the salt. The following morning I can't shift the bike as the brakes appear to be stuck on. When I eventually get moving the brakes drag for about 4 miles then suddenly free but have left a black mark around the discs. I have not experienced this before on a bike except when it has been laid up for sometime. Is there something about the OEM pads that causes them to soak up water when static and swell or is it just sticking pistons due to tight tolerances and my over exuberance with the hose pipe? Or something more sinister?

BTW there doesn't seem to be any sign of the discs overheating, no burning smells etc.

 

[Clive]

Can't say I've had anything similar happen - I think your bike just wants to annoy you

 

[Cone Bolt]

Can't say I've had anything similar happen - I think your bike just wants to annoy you

you could be right maybe it just don't like the rain

 

[Big Lee]

I would suspect the disc going rusty betwen the pad causing it to stick. Try drying the discs & seeing if it happens again.

 

[laughingBob]

A liberal application of WD40 should do the trick






















NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, only joking

 

[Shep]

Hi there

It wouldn't be something silly like the brush guard fouling the brake lever?

Regards Shep

 

[(RIP) Sugar Ray]

Hi Brian

Be very careful! I've just come back from casualty after my brakes seized up altogether - tipping me & the bike down the road! As you say, my brakes aften used to stick a bit when left in the garage, but would free almost immediately. I was told that BM pads have a greater than normal ferrous oxide (or some such technical thing ) content which then caused superficial rust. This morning, on my way to meet Yani, they felt worse than usual, and then only 1.9 miles from home, they seized up and me & the bike went for a skid along the road. Engine bars do work, but quite a bit of damage to various bits. It's been recovered to my BM dealers, and we'll see what they say on Monday.
Only damage to me was a dislocated thumb (Ouch!).
I may put a separate post up later on today (I'm off out now) asking for advice as I could do without claiming from my insurers and losing no-claims & excess.

Regards,

Charles

 

[Cone Bolt]

Holy Shit Charles, glad you're sort of OK. Thanks for the warning, guy at work had a similar occurance on his 650GS, so when the bike is in on Tues for cylinder head changes I'll get them to look the brakes over. Might even invest in different pads. Anything i can do to assist let me know.
rgds
Brian

 

[birdseye]

Sintered metal pads do stick to discs when wet. I have had this problem on my BMW cars for several years and since BMW bikes are likely to buy from the same (German) supplier.....

But ehere may be another factor . I have just learned that councils are mixing a sugar based additive with the road salt to make it less likely to simply dissolve and run off. Yes, really. Am not joking - look at sugar and you will see what I mean.

So are your brakes literally sticky?

 

[Marty Gutenfart]

I don't think it's to do with the pads. I've used OE pads and others and they all stick every so often once the roads get salted. Cleaning the caliper pistons and pad slider pins periodically cures it. Why they don't put rubber gaiters on the pistons like they did my old airheads god only knows. They call it progress.

 

[Engineer]

error!

 

[Engineer]

Hi Brian

Be very careful! I've just come back from casualty after my brakes seized up altogether - tipping me & the bike down the road! As you say, my brakes aften used to stick a bit when left in the garage, but would free almost immediately. I was told that BM pads have a greater than normal ferrous oxide (or some such technical thing ) content which then caused superficial rust. This morning, on my way to meet Yani, they felt worse than usual, and then only 1.9 miles from home, they seized up and me & the bike went for a skid along the road. Engine bars do work, but quite a bit of damage to various bits. It's been recovered to my BM dealers, and we'll see what they say on Monday.
Only damage to me was a dislocated thumb (Ouch!).
I may put a separate post up later on today (I'm off out now) asking for advice as I could do without claiming from my insurers and losing no-claims & excess.

Regards,

Charles

I think that I am correct in saying that BMW brakes are simply Brembos that have been 'badged' as BMW.

The Brembos on my Ducati do 'stick' after the bike has been washed if I leave it over night - it is not really a big deal, as soon as the bike is moved the pads free themselves.
If your brakes 'lock up' to the point where the wheel cannot be turned then this is caused by something else - possibly the pistons in the brake calipers are very badly corroded or there is some other fault with the braking system. Do you have ABS or Servos on your bike?

 

[(RIP) Sugar Ray]

No, my Adventure has just the 'standard' braking system. I'm sure the pistons must have been corroded to the extent that they stuck down, and applying the brakes only made it worse.
Still don't think it's very satisfactory on a £9K bike that was serviced 1500 miles ago.

Regards,

Charles

 

[TerryM]

No, my Adventure has just the 'standard' braking system. I'm sure the pistons must have been corroded to the extent that they stuck down, and applying the brakes only made it worse.
Still don't think it's very satisfactory on a £9K bike that was serviced 1500 miles ago.

Regards,

Charles

Sorry to hear of your problem and hope it is sorted to your satisfaction asap. I usually use water followed by compressed air on the discs and calipers at bath time and copper based brake grease on sliding bits for bikes and cars when servicing.

So far I have only had piston seizures on the rear brake calipers on cars in wet and wintery conditions where the wheel arch keeps all the watery muck in a closed environment. This leads to a black surface on the disc due to the pads being in constant contact, and my understanding is that this is a form of iron oxide. But it could be quite different with SS bike discs.

I found the ultimate solution to be a spray can of brake cleaner rather than water which does a fantastic job of cleaning almost anything automotive and leaves no residue.

Terry