Fat Bob rear brake dragging after reinstalling rear wheel and axle
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2012
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From: CO
Fat Bob rear brake dragging after reinstalling rear wheel and axle
Can't figure it out. I've aligned the axle, removed and reinstalled the caliper twice. Ever since I put it all back together the rear brake is much less effective than before and I can tell it is dragging slightly. Even after a short ride the rotor is extremely hot. I followed the service manual the whole way(which is actually pretty shitty in some cases...constant flipping back and forth to other sections) and even with my mechanical skills I admit I had a good bit of trouble getting the damn caliper back onto the mount with the wheel in place. It's a very tight fit trying to squeeze it between the wheel and the rotor with the pads installed. I was thinking of removing and reinstalling just the pads, but I don't really see what that would do. Any ideas?
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From: Sonoma County, CA
What was your original reason for removing the wheel? Did you put new rubber on or what? Anyway, I've had mine off numerous times and I agree, the caliper is tight to get between the wheel and the rotor. Just double check that you have everything on right. Make sure the pads are properly installed as well. When you have the rear wheel in the air, can you spin the wheel manually? A slight rubbing of the pads is not uncommon. Dragging is not good though.
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Road Master
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From: CO
What was your original reason for removing the wheel? Did you put new rubber on or what? Anyway, I've had mine off numerous times and I agree, the caliper is tight to get between the wheel and the rotor. Just double check that you have everything on right. Make sure the pads are properly installed as well. When you have the rear wheel in the air, can you spin the wheel manually? A slight rubbing of the pads is not uncommon. Dragging is not good though.
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From: Northern VA
Went through this recently. Don't feel alone, that rear wheel and caliper are not fun to put back on. No easy way around it. You need to push the pistons on the caliper back into the bore fully to get clearance. May have to loosen screws on rear MC first for the pressure release. I did not and seems fine.
After I had my tire replaced something seemed off with my rear brakes. I figure I wedged something the wrong way getting the caliper back on. So last week I took the caliper off and the pads out and sprayed everything down with brakleen, worked the pistons in/out and cleaned them with a nylon brush, re-did the brake quiet goop on the back of pads, made certain the anti-rattle spring at the top of the caliper wasn't distorted, and put it all back together. Fixed the odd brake feeling I had but reminded me how weak the rear brake is. Everytime I work on the back end of the bike I feel like the brakes aren't working right until I remember they just don't do much and in my head I expect more out of them.
Re: dragging. The pads are designed to drag slightly. The rotor is supposed to be hot to the touch. This is normal. If the rotor is changing color, or the pads are causing you to not be able to walk the bike back and forth in your garage without the pedal being pressed, then you have an issue. The rear caliper is floating. When you pump the brakes up, the caliper moves on the sliders and clamps the inside pad without pistons tightly against the rotor. Then when you let off the pedal the pistons and outside pad release ever so slightly , but the inside pad is still tight against the rotor. Thus when you're riding down the road the rotor gets hot. If the pads weren't touching you'd have to pump the pedal every time you wanted to brake.
After I had my tire replaced something seemed off with my rear brakes. I figure I wedged something the wrong way getting the caliper back on. So last week I took the caliper off and the pads out and sprayed everything down with brakleen, worked the pistons in/out and cleaned them with a nylon brush, re-did the brake quiet goop on the back of pads, made certain the anti-rattle spring at the top of the caliper wasn't distorted, and put it all back together. Fixed the odd brake feeling I had but reminded me how weak the rear brake is. Everytime I work on the back end of the bike I feel like the brakes aren't working right until I remember they just don't do much and in my head I expect more out of them.
Re: dragging. The pads are designed to drag slightly. The rotor is supposed to be hot to the touch. This is normal. If the rotor is changing color, or the pads are causing you to not be able to walk the bike back and forth in your garage without the pedal being pressed, then you have an issue. The rear caliper is floating. When you pump the brakes up, the caliper moves on the sliders and clamps the inside pad without pistons tightly against the rotor. Then when you let off the pedal the pistons and outside pad release ever so slightly , but the inside pad is still tight against the rotor. Thus when you're riding down the road the rotor gets hot. If the pads weren't touching you'd have to pump the pedal every time you wanted to brake.
Last edited by mattVA; May 28, 2014 at 07:29 AM.
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Can I ask a question and I apologize in advance if it is a stupid one, while I have not yet pulled my rear wheel to fix/replace a tire or something else - I have replaced the OEM brake pads - why would you not remove the rear caliper from the mount prior to putting the wheel - wouldn't it make it easier to put on the rear wheel?
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2012
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From: CO
Can I ask a question and I apologize in advance if it is a stupid one, while I have not yet pulled my rear wheel to fix/replace a tire or something else - I have replaced the OEM brake pads - why would you not remove the rear caliper from the mount prior to putting the wheel - wouldn't it make it easier to put on the rear wheel?
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2012
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From: CO
Went through this recently. Don't feel alone, that rear wheel and caliper are not fun to put back on. No easy way around it. You need to push the pistons on the caliper back into the bore fully to get clearance. May have to loosen screws on rear MC first for the pressure release. I did not and seems fine.
After I had my tire replaced something seemed off with my rear brakes. I figure I wedged something the wrong way getting the caliper back on. So last week I took the caliper off and the pads out and sprayed everything down with brakleen, worked the pistons in/out and cleaned them with a nylon brush, re-did the brake quiet goop on the back of pads, made certain the anti-rattle spring at the top of the caliper wasn't distorted, and put it all back together. Fixed the odd brake feeling I had but reminded me how weak the rear brake is. Everytime I work on the back end of the bike I feel like the brakes aren't working right until I remember they just don't do much and in my head I expect more out of them.
Re: dragging. The pads are designed to drag slightly. The rotor is supposed to be hot to the touch. This is normal. If the rotor is changing color, or the pads are causing you to not be able to walk the bike back and forth in your garage without the pedal being pressed, then you have an issue. The rear caliper is floating. When you pump the brakes up, the caliper moves on the sliders and clamps the inside pad without pistons tightly against the rotor. Then when you let off the pedal the pistons and outside pad release ever so slightly , but the inside pad is still tight against the rotor. Thus when you're riding down the road the rotor gets hot. If the pads weren't touching you'd have to pump the pedal every time you wanted to brake.
After I had my tire replaced something seemed off with my rear brakes. I figure I wedged something the wrong way getting the caliper back on. So last week I took the caliper off and the pads out and sprayed everything down with brakleen, worked the pistons in/out and cleaned them with a nylon brush, re-did the brake quiet goop on the back of pads, made certain the anti-rattle spring at the top of the caliper wasn't distorted, and put it all back together. Fixed the odd brake feeling I had but reminded me how weak the rear brake is. Everytime I work on the back end of the bike I feel like the brakes aren't working right until I remember they just don't do much and in my head I expect more out of them.
Re: dragging. The pads are designed to drag slightly. The rotor is supposed to be hot to the touch. This is normal. If the rotor is changing color, or the pads are causing you to not be able to walk the bike back and forth in your garage without the pedal being pressed, then you have an issue. The rear caliper is floating. When you pump the brakes up, the caliper moves on the sliders and clamps the inside pad without pistons tightly against the rotor. Then when you let off the pedal the pistons and outside pad release ever so slightly , but the inside pad is still tight against the rotor. Thus when you're riding down the road the rotor gets hot. If the pads weren't touching you'd have to pump the pedal every time you wanted to brake.
Yeah, I actually did end up pushing the pistons in as well...it was the only way I could get the caliper installed. I guess it's not dragging too much, but it does feel like there is too much resistance when pushing the bike, and maybe I just never noticed the rear rotor being that hot, but the front ones are barely warm when the rear is scorching.
It is pretty annoying how bad the rear brake is on the FB. On my WG the rear is so sensitive that you have to be careful to avoid locking up the rear all the time. Guess the wheel and tire size difference might account for that.
I think I may remove the caliper again and start with fresh pads and lube everything up, hopefully that will take care of it.
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From: Northern VA
I hear those EBC Extreme pads are the fix for rear brakes not having adequate stopping power from people who weren't satisfied with Lyndall's. Never tried them though. I can lock up the rear wheel but it isn't super sensitive I'd have to stomp on the pedal to do so.
I think the fronts, being fixed calipers, don't drag as much as the rear.
I think the fronts, being fixed calipers, don't drag as much as the rear.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
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From: Northern VA
Rubbing sound or squealing? Might need to clean the pistons.