Hi,
I've taken the covers off my old Ironhead (first time in couple of years). The front brakes have completely frozen, and I'm unable to pull in brake lever at all and pads stuck on discs. I have bled the brakes which has had no effect. What is my next step? Do I need to rebuild the calliper? Replace seals etc ? Many thanks for your help

 

Mark, welcome to HDF, from just down the road! First step I suggest is to disturb the wheel and free the front discs. To do this I suspect the simplest thing to do is to lift the bike onto blocks, so it is upright and vertical, with the front wheel just off the ground. Remove the front wheel spindle, when you should be able to shift the wheel, using the leverage of the tyre diameter, so that the discs are freed from the calipers. Don't attempt that without outside help, as the bike will not be very safe while on blocks.

An alternative approach may be to remove the caliper mountings and thump each one with a rubber mallet, to disturb it. Once released from the disc remove the pads, clean and lubricate the pistons and attempt to get it to retract into the caliper. To do that you may have to take some brake fluid out of the reservoir.

Let us know how you get on.

 

thanks for the quick reply. I have taken off the calipers, and will need to drop them into a garage tomorrow as unable to shift bolt to take caliper apart. The pads are mint so hoepfully by doing what you said we should be up and running.

Many thanks

 

A pleasure. Let us know how you get on. Also note that there is a dedicated Classics Ironhead section, where you can meet up with fellow owners. I'm not so far away from you and have a local Harley indy close by, if you want details. He's only a few miles from MK.