Brake Dysfunction
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 30
Likes: 1
From: Western Kentucky
Brake Dysfunction
Hey friends, I took my 07 FXST to a local shop to have them install a new rear tire. They had said I needed to source the tire. So, I brought bike and tire to them and dropped it off. Rode the bike in and brakes were fine. I knew that I probably would soon need new rear brake pads, but brakes were working fine and not squealing. Anyway, they called me a few hours later and said bike was ready to pick up. After I paid them $155 to install the tire I had already bought, they said -- "Oh, by-the-way, you might want to go easy on the rear brake. They had a little trouble getting it to re-seat." I said that I knew it had some wear on the pads -- but it was working OK when I rode it to the shop." I said, "Do I have to worry about sliding though red lights?" He chuckled and said "no, just take it easy." I climbed on, Fired it up and rode the half-block to the corner and almost continued into the front yard across the street. The pedal went down past the pivot point before it began to feel some gentle resistance. I can't call it stopping power. Thank God for front brakes. So I have a set of pads and a can of new DOT 4 fluid that I figure I'll put on in the morning, but does the extreme pedal throw sound like there is more to it than pads? I'm thinking maybe someone fooled with the brake pedal while the wheel was off the bike and got air in the line, but it doesn't pump up. What do you think?
Thanks for your thoughts!
Thanks for your thoughts!
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,965
Likes: 2,059
From: Newport,TN area
I could be off base, but it sound to me like they simply pushed the piston back
to make it easier to get the rotor back into the caliper, then they didn't pump
the brake to push the piston back after the wheel was installed....
Just pump the rear brake pedal until the pads make contact, shouldn't
take many...
good luck,
T.
to make it easier to get the rotor back into the caliper, then they didn't pump
the brake to push the piston back after the wheel was installed....
Just pump the rear brake pedal until the pads make contact, shouldn't
take many...
good luck,
T.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,026
Likes: 12,548
From: South Carolina
155 bucks for a tire change, not including the tire, is that a normal price?
I don`t know because I always buy the tire from the shop that install it, and I carry the wheel in to the shop.
Take it easy on the rear brakes?
Very suspicious that they actually know what they are doing.
They should have test ridden the machine and made sure everything they did was ok.
They either did it right, which means they need to tell you nothing, or they lack confidence that the rear brake is right, hence the warning.
I don`t know because I always buy the tire from the shop that install it, and I carry the wheel in to the shop.
Take it easy on the rear brakes?
Very suspicious that they actually know what they are doing.
They should have test ridden the machine and made sure everything they did was ok.
They either did it right, which means they need to tell you nothing, or they lack confidence that the rear brake is right, hence the warning.
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Sep 19, 2020 at 09:18 AM.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 30
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From: Western Kentucky
Right, Dan89,
The $155 was almost exactly what the dealer said they charge. But at the dealer I would have had the peace of mind that someone there would know how to deal with the brakes. The guy who used to do the work on my bike that I couldn't do would charge $40 to change the rear tire (I seem to pick up a lot of nails), but he died in April. I expected this shop to charge $70 or so, because that their hourly rate. If I would have gotten the bike back tire on, clean and brakes working as good as they did when I came in, I might be able to justify two hours of work. But the rear wheel was smeared with brake dust, fingerprints, grease, soap around the bead not cleaned off. Just an amateurish job at a professional price. I can't find a thin wall 12 point 1/4 wrench for the brake pad pins, so I'm going to ride it (carefully) to the dealer on Monday and have them do the pads and flush the system. I'm very frustrated that I can't do this myself. Why the hell would Harley put such weird pins in something that is a regular "consumable" like brake pads? (With me taking it to the dealer, I guess that question answers itself, doesn't it?)
The $155 was almost exactly what the dealer said they charge. But at the dealer I would have had the peace of mind that someone there would know how to deal with the brakes. The guy who used to do the work on my bike that I couldn't do would charge $40 to change the rear tire (I seem to pick up a lot of nails), but he died in April. I expected this shop to charge $70 or so, because that their hourly rate. If I would have gotten the bike back tire on, clean and brakes working as good as they did when I came in, I might be able to justify two hours of work. But the rear wheel was smeared with brake dust, fingerprints, grease, soap around the bead not cleaned off. Just an amateurish job at a professional price. I can't find a thin wall 12 point 1/4 wrench for the brake pad pins, so I'm going to ride it (carefully) to the dealer on Monday and have them do the pads and flush the system. I'm very frustrated that I can't do this myself. Why the hell would Harley put such weird pins in something that is a regular "consumable" like brake pads? (With me taking it to the dealer, I guess that question answers itself, doesn't it?)
Last edited by Conga; Sep 20, 2020 at 01:35 PM.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 30
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From: Western Kentucky
Thanks WKNDS,
It never pumped up. I took the master cylinder cover off to see if it enough fluid and it was fine. Tried pumping gently with the cover off to see if there were bubbles, or anything weird, but nothing.
Thanks for the good wishes!
It never pumped up. I took the master cylinder cover off to see if it enough fluid and it was fine. Tried pumping gently with the cover off to see if there were bubbles, or anything weird, but nothing.
Thanks for the good wishes!
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,643
Likes: 677
From: Arm pit of America, S.D.
Fine when you rode in , none existent when you left & he new cassually mention it (brakes) ,
Buy a master cylinder rebuild kit & 1/4in 12point socke (mine are old craftsman & work fine) kit to complete your brake rebuild (presuming roter good)
Never darken that shops doorway again , You could have died but at least he got paid
Glad you made it home
Buy a master cylinder rebuild kit & 1/4in 12point socke (mine are old craftsman & work fine) kit to complete your brake rebuild (presuming roter good)
Never darken that shops doorway again , You could have died but at least he got paid
Glad you made it home
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,061
Likes: 11,080
From: San Diego, CA
Take it easy on the rear brakes?
Very suspicious that they actually know what they are doing.
They should have test ridden the machine and made sure everything they did was ok.
They either did it right, which means they need to tell you nothing, or they lack confidence that the rear brake is right, hence the warning.
I have serious doubts about the competency of the shop you used.....
The shop charged you over two hours labor to replace a rear tire....?!?!?!?
Now I'm sure they are incompetent.... or worse, crooks..
Sorry for your experience, search around for a competent wrench or get the manual and learn to do much of this for yourself... It's really not all that hard..
Good luck with the repair...
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Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 30
Likes: 1
From: Western Kentucky
I have serious doubts about the competency of the shop you used.....
The shop charged you over two hours labor to replace a rear tire....?!?!?!?
Now I'm sure they are incompetent.... or worse, crooks..
Sorry for your experience, search around for a competent wrench or get the manual and learn to do much of this for yourself... It's really not all that hard..
Good luck with the repair...
Oh yeah, definitely not going to go back there, and won't recommend them, hattitude,
I couldn't find a 12 pt 1/4 thin wall wrench -- either box or socket around here for anything. Had to order one. In the meantime, I carefully rode to the dealer and had them replace pads and flush the lines. Rear brakes fine now. 1/4 inch regular socket wouldn't seat. I should have the thin wall box wrench I ordered on-line by the weekend, and I'll do the fronts. I was surprised Harley used such a weird screw for the pad pins. I expected (assumed -- yes, I know) that they'd be allen, torx or hex heads Lesson learned. Thanks for your thoughts.
Oh yeah, and two hours to change the tire blew my mind. I did have about half-a-bottle of slime stop-leak in the tire, so I figured that was their "punishment" for having to clean that $#!+ out.
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Joined: Sep 2017
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From: Canada
My buddy had a similar experience with the rear brake pedal almost bottoming out before it would engage (2011 Heritage). Couldn't figure out what was going on? The rotor was true? I tested the fluid and it was over 4% water so I did a thorough fluid flush. That didn't help much. It turned out that the Indy that changed his pads a while ago didn't seat the pads properly. The inboard pad didn't have it's tab in the caliper slot?
