Front caliper seize
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Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 983
Likes: 4
From: Fredericksburg, Va
Front caliper seize
Went on a ride last night and my front brakes somehow were compressing without me squeezing the lever! I was able to get off on the side of the road and let them cool down. While trying to troubleshoot the problem I checked the front brake line for kinks...none, split caliper and cleaned with brake cleaner ....not super dirty but then while trying to bleed front brakes - I went through two bottles of brake fluid..couldnt get rid of the air bubbles. Brakes are still not bled anyone have any ideas?
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 91
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From: Louisville, KY
Take your front calipers off the bike and disassemble them. Use a pair of rubber tipped pliers to pull the pistons out of the caliper. Depending on your bike you have a couple choices. Get a rebuild kit from the dealer or just the seals from narleychoppers.com. pull out the old o-rings and clean everything real good with denatured alcohol. I use petroleum jelly to fill the recesses and then apply to o-rings and put in place. Smooth off the jelly and carefully push pistons back in. Reassemble.bleed brakes and try it again. The service manual recommends cleaning and rebuild interval to prevent the pistons from seizing. Hope that helps.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 5
From: Emerald Coast, FL
If you were properly bleeding the brake system and cannot get rid of the air bubbles, you have a leak somewhere in the system... small pinhole type leaks are very hard to isolate and sometimes it is easier and better to replace the hoses. I wouldn't take apart the calipers until I had eliminated the hoses and banjo bolts first.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 754
Likes: 24
From: Southern Maine
+1 on the leak. Try the simple stuff first. Make sure that all the fittings, banjo's etc are tight and clean. Have you made any recent changes or done any work on the lines? I had a similar problem but it was on my old Ironhead. The inner sheath of the rubber brake line had deteriorated to the point where it was blocking the flow of brake fluid and wouldn't let the pressure release as the fluid heated up. Had to keep cracking the bleeder valve to get her home that night.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,624
Likes: 189
From: Newcastle, Ca.
Sounds like your caliper pistons were not retracting, keeping your pads pressed against the rotor. Seems like very few know that cleaning brake pistons should be regular scheduled maintenance.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/softa...tire-spin.html
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https://www.hdforums.com/forum/softa...tire-spin.html
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 754
Likes: 24
From: Southern Maine
Well, you should be doing that when you change the pads. If he hasn't been doing it, then you're right. It is probably a good idea to check them out. I forget that some people don't do the complete routine maintenance. My bad...
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 91
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From: Louisville, KY
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Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 983
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From: Fredericksburg, Va
Some good input. I rode down to a friends shop and picked up a slightly used front brake caliper for 50.00...slapped that one on and gave it a whirl - no luck..it overheated but at least I know its not the caliper anymore - one down two to go. Front brake line on order...I'm thinking that tracker might be right about the guts of the brake line at least I hope that's the prob...because if the brake line doesn't resolve it - I will be really puzzled. The master cylinder plunger is working perfectly ..compressing and retracting...no fluid leak anywhere. Oh, the air bubbles before I hooked them up to the compressor bottle actually gave me some braking without over compressing...I really think its the front brake line at this point...what a pain in the ***! Copperhead- thanks for rebuild caliper knowledge that's some straight scoop that will benefit the forums.
Thanks all for the replies
Thanks all for the replies
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2007
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From:
Check the rotor for warp. I had a friend who took off with a disk lock on the bike. It just stopped the bike quickly when the lock hit the caliper but it tweaked the rotor. He rode home thinking all was well. The brakes locked up on him after a few miles the next day. The slightly bent rotor created enough heat from friction to expand the brake fluid, and lock up the wheel after a rew miles. Let it cool off it was fine for a few more.
Last edited by Northside; Apr 30, 2011 at 02:08 PM.
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