performance machine caliper locked up
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
From: Tennessee
performance machine caliper locked up
I have a 6 piston performance machine caliper on a 13" floating rotor. After a ride saturday night I noticed it was hard as hell to push my bike into the garage. I get it up on the lift and see that the caliper is locked up on the rotor as if Im grabbing a handful of brake. Nothing looks or feels abnormal about the hand control or master cylinder. I have not taken anything apart yet because I was thinking that I read someone else having this problem. Caliper is less than a year old... anyone seen this happen before?
Unofficial HDF Chaplain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 21,158
Likes: 18,080
From: san diego
see if you release pressure on the system (open bleeder) if it spins free then, will bet theres a master cyl problem or theres too much fluid in the reservoir ( fluid has no place to release to) causing the problem
yep! my PM 6 piston locked up after sitting for 3 weeks while i was out of town.
pull it off, buff the piston cups with scotch brite pad, clean with brakekleen, and put back together.
you can also contact the people you ordered it from and they should replace it under warranty through PM
pull it off, buff the piston cups with scotch brite pad, clean with brakekleen, and put back together.
you can also contact the people you ordered it from and they should replace it under warranty through PM
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
From: Tennessee
Ok, on further inspection the rotor was nt locked. The rotor had actually started rubbing the inside aluminum wall of the caliper. So i am stumped as to how this could happen. The caliper was centered on the rotor when i put it all together a little less than a year ago, used shims to get it exact. Everything was still tight so how could it be off center all of a sudden. Then o noticed that my 13" floating rotor was not floating any more. Ot was always "loose" so it rattled a bit when u shake it. Now it feels completly solid like one piece. So i can see where the disc is not inline with the carrier any more. To further describe it, the carrier is still bolted tightly to the wheel and looks straight, but the disc is cocked on the carrier. I havent taken it off yet but the way it looks is that when layed flat, the carrier will be flat on the floor but the outer circumfrence of the disc will be a few mm higher, like a piece of cooked bolgna but not as drastic. But enough to start getting into my damn caliper. I had to get on the binders pretty hard on my last ride to where the abs had to kick in, but hell it wasnt the first time. This is some bs. I have no idea how something like this could happen. I will take pics when i take the rotor off.
lift the front end, put a small pipe on the end of the axle and put the other end in your ear. rotate the front wheel and listen for crunchies.
how old are your front bearings?
how old are your front bearings?
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,082
Likes: 11
From: Long Island, NY
Had it happen on the front PM brakes on my dyna. You can bleed the pressure to unlock the caliper. Turns out the problem was a bad HD master cylinder.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
From: Tennessee
Bearings are less than a year as well. I put everything on at the same time. Rc component wheel, 13" floating rotor and pm 6 piston caliper. With the caliper off, wheel spins free and true forever. Nothing seems damaged or out of place, only the rotor.
Unofficial HDF Chaplain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 21,158
Likes: 18,080
From: san diego
you overheated the rotor and warped it, again did you release the bleeder and did brake fluid shoot out? do you have the reservoir overfilled to the top? if it isn't overfilled and there is still pressure in the line, put the caliper back on, take the top of the cylinder off, squeeze the lever (cover your paintwork) does brake fluid squirt out the top of the cylinder? do this a couple times, if it keeps squirting out the top, most likely m/cyl is ok, and need to look at the lines. you can't have hydraulic pressure in the lines. that will always keep pressure on the pads, they will heat the rotor and warp it the caliper might be giving you a problem with a sticking piston, but for the most part, PM stuff is really good, and causes few problems, but anything can go bad at any time
Last edited by harleycharlie1992; Nov 29, 2012 at 08:14 AM.