You have to keep an eye on your rear brake caliper bracket (on FLs) periodically, or your rear brake pad might fall out. This happened to me this past weekend on a trip from Phoenix to Nogales. Thankfully, I was able to take off the rear caliper on the road, and continued with my trip with only front brakes. Don't let this happen to you. Why does this happen? Well, the brake pad mounts to the rear brake caliper bracket by it's "hooks" (see pic). The surface area on the caliper bracket takes an beating and the surface wears down with time. Mine took such a beating that the inside (toward wheel) area of the surface actually broke off and allowed the inner rear brake pad to fall out. I don't know if this has been mentioned here, but for folks riding around on old Evo baggers (my 1989 FLHTC), this is a real thing.

So, does anyone have a usable rear brake caliper bracket that I can buy, trade, etc... I'd be willing to do that. Thanks!




Surface broken off due to wear by brake pad "hooks"




Good used one

 

Those pads you need come with a new set of brake pads. There will be 4 of them in the box.

This is a case where preventative maintenance is your best friend. Every 5,000 miles, pull your brakes apart, clean those 4 pads and the area of the brake pad that sits on them. Inspect all parts for wear. Clean the caliper pins. Now, put on a fresh light coating of grease (I use synthetic brake caliper grease) on all contact surfaces and pins, then button it all back together. Your brakes will go from feeling spongy to stopping on a dime.

every 5k miles.

carl