[Spargo]

Installed new front pads (GL500I). Braking is way better.

Not as good as my PC800 (or as we refer to it - The Flying Potato!) but real good.



Sucked all the Dot 3 outta the master cylinder- refilled er' and bleed em' till

mosta the crud seemed to be gone. The brake fluid was really nasty - kind of

embarrasing that I let it get that bad.



Anyhow -



1. How much drag should be allowed when spining the front wheel by hand?

2. Is there a break in period with new pads? If so - how long?

3. Am I a fool for not total rebuilding the calipers & replacing the brake lines?

4. Any solutions for rear brake squeak?



Thanks fer yer input everybody...........

 

[Blindstitch]

Sure you have to ask all the hard questions.



With the caliper off the wheel should spin freely.



The break in period is as long as it takes.

I bevel my pads with a file and put disc brake quiet on the back of them. The stuff is blood red so if you get some on your hands it might freak out the neighbors like it did mine.



If the calipers are functioning well then you aren't a fool. As for brake lines maybe. Rubber lines have been noted to have several ways to fail.



The rear brake is a whole different bag of worms. Are the shoes old? Beveling them can help along with cleaning the inside of the rim.

Several have had this problem.

 

[johnsoncm]

1. How much drag should be allowed when spining the front wheel by hand?



There shouldn't be much (if any) drag. If there is, the caliper isn't retracting properly. Given that it was "full of crud," it's quite possibly in need of a good R&R, cleaning, & rebuild.



2. Is there a break in period with new pads? If so - how long?



There is a very clear break in period and sequence. I'm an engineer in the braking business and have a bit of insight into friction materials. To save some time typing, I did a quick search and found a pretty darn good explanation of not only the basic sequence you should perform, but also why. It also matters what type of friction material your pads are (i.e., non-asbestos-organic NAO, met, semi-met, etc.)

Try this for now - if you have more specific questions, feel free to PM me. http://freeautomechanic.blogspot.com/2007/01/brake-pad-break-in-procedure.html



* I must disagree with the above mentioned website w/regard to brake fluid change. In our industry, we strongly suggest 1 flush per year.



3. Am I a fool for not total rebuilding the calipers & replacing the brake lines?



Not unless they didn't get clean : )



4. Any solutions for rear brake squeak?



What works for me - along with BlindStiches solution - is just a "smidgin" of a wheel-bearing grease on pivots. And I mean "smidgin" in a very conservative way. It seems, just like the disc-brake quiet materil to provide just enough damping to subdue the NVH.



Chad

 

[Spargo]

Thanks for the responses....



I knew about the beveling and completely forgot it.

I will definately do that as well as add the red gogo juice!



The only brake experience I've had lately is on 3/4 ton trucks!

I had little luck rebuilding the calipers and found it was real reasonable

and a lot easier to just trade em in on new (rebuilt) ones!

I'm assumeing this will not be true on the ol SilverWing!



When you think about the age of these metal and rubber parts it gets kinda scary!

I find it amazing how well these bikes (and others?) continue to operate in

spite of their age.



Any body got a good source for caliper rebuild kits should I end up going that route?

 

[Teacher Tim]

A related question: the single-piston caliper on my recently acquired 82 CX500C is not original to the model year, and I don't know what year model it is from. Is there any difference in the part numbers for seals for the single-piston brake calipers from year to year?

 

[Blindstitch]

There are different seals for different pistons. Can you measure your piston? or since you're that deep you could replace it with the right caliper but you would have to buy the bracket also as they are different than the single piston one.