nklr: spring problems

[Guest]

I have a 1991 KLR that I am in the process of fixing up. So far all repairs and adjustments have went fine. But this weekend I changed my rear brake pads. I ran into 2 problems that the manual could not help me with. 1) After changing the pads when I applied the brake I could feel the brake pedal depress but the bike was not stopping like it should. Here is my first question. Is it possible to put the pads in wrong. I kow I put the pads in the right way but I did not understand where they go in relation to the anti rattle spring. After I put the pads in I decided to top off the fluid. After doing this the pressure was gone. I went through the brake bleeding process in the manual but not that much air really came out of the line. Also after bleeding the brake it does not take long to run out of fluid in the line, then you have to remove the cap again. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks, Mark in Phx.

[* Deks*]

>1) After changing the pads when I applied the brake I could feel the >brake >pedal depress but the bike was not stopping like it should. Here >is my >first question. Is it possible to put the pads in wrong? I know >I put the >pads in the right way but I did not understand where they go >in relation >to the anti rattle spring. >After I put the pads in I decided to top off the fluid. After doing >this >the pressure was gone.

You probably put them right. You pushed the caliper piston in to make place for the new (wider) pads so it is neccessary to pump the brake lever afterwards. This would restore oil pressure in the brake. Did you top off the fluid before pumping the lever or after?

>I went through the brake bleeding process in the manual but not that >much >air really came out of the line. Also after bleeding the brake it >does not >take long to run out of fluid in the line, then you have to >remove the cap >again. >Any advise would be appreciated. >Thanks, >Mark in Phx.

You dont have to mess with the fluid if your fluid level is right before changing the pads. Just pump the brake untill it stiffens. Maybe you didn't pump it enough to get all the air out. Then you'd have too much air in the brake. Top fluid in, apply pressure to the brake to get the air out and then top again if needed untill your brake is hard. Check the brake after a few days of riding to see if the pads have "settled". Good luck, Deks, Croatia _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com

[Don Detloff]

When I changed to a stainless line on my front brake, I also installed Russell brake bleeders. They are inexpensive and well worth adding. Don Detloff Fair Haven, MI A14

> > You dont have to mess with the fluid if your fluid level is right

before

> changing the pads. Just pump the brake untill it stiffens. > Maybe you didn't pump it enough to get all the air out. > Then you'd have too much air in the brake. Top fluid in, apply

pressure to

> the brake to get the air out and then top again if needed untill

your brake

> is hard. Check the brake after a few days of riding to see if the

pads have

> "settled". > > Good luck, > Deks, Croatia >

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[Tandy K. Bozeman]

Pulled the brake pads on my 89 KLR650 this afternoon to discover that the inside pad was worn almost completely down to the metal backing, but the inside pad (the one not attached to a metal frame) showed very little (if any) wear. It looked as if the inside pad had hung up and was not pressing on the rotor when the brakes were applied. Anyone else had this problem? Thoughts? Cheers Tandy Bozeman Lake Almanor CA

[RichardM]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Tandy K. Bozeman" wrote:

>Pulled the brake pads on my 89 KLR650 this afternoon to discover >that the inside pad was worn almost completely down to the metal >backing, but the inside pad (the one not attached to a metal frame) >showed very little (if any) wear. It looked as if the inside pad had >hung up and was not pressing on the rotor when the brakes were >applied.

My larger pad on the wheel side just reached the wear limit and was replaced last night. The one on the outside still has a ways to go. It wasn't until about two months ago that I realized that my caliper didn't quite slide on its mounting pins like it should. I pulled the rubber boots back and refreshed the grease. There's probably a special disc-brake grease that you're supposed to use. The action is smooth now. My guess is that your caliper pins are dry like mine were and it's causing the inner pad to drag the rotor. If you can't stomach tossing the half-worn pad beacuse you're cheap and stupid like me, you could probably get away with replacing just the worn-out pad. I have a Galfer black on one side and an OEM pad on the other. My rear brake works fine.

[KLR650Pilot@aol.com]

I've been kicking back watching the discussion going back and forth about springs. The real truth about springs is that they WILL change their spring rate dependent upon many variables. This is one of the reasons that a spring operated torque wrench should never be left on any setting except the lowest setting available. Failure to do so will ruin the spring. I saw it all the time when I was running a calibration lab. If you preload your springs for transport, the safest location is around mid-point of the travel. If you bottom them out, they will eventually fail to provide the action you are seeking. Sometimes this can be cured by heating the spring so that it will expand back to its normal position. Unfortunately you need to be a real pro to do this, because if you aren't, you'll probably end up changing the molecular structure of the springs base material. Yada, yada, yada Jim KLR650Pilot