New OEM pads on the rear problem

A few months back I had my rear brake freeze up on me. Here is my thread to what I had to do to fix it.

ST1300-Rebuilding-the-SMC-Rear-MC-and-Rear-Caliper

ST-Traveler said:

When you say move freely, it moves about a 16th to a 32nd of an inch should it move more?
If this is the problem why would it only show when new pads are installed? All 3 pistons are out of the caliper the same distance and move in and out freely by pushing with my thumb.

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I seem to recall more like a 1/4 inch or more but it's been a while... could also be air in the PCV

SupraSabre said:

A few months back I had my rear brake freeze up on me. Here is my thread to what I had to do to fix it.

ST1300-Rebuilding-the-SMC-Rear-MC-and-Rear-Caliper

Click to expand...

I read your article and I don't think my condition is the same as yours, the rear brakes are not locked up, but just drag at the front inner most part of the pad. My wheel will spin but with some noticeable drag. I put the old pads on and the problem completely goes away. I don't think the pistons are catching but maybe stranger things have happened I guess

OK, yesterday I put a new pad on the outer caliper and the old pad on the inner ( it has a lot of life left) I know you are not suppose to mix the pads ( old and new) but the problem went completely away and the rear brakes work fine with no drag, the rear wheel spins freely now. Still stumped.

If SMC is bad wouldn't it show up now?


Unbelievable: but for the first time since owning the bike -- I may have to take it to the dealer.

When was the last time the brakes where bled?

Also, you never want to add brake fluid to a system when you have worn brakes as there will be too much volume in the system when you add new pads.

Mellow said:

When was the last time the brakes where bled?

Also, you never want to add brake fluid to a system when you have worn brakes as there will be too much volume in the system when you add new pads.

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The brakes were bled last year. They have been fine since the bleed, the only time I noticed a problem was when I put a new set of pads on. I checked the volume and it is not over-full.

Have you tried leaving the tin shim out when you install the new pads? Don't remember for sure (I must be getting old - sometimes suffer CRS), but I'm thinking I had to do that one time as it was the only way I could fit the caliper over the rotor with the new pads installed. I don't think it will hurt anything to leave the shim out, it's supposed to act as an anti-squeal aid as I understand it.

Don B said:

Have you tried leaving the tin shim out when you install the new pads? Don't remember for sure (I must be getting old - sometimes suffer CRS), but I'm thinking I had to do that one time as it was the only way I could fit the caliper over the rotor with the new pads installed. I don't think it will hurt anything to leave the shim out, it's supposed to act as an anti-squeal aid as I understand it.

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I did take the white pad out from under the tin, thinking the same thing but it did not work, still a lot of drag on inner front edge of new pad.

If it were me... I would install the new pads and bleed the system. I know it's a hassle.

On my '07 , there is no spacer between wheel hub and swingarm besides the brake arm itself , There is a washer on the outside of the L.H. swingarm but no room for that washer between the hub & swingarm , just brake arm.

I'm more inclined to think there's a problem with the way the rear wheel and axle were reassembled rather than a problem with the brakes themselves. Everything on the axle should move freely even when the nut's torqued down. All I can think of is that there might be a problem with the spacer or the washers, because that's pretty much all there is.

Any chance your torque wrench is wrong?

TourNut: The spacer is that plug that sits in the left side of the rear wheel.

--Mark

TourNut said:

On my '07 , there is no spacer between wheel hub and swingarm besides the brake arm itself , There is a washer on the outside of the L.H. swingarm but no room for that washer between the hub & swingarm , just brake arm.

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There should be a spacer on that side that presses against the LH wheel bearing and gives a surface for the dust seal in the wheel hub to wipe against. I left it out once and when I tightened the axle nut it bound up the wheel from turning.

dduelin said:

There should be a spacer on that side that presses against the LH wheel bearing and gives a surface for the dust seal in the wheel hub to wipe against. I left it out once and when I tightened the axle nut it bound up the wheel from turning.

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Is there a spacer that stays stuck to the hub , like in a seal , on the L.H. side that maybe I didn't notice ? My rear wheel spins free by hand. and brake assembly lines up correct with rotor .

Blrfl said:

I'm more inclined to think there's a problem with the way the rear wheel and axle were reassembled rather than a problem with the brakes themselves. Everything on the axle should move freely even when the nut's torqued down. All I can think of is that there might be a problem with the spacer or the washers, because that's pretty much all there is.

Any chance your torque wrench is wrong?

TourNut: The spacer is that plug that sits in the left side of the rear wheel.

--Mark

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I had the wheel on and torqued - the pads removed to eliminate this very thing you mentioned. The wheel spun freely with everything torqued down to 80 lb ft. Only when I put the pads back in is there binding.

I know that you have posted this [works great w/o pads, only with pads in place does the wheel bind] several times. We still tend to think that there is a problem with a spacer or something or something as basic as the brake caliper fitting correctly between the swing arm and the wheel. The assembly can only go together one way and it all work correctly. It sounds like something really simple here. Do you have a service manual just to check the basic location and assembly of the pads, the caliper, and the axle nut?

dduelin said:

I know that you have posted this [works great w/o pads, only with pads in place does the wheel bind] several times. We still tend to think that there is a problem with a spacer or something or something as basic as the brake caliper fitting correctly between the swing arm and the wheel. The assembly can only go together one way and it all work correctly. It sounds like something really simple here. Do you have a service manual just to check the basic location and assembly of the pads, the caliper, and the axle nut?

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Yes, Service manual I have, read thoroughly, blown up drawing on wheel assembly matches my set up exactly. I wish it were something simple but I am not sure, at this point it has become very complex.

I have put on at least 3-4 other sets of rear pads with no problems at all.

I know I sound like a broken record, but everything is spinning freely right up until I start to apply torque does it bind, fairly significantly.

Well I'm stumped. You obviously have experience doing this relatively simple procedure..... it has to be something simple we are missing.

I'm in the same boat. There should be enough float in the caliper to handle variations in the thicknesses of everything, and even if you'd goofed up and put the washer inboard of the swingarm, that shouldn't make much of a difference to the brakes. So that blows my error-in-axle-assembly theory out of the water.

I re-read the entire thread to make sure I haven't missed anything, and the only thing that stands out to me is the wear on the inboard pad. The back of the pad should be flat against the side of the caliper body and the front should be parallel to the rotor, and the wear says it isn't. If the outboard pad is fine, the only conclusion I can draw is that the front of the pad isn't seating properly in the caliper. I had a pad that wore the same way (may have even been the same one) once and the cause was improper seating in the cavity. I've installed lots of pads, too, and the rear inboard is the bane of my existence because it's hard to get right.

--Mark

Waiting by the white courtesy :call:

If you PM me a contact number I will call you on my dime and try to assist you with your brake issues.
Igofar