Drivetrain lock-up?

[v8-7]

The piston in my smc was out of round causing it to bind.
I have 60K miles on my rebuilt smc .

Another SMC repair | ST1300-Brakes

My SMC started sticking a few days ago so I ordered one, but was worried whether or not I would get it time to make my trip this Thursday up to the BRP for UPs STOC event. Along comes Dave Duelin on his white horse and offers to loan me a rebuild kit AND ride 2 hours to meet me halfway ...

www.st-owners.com

 

[Andrew Shadow]

...... I could bleed #7, leave it open, and pinch the brake line to prevent losing fluid, and be able to use what's left of the brakes on the way out of the boondocks. But not a good idea from what I can read here.

Not a good idea if there is no justification to do so. A very good idea if the choice is between remaining stranded in the middle of no where and getting to safety. The pinched line can always be replaced.

 

[SMSW]

Not a good idea if there is no justification to do so. A very good idea if the choice is between remaining straned in the middle of no where and getting to safety. The pinched line can always be replaced.

Just remember to do so. While brake lines are not very fragile, every manual I've read on changing calipers/pads says not to hang the caliper by the brake hose. Pinching/kinking the hose is also frowned upon. The reason is, for a life safety part, you take no chances...after you get out of the swamp.

 

[MidLife]

Just remember to do so. While brake lines are not very fragile, every manual I've read on changing calipers/pads says not to hang the caliper by the brake hose. Pinching/kinking the hose is also frowned upon. The reason is, for a life safety part, you take no chances...after you get out of the swamp.

Would you know what fitting could be used to dead-end the line itself?

May actually be easier to back off the brake line off the caliper and plug it, rather than trying to fit the clamp on the line in the tight space.

A plug for the caliper port would be good too, to prevent dirt and dust or water getting in (may be better than just duct tape!).

 

[core-aggie]

I'm sorry ... much of the suggestions I've read recently are BEYOND what I would consider "safe" for a brake system modification, especially on a bike.

I'm sorry, but I'm shocked there are suggestions for these mods.

If you're struggling with the ST's brake system, sell it and move on ....

Some folks are probably overwhelming the OP with "options" ... stay original, as the bike was intended.

 

[SMSW]

Would you know what fitting could be used to dead-end the line itself?

May actually be easier to back off the brake line off the caliper and plug it, rather than trying to fit the clamp on the line in the tight space.

A plug for the caliper port would be good too, to prevent dirt and dust or water getting in (may be better than just duct tape!).

Sure, all you need is a cap (like a pipe cap only threaded the same as the brake line) and a threaded plug (to fit in the caliper). Since it seems that everything anyone can imagine has been made somewhere, sometime, all you need to do is find one of each, purchase them, and carry them around with your tool set for a hundred thousand miles or so until you need them. Oh, and a bit of pipe dope - but you could use teflon tape which will last forever and not harden.

Why not put the effort into properly maintaining the bike so you don't have these contretemps?

 

[Igofar]

I'm sorry ... much of the suggestions I've read recently are BEYOND what I would consider "safe" for a brake system modification, especially on a bike.

I'm sorry, but I'm shocked there are suggestions for these mods.

If you're struggling with the ST's brake system, sell it and move on ....

Some folks are probably overwhelming the OP with "options" ... stay original, as the bike was intended.

While I agree with non-safe modifications, one thing your not taking into consideration is that most of these bikes are purchased used, from folks that have neglected them, not followed the correct service maintenance procedures, have been sitting for long periods of time, or my favorite, purchased from auctions, or Hollywood motors, and should not be considered safe for as much as a ride around the block.
Many new buyers are just learning these things and trying to figure out how to fix something the seller did not disclose etc.
It’s a little early in the game to tell someone to sell it and move on.
I bet you a nickel, I could take your bike hostage, and find so many things that are wrong, not working correctly, out of adjustments, that your first reaction would be to bail and sell it

 

[Mellow]

While I agree with non-safe modifications, one thing your not taking into consideration is that most of these bikes are purchased used, from folks that have neglected them, not followed the correct service maintenance procedures, have been sitting for long periods of time, or my favorite, purchased from auctions, or Hollywood motors, and should not be considered safe for as much as a ride around the block.
Many new buyers are just learning these things and trying to figure out how to fix something the seller did not disclose etc.
It’s a little early in the game to tell someone to sell it and move on.
I bet you a nickel, I could take your bike hostage, and find so many things that are wrong, not working correctly, out of adjustments, that your first reaction would be to bail and sell it

I bet 10 cents you could do that with a new bike

 

[Igofar]

I bet 10 cent you could do that with a new bike

Ok Joe I’ll cut you in on the action.

 

[core-aggie]

Many new buyers are just learning these things and trying to figure out how to fix something the seller did not disclose etc.
It’s a little early in the game to tell someone to sell it and move on.

I no doubt didn't write my reply properly

My "sell the ST" reply was not directed to the OP directly ... but to the folks suggesting to mod the brake system If other folks are displeased with ST brake system, they should move on

By all means, to the OP, in due time, take your time , and bring the bike back to specs.

 

[MidLife]

Why not put the effort into properly maintaining the bike ........?

I thought I did!

But if by proper maintenance you mean to get the bike Igofared, then no, haven't had a chance to do that yet.

 

[SMSW]

I thought I did!

But if by proper maintenance you mean to get the bike Igofared, then no, haven't had a chance to do that yet.

My only point is if these bikes are maintained by the book, they are more reliable than other bikes. And too many of us (myself included) postphone some of the maintanence until 'later'. For my bikes, I tend to get around that by going overboard during our winter layup - when I cannot ride (or will not with all the salt on the roads).

 

[Igofar]

I thought I did!

But if by proper maintenance you mean to get the bike Igofared, then no, haven't had a chance to do that yet.

It’s called Whispered, or being taken hostage.

 

[Arellcat]

In the interests of closure, perhaps, this is what my SMC looked like inside. The brown crud is powdered rust sitting on top of the piston's pushrod bearing surface, and probably represents 45,000 miles and 16 years.

After cleaning the crud off I had to gently drift the piston inwards in order to get it to move and free up sufficiently to remove, out of rampant curiosity as much as anything. The bore itself was actually in excellent condition and would stand a rebuild kit at some juncture. I think however you can agree that:

• the advice that I should ride home carefully "using the front brake only" to avoid recurrence of rear caliper lockup, betrayed, of the Honda garage tasked twice with "It's broken, make it better!" and who didn't (or wouldn't¥), a certain knowing* economy with the facts;
• the receipt alleging dust and piston seals having been replaced in the rear caliper, the year before I acquired the bike, was at worst fraudulent and at best genuine but at the mercy of massive subsequent heat generation that the previous owner either didn't know or didn't care to investigate;
• the previous MOT test pass, a month before I acquired the bike, was quite possibly a complete sham.

I rebuilt the rear caliper, fitted a new SMC, bled the heck out of the brakes the good old fashioned way with an extra pair of hands, and everything† was good again.

* I'm being generous here; the mechanic I spoke with talked a good talk: he did know the components in the brake system quite well, albeit perhaps not from experienced gained through a surfeit of ST1300s, but his understanding of function was in retrospect curiously misinformed. The more people I speak to, the more the garage's reputation precedes it.
¥ "You didn't ask us to investigate anything!", he explained.
† Ah, yes, well you see I later had to pull the air box off and mess around with pipe cleaners.

 

[SMSW]

In the interests of closure, perhaps, this is what my SMC looked like inside.

Thanks for letting us know.

I'll add something here about your actions. It is my guess that your perseverance in trying to make the bike go when the SMC locked up initially burned out the clutch. In my experience, when something raises its hand telling you 'Houston, we have a problem', its best to take a few deep breaths, STOP and figure out what is wrong before additional damage is done*. My father used to tell me 'never force it'. Doing so only breaks more parts.

*Maybe figure things out before you have a rapid unscheduled disassembly.

 

[Sadlsor]

The brown crud is powdered rust sitting on top of the piston's pushrod bearing surface, and probably represents 45,000 miles and 16 years.

I suspect (and I suspect many others here would also suspect) that while the math gives us an average of just over 2800 miles per year, it's highly doubtful that's every single year. More likely, it has sat one or more times for a few years with zero miles being ridden.
And that's where the problems begin with this particular braking system.
In my case, I got the 08 ST1300 (purchased new in 2010 with no miles) ten years after that, with 6300 miles, for an average of 630 miles per annum, but I know it was not ridden for 3 or so years as I bought it from my brother-in-law who I rode with.
SMC was called for, within a few weeks of getting it home. Why not immediately? Who knows?
But with only 3 years' experience as a regular here on ST-O, ya get to learn some things.
At least *I* have.

 

[TerryS]

• the previous MOT test pass, a month before I acquired the bike, was quite possibly a complete sham.

My ST1300 was handed over with a new Warrant of Fitness (our local MOT equivalent) issued the previous day. The bike had a chronically leaking oil seal and (based on the filth it had attracted) it had been like that for many miles. Not sure what level of "inspection" actually happened. Maybe they just checked the horn and lights?