New Pad Feel

[Dinkie Diesel]

We noticed this phenom. on the CBR1100XX site years ago and it's still unexplained. Push your front calipers slightly into the rotor just enough to slightly push the pistons into their bores. Pump the lever to reseat the pistons. Now go ride and note the brake action. It will be much improved. It will last for awhile also, try it.

If anyone can explain this I'd like to hear it.

I still have to follow up on some ideas that others have posted here but I think you are correct to call this a phenomenon. I'll plead ignorance if I find out it had air or the res. is over filled. I did not have a spongy lever so I don't think air is in play. I'll be headed out to garage shortly and report back.

 

[Tom Mac 04a]

If all is the same and no bleeding done, the only thing that comes to mind is the system ( pistons/pads ) are moving more freely due to good cleaning and give the 'feel' of working better maybe due to less pressure needed to actuate same

 

[stgolfer]

Be careful opening those resevoirs! I think you're overfull and it will start oozing out as you loosen the screws. Wrap the res with a paper towel and cover the tank well.

If that's not it, adjust the lever and go ride!

 

[st1300r]

Did your pads wear parallel to the rotor or did they wear tapered. I'm thinking if they wore on a tapered, the run-out on the rotors may of pushed the pads/pistons farther into the caliper.

That makes sense and they do wear a little tapered.
New pads engage all at once. Old uneven ones engage a little at a time further travel for full engagement. Also a little mush feel as they square up on the rotor. The piston doesn't care one way or the other new or old 10cc is still the same amount of piston movement.

If the worn pads were square they'd feel the same in the brake leaver, the res would just be a little lower but the piston stroke would be the same.

Cleaning up the slide might mean the caliper moves a little easier to center putting less pressure on the piston.

Or it's all in your head LOL.

 

[Dinkie Diesel]

Okay, finally got around to pulling the res cap off. No spillage, no pressure built up. It was certainly full but obviously not too full. Front wheel still free spins with some scratching noise only. Still have more lever than before pad replacement. Whatever causes what I am questioning is going to have to remain a mystery. I took a few pictures so y'all can see what I see. Pads couldn't have wore anymore flat/even, top to bottom and end to end. Pads are laid on the back of my bike in order from left to right sitting on the seat. A close look reveals that the outer pad (piston side) on the left (clutch lever side) side has slightly more material than the other three. Isn't that unusual? Typically the piston side pad wears more than the carriage side, doesn't it? Fluid still is pretty clean/clear. I'm not going to flush it again yet. Seems sensible to to wait a few miles and make sure the pistons don't start leaking.

 

[dr1954]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHFDa9efCQU

 

[Dinkie Diesel]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHFDa9efCQU

I've never been happier and had less!

 

[Igofar]

Okay, finally got around to pulling the res cap off. No spillage, no pressure built up. It was certainly full but obviously not too full. Front wheel still free spins with some scratching noise only. Still have more lever than before pad replacement. Whatever causes what I am questioning is going to have to remain a mystery. I took a few pictures so y'all can see what I see. Pads couldn't have wore anymore flat/even, top to bottom and end to end. Pads are laid on the back of my bike in order from left to right sitting on the seat. A close look reveals that the outer pad (piston side) on the left (clutch lever side) side has slightly more material than the other three. Isn't that unusual? Typically the piston side pad wears more than the carriage side, doesn't it? Fluid still is pretty clean/clear. I'm not going to flush it again yet. Seems sensible to to wait a few miles and make sure the pistons don't start leaking.

Yes, you were way overfull! The fill line (when the mastercylinder is level) is on the inside of the unit. Its the investment casting line on the front side of the mastercylinder. From your photo I'd say you were more than 1/4 inch over filled.
Remember, you need room for the diamphram and air space in there.
Don't use the level indicators (lines by the window) to fill it with. These are there to show approximately how much fluid is in there at a glance.
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