Mushy brakes

[cr85rb_rider]

I got new brake pads in my bike, had the shop do it for me. But the brakes are as far from touchy as can be, i can almost pull the lever to the handle bar in 3rd gear and not fall off or lose control, the brakes sucks. I think there may be air in the brake line. I read you can tie the lever back and it will blead the air out of the line. I tried it didnt help at all. Any easy fast way to get my brakes back to how i like them (powerfull and touchy?)

And its front and rear

 

[02yz426f]

Sound like they did not bleed them or the lines were not connected properly. Top off the resouvoir and take the brake line off the caliper side and pull the brake lever a couple times until you start getting fluid to come out. Finally top of the resouvoir once again.

 

[cr85rb_rider]

they did blead them

and its full of new fluid, so is there anyway to just suck the air out or something?

 

[oldguy]

Start here>> http://www.dirtrider.net/forums3/showthread.php?t=104165&highlight=brake+bleeding

If that doesn't help do a search on Bleeding brakes there are quite a few good threads on it

 

[76GMC1500]

Did they use DOT 5 or silicone fluid? The have a tendancy to hold on to tiny air bubbles which can be hard to bleed out. Shops don't always do the job right. Bleed them yourself. If everything else fails it may be time for a rebuild of the master cylinder.

It may not even be air in the system. Can you pull the lever all of the way against the bar? That's air in the system. If the pads aren't performing the way you'd like, that could just be the wrong friction material. I believe sintered pads are the grabby ones.

 

[cr85rb_rider]

Yes, i can pull it all the way to the handle bar, as far as i know they used DOT 4, ill try to bleed them later on today.

Thanks

UPDATE:

I tried the pushing in the pads and pistons into the rotor and pumping the brakes, it works, now the brake is alot firmer and the rear locks up :nod: , but the front is still a little weak, im going to do it again after church, and if there still mushy ill back bleed them.

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

If you can pull the handle to the bar and it doesn't lock the front wheel then the brake basically do not work!

If you had a shop "fix" your brakes then I would suggest you take it back to the shop and tell them to fix it again.

It sure sounds like you have air in the brake lines. This is an easy thing to correct but you do need to follow the proper proceedure. Basically, you squeeze the brake lever, hold it while the bleed valve on the caliper is opened, then shut, then release the brake lever, then top off the master cylinder. Repeat a bunch of times. You should also have a length of clear tubing on the bleeder nipple: it will allow you direct the brake fluid to a proper container (you really don't want to be squirting brake fluid everywhere) and being clear you will be able to see any air bubbles go by.

Rod

 

[cr85rb_rider]

It does lock, when its off the ground at least, but i did the push in the calipers, pump the lever, and then tie it back and there pretty stiff now and cant bring them to the handlebar anymore, so it worked. Thanks

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

Locking with the wheel off the ground is not any sort of test!
You should be capable of locking both front and rear brakes on any surface going any speed. You may not want to, but the brakes should have that capability.

I don't understand what you mean by "tie it back".

It is possible that if you pushed the calipers back you forced any air bubble back to the master cylinder where it escaped into the reservoir. If that is the case then your brakes could be fine. You should really check the level of the brake fluid in the master cylinder, however.

Rod