Brake pad contamination

[chuckycheese]

The other day I took my bike to an authorized Suzuki dealer to have a new rear tire put on. I brought the tire with me and the price was right so I figured I'd let them do it. Well.....the dummy that did the job put too much grease on the axle and when I was riding home, it splattered onto my brake disk.....naturally when I applied the brakes, it contaminated my rear brake pad. I cleaned off the disk with alcohol when I got home. Do you think the pads are shot??? I think very little got onto the pad because it still brakes fairly good but not like it should. Any advice would be welcomed. By the way, I'll tell the dealer but am interested to know if this a pad-ending event.

[earlfor]

Re: Brake pad contamination

Well now, ahm a gonna tell youse what I would do. :-)
I would clean the rotor with acetone, clean the pads with acetone and then take a block of wood with 80 grit sandpaper and scuff off any glazed grease that might be on the pad surface. Re assemble and bleed the brake and then take the bike to a deserted road and run it up to about 10 mph and using only the rear brake, see if I could lock the rear wheel. If so, I would run it up to about 30 mph and still using only the rear, see if I could still (MOMENTARILY) lock the rear wheel. I would do a final test run with a momentary lock up at 60 mph.
Now, depending on experience, and skill, this could be safe advice or it could be disasterous. You do not want to lock the rear wheel any longer that it takes to know that you have been able to lock it up. The bike must be straight up and going in a straight line when you do this. If you hold the brake long enough for the rear wheel
to drift to either side and release it at that point, you run a high risk of highsiding the bike and eating pavement. I wouldnt keep the rear wheel locked for more than 1/2 second. If you do hold the wheel locked too long and the rear wheel swings out more than a few degrees, it is best to keep the wheel locked until youre
stopped. I wouldnt suggest this to anyone that was working on their first day of riding experience, but since youre on bike number 11.....well. :-) Your call...:-)

Earl

The other day I took my bike to an authorized Suzuki dealer to have a new rear tire put on. I brought the tire with me and the price was right so I figured I'd let them do it. Well.....the dummy that did the job put too much grease on the axle and when I was riding home, it splattered onto my brake disk.....naturally when I applied the brakes, it contaminated my rear brake pad. I cleaned off the disk with alcohol when I got home. Do you think the
pads are shot??? I think very little got onto the pad because it still brakes fairly good but not like it should. Any advice would be welcomed. By the way, I'll tell the dealer but am interested to know if this a pad-ending event.

[chuckycheese]

Sounds like fun

Thanks, Earl, for your advice and, especially, your detailed braking instructions. I remember when I was in high school, I went through a phase whereby I used to lock-up my rear wheel every opportunity I got (I think it must have been a carry-over from my bicycle days!). In any case, I lived through it and eventually got over it so I'm a bit out of practice. Seriously, I locked it up this morning (before I got your instructions) and it was do-able but more difficult than it should have been. I have a feeling there was very little grease on the pads because it seems to be getting better. Thanks Earl

[argonsagas]

Earl said everything already, but here's another two cents worth...

I use a spray degreaser called BRAKLEEN it has a line over the A.

It's made in the US of A, so it may be available near you.

Comes with a long nozzle attachment, so you can direct the sray exactly where you want it. I started using it soon as I bought the GS 1100G
because the battery went dead at the gas station, and I could barely move the bike....front pads were clogged up. Had to call the wife to bring her truck and jump start the bike.

Bike mechanic said this is common, and recommended this product as excellent for removing grease and junk, so the pads get sprayed with it once a month.

This stuff cleans grease off very fast, and then dries very fast. Completely evaporated within about 2 minutes.

[earlfor]

Hmmm Ron, I think I need to get a can of that stuff too. My front brake pads seem to build up crud causing them to drag a touch more than they should.

Earl

[quote="argonsagas

I use a spray degreaser called BRAKLEEN

[mcycle-nut]

Be careful WHERE you use Brakeleen, as it will remove grease and oil from anywhere it's sprayed or runs to. Also, don't breath it, it's full of nasty stuff. 8O It does do the job though, I use it on my four wheeled vehicles when I do brake jobs. They make a "green" version of the stuff. I think they've just diluted it, as it's pretty useless compared the the "unfriendly" stuff. :?

[chuckycheese]

Brakaleen

Many thanks to all! I'm going to take a spin this morning in the Calfifornia sunshine and pick up a can of the stuff......that is, provided I'm able to STOP at the store.....