piemuncher Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Hi all, I have a little travel on the front brake before I get any pressure on the lever or front wheel, its nothing ridiculous that comes back to the bars but it does mean it can be a little grabby at times. The brake fluid is within the limits that it should be, could this just be pads being low? Another silly question by, Pie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirriePete Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 How old's the fluid? You should change it at least every 2 years as it 'goes off' - hygroscopic, absorbs water, boiling point falls, more compressible, etc... If you're not sure, change it: Pipe on bleed nipple into jar of fluid. Open reservoir and loosen nipple Pump fluid out, topping up the reservoir before it gets down to the hole in the bottom Keep going until fresh fluid comes out the bottom, then hold lever and tighten bleed nipple. Job done! Also that will mean the brake gets a proper bleeding, which could be a nother cause of any sponginess. Other things? How old are the hoses? Rubber brake pipes go squashy with age (5 years is the usual quoted figure) - best to replace them with stainless steel braided hoses, sharper feel, longer life - I'm a fan of HEL stuff myself. If the pads are low (how low is low?) they might also be a bit old and can start getting flaky. Can't remember if the 'Cat has single-sided or double-sided brakes. Either way, check that the piston(s) are sliding freely (not all covered in crap/rust) and any sliding pins aren't seized. Fuggit, just start at one end of the braking system and work to the other making sure everything is as good as you can get it - remember they're the main thing stopping you from crunching into the pillock emergency stopping coz he dropped his coffee in his lap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted December 7, 2011 Moderator Share Posted December 7, 2011 I would agree with that. Just remember that bleed nipples can shear off and pistons can seize. Brakes can be a painful job to do right if they have not been maintained properly. Stainless steel nipple replacements can help and a set of new seals with the new fluid and pads should have you doing stoppies in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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