Run without a rear brake?

[madmax-im]

Folks what are your thoughts on this? I have a trip coming up but dont have the time to get into the rear brake...it is binding and has decreased my gas mileage a bit...I was thinking of just disconnecting it and makingsure the caliper piston is fully backed off the rotor..or just taking the pads out...either way freeing up the rear wheel. Since a good 75% of all braking is done by the front brakes ...if the roads are dry I should be able to do it....

[mxmikie]

if you do you will only need the 25% you get from the rear brake

[madmax-im]

if you do you will only need the 25% you get from the rear brake

Well the rear brake is actually linked to one of the front calipers so perhaps its more than 25%...LOL I might have one other option...there is a mechanic I know about 20 miles from me who might be able to free it up..but if it needs any parts i woudln't have the time to wait for an order to come in...JAT

[DGXSER]

Have you verified if it is a spooge hole issue? Or if it is the front or rear caliper?

If it is the rear caliper, I know I took mine apart and cleaned it up. Put it back together with original parts and has worked great for 8-9 months so far.

If it were me, especially with the linked brakes, no way would I take a trip with out it. But I am pretty risk adverse.

[madmax-im]

Have you verified if it is a spooge hole issue? Or if it is the front or rear caliper?

If it is the rear caliper, I know I took mine apart and cleaned it up. Put it back together with original parts and has worked great for 8-9 months so far.

If it were me, especially with the linked brakes, no way would I take a trip with out it. But I am pretty risk adverse.

I have checked both wheels and it is the rear one thats binding up...it isnt a total lock but you can feel where its tighter when rotating the rear wheel...I just dont have the time to do the work myself...I am selling a house and famly stuff too...next week i have a trip to CT planned. I guess it'll be going to this mechanic that I know...he specializes in older bikes and is very knowledgeable about the Yamahas.He will most likely dis-assemble it and clean it up...he said it will only take 1 day...and thats alot faster than I could do it...I agree that I would prefer to have the linked braking..I love that feature...

[Guy_b_g]

I'm not recommending it, but when the rear brake had problems on my Guzzi, I ran for a week or so with only fronts. Just be careful at stops where there might be gravel, sand or dirt.

I never noticed much difference without the rear brake, but I hammer my front brakes pretty hard, and just feather the rear on hard stops.

Of course with linked brakes you are giving up a good bit more stopping power..probably on the order of 50% since you're losing half your front braking power.

[madmax-im]

I'm not recommending it, but when the rear brake had problems on my Guzzi, I ran for a week or so with only fronts. Just be careful at stops where there might be gravel, sand or dirt.

I never noticed much difference without the rear brake, but I hammer my front brakes pretty hard, and just feather the rear on hard stops.

Of course with linked brakes you are giving up a good bit more stopping power..probably on the order of 50% since you're losing half your front braking power.

Yeah earlier this summer when everything was working right...I had to make a panic stop and the linked brakes didnt miss abeat...I stopped in a straight line and nothing locked up and i ws going too fast...I did stop in time though!

[tw1980]

Well Max you'll probably get away with it but I'm one of those guys that if everything is not working right before I go I DON'T GO.It's tough to do an emergency stop with one wheel.My motto is play it safe and live to ride another day.

Terry

[madmax-im]

Well Max you'll probably get away with it but I'm one of those guys that if everything is not working right before I go I DON'T GO.It's tough to do an emergency stop with one wheel.My motto is play it safe and live to ride another day.

Terry

Thanks Terry...bike is heading to the shop tmrw...if it doesnt cure the problem I will take the cage and borrow someone elses bike...LOL

[trbig]

What I have found with my XJ, is a combination of the spooge hole needs cleaned, along with the caliper. There's a square shouldered O-ring in the caliper that seals around the piston. I just use the brake pedal to push the piston out. There will more than likely be some crud left in the caliper.

Clean the caliper piston with some emory cloth if it's rusty, then get that O-ring out of it's groove in the caliper. Clean behind this O-ring with a dental pick or such. Corrosion over time behind this O-ring expands and pushes the O-ring against the piston and binds it up enough to not let it return properly.

I know things are tight for you right now, but a stainless line will help the braking, AND the piston return by not having any flex like the old rubber line. You can buy aftermarket line with a 10mm banjo bolt for the caliper side of the line, and a 10mm compression fitting to screw into the proportion valve. The line ran me @ $1 an inch (Seems like I remember a 16" line back there) and the ends were @ $7-8 each, so it's not too hard a hit.

Yes, the front brake has most of your stopping power. Under really hard braking, I'm guessing there's less than 10% since the rear tire is sometimes barely touching the ground. BUT.. if you hit a wet spot, pine needles, gravel, etc... A front brake will give you some time to lay on the ground a while and try to figure out what just happened. Kinda weird.. someone like me advising someone to not do something foolish.. lol.

Tod

[madmax-im]

For the short term...I am just going to have evrything cleaned up...as there is no time to order parts or SS lines...I have trip to New England starting next Thurs. In the long run I will do the SS line front and rear...actually on the XJ there are a total of 5 brake lines that would need to be changed...at least thats what I was quoted from a company out in Kalifornicated land that has Galfer kits.

[trbig]

actually on the XJ there are a total of 5 brake lines that would need to be changed...

That is counting replacing the long solid metal one going from the back to the front that goes along the frame. Why replace an already good solid line? You can just replace them in steps.. no need to replace them all at once. I ordered the lines from my local shop, and he had them in the next day. You might check on that. If you can get at least the rear one in, your mechanic is going to have to bleed the system anyway, so it would be a good idea to replace at least the rear right now... but also understand if you just want to do it all at once.


Tod

[Guy_b_g]

Yes, the front brake has most of your stopping power. Under really hard braking, I'm guessing there's less than 10% since the rear tire is sometimes barely touching the ground. BUT.. if you hit a wet spot, pine needles, gravel, etc... A front brake will give you some time to lay on the ground a while and try to figure out what just happened. Kinda weird.. someone like me advising someone to not do something foolish.. lol.

I'm not a fan of linked brakes at all...I prefer to be in charge of how much stopping power goes to each brake, based on what I feel happening. My old Guzzi LeMans CX100 had linked brakes and that was the first thing I got rid of.

I certainly don't recommend riding without rear brakes...but...I have done it...and would never ride without front brakes. I've never had any difficulty feeling when the front tire is starting to lose grip, and I've seen more riders get into trouble in the twisties or in places with marginal traction by using too much rear brake or throttle, than front brake. I use my rear brake very sparingly and usually only on trailing thottle entering corners, to hold the bike from rolling at a full stop, or for more control in slow speed manuevering. If you have to let up on front brake pressure due to lack of traction, you don't gain much by adding rear brake, it's just plain gonna take longer to stop or slow down.

But...(and here's the qualification)..I'm speaking only for myself, and no one else, and it would be irresponsible of me to say that all riders have the same feel for their front end or the amount of riding experience that others do.

[madmax-im]

I appreciate the discussion on linked brakes...I for one like them...as I stated earlier...I had a panic stop from 60 mph as I misjudged the timing on a traffic light so I hit the both brakes... I'm sure the linked setup prevented the rear tire from locking up as I really braked as hard as I could. Its times like those when you dont have time to think of percentages of brake pressure front and rear...but maybe thats just me... In the twisties and hot in a corner...I trail brake using the front brake...never the rear and stay on the throttle and slowly ease off of it... just enough that I can regain the angle needed to get around the curve.

[Guy_b_g]

Some people like them and some don't...just be careful using linked brakes on dirt or gravel roads. I'm not familiar with the ones on the Yamaha, but the ones on the Guzzi had enough front bias that you could slide the front end before the rear.

Panic stops are instinctive...and I always practice them when getting to know an unfamiliar bike...to the point of lighting up the front tire or feeling the rear lose contact...I do it over and over until I'm comfortable that I know how it feels, every bike feels a bit different. I've had bikes that would stand on their nose, and ones like the XS11 that'll slide the front end first. I'm just more comfortable letting my instincts make the judgement on brake bias. You can get used to anything, including linked brakes, so I am sure they can be just as effective as seperate systems... it's just a personal preference for me, plus the added complexity of the system.