new brake pads on back tire

[kkrazyt85]

I am sure this is a stupid question but here it is...I put on new rear brake pads today and a heck of a time getting them over the rotor...now the rotor drags pretty heavy on the pads....the rotor was somewhat damaged from the PO the old pads were down to metal....Is it normal for the new ones to be tight at first? I have the proper amount of fluid in the reservoir and have bled the system....I can turn the wheel by hand but it is dragging....and when I took it around the block the rotor got hot to the touch...

[Pat Kelly]

Did you loosen the bleeder valve on the caliper? That should release any pressure in the system from forcing the thicker brake pads over the rotor.

[kkrazyt85]

Yep

I bled the system too and I think the rotor might be warped a little or maybe it is just that it is a little rough from the abuse of PO going metal to metal on it...

[Ken Talbot]

You might be having a problem with the retaining screw not sitting properly into the slot in the top of the inside pad. Look at the screw just below the digit 5 in this view:


There is a bit of a trick in getting the caliper back over the rotor and hooked onto this screw if you don't remove the screw first. There's also a bit of a trick in getting the screw back into its proper place if you back the screw out of the caliper first. Either way, if the screw is not properly seated, the inner pad will get cocked over at the top and drag against the rotor.

[John]

Rear master cylinder

Have you checked the actuating rod from the brake lever to the master cylinder? If it is adjusted too long it will not allow the fluid to return to the master cyl, in effect, keeping the brake applied all the time. That would explain ALL of your problems. Did you try to compress the piston back into the caliper when you had it off, to allow clearance for the new thicker pads when you reinstalled it? It's a simple adjustment, just make the rod a little shorter. If the rotor is grooved, or gouged, it wii tear up a set of pads very quickly. A quick check is to apply the rear brake a few times, and wait a couple of seconds and the pressure should bleed off. Open the bleeder screw, and see if the fluid comes squiting out, or does it just ooze? Another thing to check is the spooge hole. That is the port in the master cyl that fluid returns back to the reservior through. Good luck.

[kkrazyt85]

Thanks for the advice...

[sixtysix]

Re: Rear master cylinder

Originally posted by John
Have you checked the actuating rod from the brake lever to the master cylinder? If it is adjusted too long it will not allow the fluid to return to the master cyl, in effect, keeping the brake applied all the time. That would explain ALL of your problems. Did you try to compress the piston back into the caliper when you had it off, to allow clearance for the new thicker pads when you reinstalled it? It's a simple adjustment, just make the rod a little shorter. If the rotor is grooved, or gouged, it wii tear up a set of pads very quickly. A quick check is to apply the rear brake a few times, and wait a couple of seconds and the pressure should bleed off. Open the bleeder screw, and see if the fluid comes squiting out, or does it just ooze? Another thing to check is the spooge hole. That is the port in the master cyl that fluid returns back to the reservior through. Good luck.

This got me when i first bought my XS!!