Rear Brake Issues

[DCII]

I am currently having rear brake issues on my SG, and need some input. I am trying to figure out why I have so much pedal travel prior to the brake working, moves about 1 1/2 inches before the brake works. I have tried bleeding the system both with and without a Mighty Vac. Both the master cylinder and the brake caliper seem to working fine. Could air in the system be causing the extra travel distance, pumping the brake pedal makes no difference in the travel distance.

[FJ111200]

Have you got the main return spring in the right position?
It's that big, circular one with two tangs.
If it's not hooked up right there will be a load of free play.

[TomB]

Another one to check, if you have had brake pads out and not put them back in the same sides thay came out of they can sit at an angle if they're worn, this can cause the caliper piston to be pushed back into the caliper a long way.

Or as you say, loads of air still in there maybe, I sometimes resort to cracking the banjo bolts open a little to get air out, instead of the bleed nipple.

[natemoen]

Have you adjusted the rod on the back side of the pedal assembly that actually contacts the master cylinder?

If so and you ran out of adjustment, take the pedal off and rotate the splined shaft to get to closer to contact and then put the pedal back on.

[DCII]

Nate thanks for the input, I bled the caliper again this morning after leaving it overnight with the pedal held down and the pedal travel is now down to about an inch. If I am thinking correctly by reducing the length of the master cylinder actuator rod this should move the initial starting point of the pedal higher. I tried taking the pedal off last night to get the starting position higher however a movement of just one tooth on the splined shaft caused it to contact the foot peg. The actuator rod currently has about 3/8" of thread between the adjusting nuts, on my other SG that gap is only about 1/8" and that one seems to work fine with about one inch of pedal travel.

[TomB]

"Nate, Tom and FJ111200 thanks for the input???" ...no?

Talk about being stone walled


Be wary of adjusting the rod, usually if the rod needs adjusting its because your M/C piston is sticking up, this results in calipers sticking on, and spooge hole problems. Before adjusting the rod up, try pulling the piston down to see if it is coming down as far as it should.





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[DCII]

Tom & FJ111200 thanks for your input also, sorry for the oversight, must have been the accent. Think I have the problem resolved for now, I rebuilt the master cylinder last Fall and it seems to be working properly and the caliper is releasing as it should. I did not adjust the rod at that time, and am now wondering if the PO had adjusted it out to compensate for master cylinder issues prior to selling it. I will check the travel on the rod and also make sure it is allowing the piston in the mc to release fully.

[TomB]

I' l l s p e a k s l o w l y s o y o u c a n u n d e r s t a n d i n f u t u r e



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[FJ111200]

I' l l s p e a k s l o w l y s o y o u c a n u n d e r s t a n d i n f u t u r e



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SMIDSY

[natemoen]

There are 2 different pedal adjustments. There is that actuator rod and then on the front side there is a pedal stop adjustment. The pedal stop adjustment is what you need to look at now if you move the spline. That will prevent the pedal from hitting the footpeg or anything else. There is a chance the bolt for that has vibrated out over the years but it should be right next to the attatchment for the brake pedal light.

[WMarshy]

There are 2 different pedal adjustments. There is that actuator rod and then on the front side there is a pedal stop adjustment. The pedal stop adjustment is what you need to look at now if you move the spline. That will prevent the pedal from hitting the footpeg or anything else. There is a chance the bolt for that has vibrated out over the years but it should be right next to the attatchment for the brake pedal light.

I agree with everything Nate pointed out. I will add one thing though, adjust the pedal on the spline shaft so it has enough spring tension to make contact with the bottom of the foot peg (light pressure only) then adjust the pedal stop so the arm moves back off the peg, now adjust the actuator rod to 1/32 to 1/16" of free play. Per the manual, they give you a target dimension that the surface of the pedal should be lower than the peg... not shure what that value is, I just set it to what feels right.

[skids]

Per the manual, they give you a target dimension that the surface of the pedal should be lower than the peg... not shure what that value is, I just set it to what feels right.

Exactly. I set mine a bit lower so that I don't "ride the brake" while resting my foot on the peg.