weggies for brakes

[deo]

I just pulled my brake system apart and found out that the last guy who owned my XJ1100 was a monkey with a wrench. He broke the petcocks on the brakes at the bottom so I can't drain the system. But while I was pulling the rear brakes off I noticed some very uneven wear. The brakes looked like opposing sides of a slice of pizza. One was worn thin on top while the other was thick and vis a versa. Is there something in particular causing this problem that I need to address?

I also pulled the top of the master cylender off and discovered rust in the boot and holes along side of the screw holes in the boot. I heard there was some kind of repair kit or something that can help me make do for 100,000 miles. Can someone point me in the right direction, please.

deo

[Ken Talbot]

Actually, I believe the brake pads for the front brakes on an XJ are supposed to be tapered like that, and the rears are 'flat' like on an earlier standard. Perhaps the PO got confused about what went where...

Rust under the master cylinder cover is also pretty common. If you are very careful taking the master cylinder apart, you may be able to get it clean and back together without having to buy anything. You will also want to completely strip down the calipers because they are bound to be full of spooge too. Take it slow, be thorough with your cleaning and you should be okay.

[Mike Hart]

You mean the bleeders are frozen or what? Bleeders are generic, easy to find. You can also get Speed Bleeders (do a search here). But... you can't open the bleed screws? (8mm)

The slanted pads are normal, it seems strange the first time you see it, but, the angled wear is on intially angled pads!!!

There is a wear indicator, a little groove/slot in the pads, that shows when the pads are still good. If you see no groove anywhere, they are too worn.

[Mike Hart]

uh-oh Ken....

Now it's been a while since I needed brake pads, but I'm pretty darn sure the rear ones threw me for a loop the first time I did them, being all angled/slanted like that...

I'm just going to have to look in the morning.... g'night

[deo]

Got the rust out and think that the rubber repair kit will take care of the holes in the boot but the bleeders need to be tapped out I guess? Right?

deo

[Ken Talbot]

Yes, if you've got torn rubber bits, you'll need a rebuild kit which should include new rubber pieces. An eze-out (extractor) will get the broken bleeders out .

[Dark Horse]

Replaced my brake pads in April. I went to have the state required safety inspection prior to registering my bike for the year. The inspector tried to reject my brake pads. He thought they were worn out due to their shape. It took me quit a while to convince him that they were new pads and that they came shaped like that.

[jkgrubbs]

While we're talking brakes...

I need to do the rears on my 81xs11midnight spec. The caliper mount is different than that so called manual, Clymer's. There is a single bolt at the rear of the caliper running longitudally in relation to the bike. It looks like one bolt out and the caliper comes off. Easier than taking out the axle and caliper mount, if that is waht the bolt does. Can anyone confirm my thought?

[deo]

The XJ 1100 comes off with that bolt. I pulled the brake line off and then the bolt and the whole assembly came off in my hands worked real nice.