2000 r6 brake problems

Started by mattg, May 30, 2007, 10:23:02 AM

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Thingy

-Bill Hitchcock
GP EX #13
Double Bravo Racing
'01 Ducati 748

Tuck your skirt in your panties and twist the throttle!

mattg

Quote from: GSXR RACER MIKE on May 30, 2007, 11:19:10 PM
Is your brake fluid reservoir full? If your reservoir is full the fluid has no place to go as it heats up and can cause braking issues. The fact that your having issues in or immediately after hard braking areas would add possibilty to this being a potential cause of your problem due to the tremendous heat just generated and not dissapated yet. You should keep the reservoir about 1/2 to 2/3 full so the fluid has a place to expand to.

Now wouldn't that be an easy fix if that was it! 8)

Yea, Wink told me to take some fluid out at putnam a few weeks ago.. I wish it was that simple.

I think I'm going to look for rotors, and if that doesn't fix it, new pads, then i dunno.

Do I need to replace the rotor mounting bolts when swapping bolts?  are they torque to yield? What's the torque spec?

thanks for the help guys!!


tstruyk

you can find torque specs in a shop manual, they have them available for download on the r6messagenet under maintanence... I believe its a sticky.  let me know if you cant find it I can get you there.  I'll be at RA all weekend so it may be monday...

good luck!

Tim
CCS GP/ASRA  #85
2010 Sponsors: Lithium Motorsports, Probst Brothers Racing, Suspension Solutions, Pirelli, SBS, Vortex

"It is incredible what a rider filled with irrational desire can accomplish"

Team_Serpent

#15
1. Brake drag:

That model R6 has always been notorious for front brake drag.  I spent hours getting that system to work halfway decent.  If your willing to spend the time, here are some things you can do.

First take the pistons out and polish them.

When you re-install, use permitex caliper piston grease in the grove of the seal and spread on the piston face as well.

After you've got everthing back together leave the calipers off and work the pistons back and forth (this is easier with the pads installed, make sure to put something in-between the pads of the caliper you are NOT working on to keep the pistons from popping all the way out) by pumping them out with the lever and then pushing them back in.  After a while you should start to see them retract when you release the lever, now your brake drag should be minimal.

remove the pads and wipe off any excess piston grease to avoid attracting dust/dirt.

In the future - Do not use brake cleaner to clean the calipers and pistons as it dries out the seals.  Use something like WD-40 or some guys like simple green.


Bleeding the system:

Sounds like you have air some where and/or probably need new pads.  Like someone said above try bleeding at the banjo bolts but tip the caliper so that the banjo bolt is facing up.  Sometimes a stubborn air pocket will be in the top of the caliper cavity and it will come out if you bleed from the banjo with it facing up.  You could also try putting a rubberband around the lever and handle bar over night, this will sometimes get stubborn air bubbles up to the MC reservoir. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Pads:

You probably need to replace.

Rotor bolts:

Can't remember if these are torx type or allen but the best way I've found to remove either is an impact driver (the kind you hit with a hammer) otherwise you will most likely round the head of a few (which turns your project into a nightmare). I have had to use heat on some in the past as yamaha uses a ton of locktite.  They are torqued to a very low spec, something like 13 lbs. if I remember correctly but a real bitch to get out the first time.  I have not used locktite on re-install and have never had a problem.

Warped rotors:

Maybe, but I'd work on the other stuff first (bleeding and pads) they are cheaper.


Hope this helps, feel free to pm for my number if you have questions or need more detail.












dylanfan53

I'm gonna butt in with a quick question...

When you use heat should it be applied directly to the bolts or to the wheel around the bolt?  I keep getting different answers. Thanks.
Don Cook
CCS #53

Team_Serpent

Quote from: dylanfan53 on June 04, 2007, 08:46:28 PM
I'm gonna butt in with a quick question...

When you use heat should it be applied directly to the bolts or to the wheel around the bolt?  I keep getting different answers. Thanks.

Those bolts are really soft to begin with, I used a propane torch (home depot has them cheap) and heated the area of the wheel around the bolt being careful not to over heat and damage the finish.  It really didn't take much heat, just enough to soften the locktite.

You may not even need it if you use the impact driver (highly recommended).  I don't even try to loosen rotor bolts that have never been removed before without an impact driver.  It just makes the job so easy and pain free.

I also take a sharpie and make a mark on the bolt head so I could see if the impact driver moved it.  Sometimes the bolt moves so quickly when you hit the driver you can't see it move without a mark.

Here is a link to an example of the impact driver I am reffering to http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000723.php

Team_Serpent

Another tip on reducing brake drag is how you pump up the brakes after install or wheel changes.  Only pull the lever halfway multiple times to bring the pads out to meet the rotors rather than making a couple of full strokes.  The pressure that builds in the MC when you pull the lever a full stroke will effect the amount of retract of the piston when the lever is released.


dylanfan53

Don Cook
CCS #53

tzracer

I prefer using a heat gun rather than a torch. A good deal of the flame from a propane torch is not very easy to see, it is easy to accidentally heat/burn another part or start a fire.

Remember you are only heating enough to soften the thread lock, probably not even 200F. Some heat guns have temperature control, I start at about 150F and that is usually enough. I also have a tip for the gun that concentrates the hot air through a tip about 1/4" in diameter.

I also heat the bolt, shortest path to the thread locker. This also reduces the chances of damaging other parts due to heat - example - wheel bearings do not like heat, heating the hub can over heat wheel bearings. Also aluminum requires more heat to warm than does steel (specific heat of aluminum is twice that of steel).
Brian McLaughlin
http://www.redflagfund.org
Donate at http://www.donate.redflagfund.org
 
2 strokes smoke, 4 strokes choke

Team_Serpent

Quote from: tzracer on June 05, 2007, 05:47:45 PM
I prefer using a heat gun rather than a torch. A good deal of the flame from a propane torch is not very easy to see, it is easy to accidentally heat/burn another part or start a fire.

Remember you are only heating enough to soften the thread lock, probably not even 200F. Some heat guns have temperature control, I start at about 150F and that is usually enough. I also have a tip for the gun that concentrates the hot air through a tip about 1/4" in diameter.

I also heat the bolt, shortest path to the thread locker. This also reduces the chances of damaging other parts due to heat - example - wheel bearings do not like heat, heating the hub can over heat wheel bearings. Also aluminum requires more heat to warm than does steel (specific heat of aluminum is twice that of steel).


Never thought about using a heat gun, I recently got one and will try your method next time, thanks!

Kelly Ruby

my gsxr started having tons of brake drag at moroso - i couldn't get the front tire to spin a whole revolution.  they've dragged before, but this was enough to slow me down!

i replaced the pads and that solved the problem.  apparently the metal backing can warp and that causes the dragging.  you would think the pad material would get worn down flat and it wouldn't matter, but that was not the case.

i ended up with the new "race" ebc "laser cut" pads - supposed to cut down on warping since they are laser cut and not heat cut so they don't lose their tempering.  downside is they are only available from trackside vendors at $80 a set (for me).
CCS AM #522

mattg

Well, I replaced the rotors and one of them was dished.  but I'm still getting brake drag.

I've cleaned my pistons.. they aren't pitted or dirty at all.. but I didn't polish them.  I just used paper towel and brake cleaner, dried them and reinstalled. 

I'm going to get new pads, and I guess I'll do the pistons again when they come in and get them really clean with a scotch bright pad.  I'll also try working them in and out.  guess that's all I can do :(