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Dragging calipers?

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629 views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  kan3  
#1 ·
I noticed after putting the front end together and slapping new brake pads in the calipers, that I can grab the wheel and only get about 1 full rotation out of it before it comes to a stop.

Does this seem a little too drastic?


The pistons seemed to slide in easily when I was putting the new pads in so nothing striked me as being odd. I suppose the rotors could be warped but they were fine when I sat them on my shelf 3 months ago and I just put them back on the bike yesterday.

Ugh...probably need a rebuild :hammer
 
#2 · (Edited)
There will ALWAYS be a little stiction between calipers and rotors. Especially when pistons are backed all the way in with new pads as they pretty much have no-where to retract to. Some pads take up alittle more space than others so this is not uncommon! Rotors dont warp from 3 months on the shelf! Should free up abit after useage.
Did you clean the pistons with a tooth brush or similar soft bristled brush BEFORE retacting them into calipers? Its always a good idea! Helps keep them moving freely.
 
#3 ·
. . . I wouldn't necessaily consider these to be dragging . . . YET.

Can you push the bike OK?

To me the best test to see if calipers are dragging is to take it for a ride. (Are you mobile yet?) If the discs are HOT after a ride with little braking then they are dragging.
 
#4 ·
I will look at it another way. If you only get one turn then yes they are too tight. If you are realy sure your rotors are not warped and or bent then it's easy, pop out your pistons and clean them up. Very nice way to spend an evening in the garage. I have seen to many people say this and then realize when they were on the ground taking the rotors off the wheel they bent them because there was no support from the rim to the ground just like spooning on a tire.

If it is the pistons don't worry you will have warped rotors by the time enough pad is worn off..