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ATV Brake
System Inspection, Maintenance, and Rebuild Tips
::Continued::
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| ATV
Front Brake Caliper & Rotor |
Finally, we have the calipers, pads, and rotors.
These items work together to bring your ATV to
a stop, so they all need to be inspected routinely
as well. The rotors come in various shapes and
sizes, but a bent rotor will not allow your brakes
to work because they will press your pad back
into the caliper and prevent maximum stopping
power. A quick spin of the wheel while watching
your brake pads or caliper for movement will quickly
let you know if your rotor is bent. If you find
your rotor is bent, it should be replaced before
your next ride.
When inspecting your rotor, you will also be
able to tell if your brake pads need to be replaced
as well, and I suggest keeping a spare set of
brake pads on the shelf for the front and rear
because they will eventually need to be replaced,
and it is better to have them ready for installation
when the day arrives.
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Rear ATV
brake rotors are prone to damage from
debris on the trails such as rocks and
logs, so it is important to ride with
a skidplate when riding in harsh conditions
to help prevent bending a rotor
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Besides, routine brake maintenance, over time,
your actual brake caliper will need to be rebuilt
or replaced, but considering the expense, it would
be much more economical to just rebuild your calipers
for many more years of use without the additional
expense, so we have provided a step by step ATV
brake caliper disassembly article for those
do it yourself riders, which can save you even
more money and gain a better understanding of
your ATV’s braking system in the process.
In Review, here are the five major ATV brake
system components and their functionality
Brake Master Cylinder - Holds
the brake fluid and when operated by your brake
lever / pedal pumps pressurized brake fluid to
the brake caliper to make it operate
Brake Lines - carries
the brake fluid from the master cylinder to the
brake caliper
Brake Caliper - Houses
the pressurized brake fluid and when applied,
forces a piston out of the caliper to contact
the brake pad, which in turn forces the pads to
squeeze the brake rotor.
Brake Rotor – This
item is connected to your front hub or rear axle
assembly (rear Brake Hub) and is what the brake
pads contact when pressure is applied to the system
via the brake lever(s)
Brake pads - These
two pads are made of either sintered metal or
organic compounds and are held in place by two
sliders in the brake caliper housing and provide
friction from the force of the system to stop
your ATV.
All of these components work in harmony to bring
your ATV to a stop, so routine maintenance of
all these items are critical to proper ATV riding
safety.
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