front brakes suck

[bone705]

i just replaced the pads on my front brakes because they were feeling spong. i put the new pads on and they still are really spongy. i tried draining the fluid and re-bleeding them but they still suck. i also got steel braided brake lines so i dont know what the problem is. any suggestions. oh i did notice when i squeeze the brakes the cailpers twist a little.

[beak7707]

You dont need brakes!

[bone705]

anyone?

[toby400ex]

Mine were just like yours, i bought some stainless steel brake lines and they fockin rock.

[James Parent]

i love the front brakes, use them all the time

[Quadzilla]

If your caliper are twisting, there may be something wrong. I would make sure that they are tight, etc. Not sure what else to tell ya. When I added SS lines, the difference was night and day

[bone705]

would having a 400ex mastercylinder on it be my trouble?

[Woodsrider]

Originally posted by bone705
would having a 400ex mastercylinder on it be my trouble?

I dont think so. Open the lid on the master cylinder, Then open both bleed screws on the calipers and let them gravity bleed. If they're spongy you havent got all the air out of the lines. The air compresses and gives you that soft lever.
After you gravity bleed them, use another person if you have to, pump the lever several times and hold it squeezed, open the bleeder on one caliper. Then close it and repump the lever. repeat this as many times as needed until there is no air left in the lines. Be careful not to let the resivoir go empty or you'll have to start over.

[bone705]

when i open to bleeders on the calipers its all fluid that comes out. is there still a chance that i have air in my lines?

[EX4me]

Seems like the same problem I'm having. Only fluid comes out when I open the bleed line.:(

[Woodsrider]

Originally posted by bone705
when i open to bleeders on the calipers its all fluid that comes out. is there still a chance that i have air in my lines?

Even when you open it under pressure? Careful! dont look at while you open it. Your mater cylinder could be shot if there is no air in the lines then I would suspect a bad master.
But You said your calipers twist also. I suggest you check the istallation of them before condeming the master.

[protraxrptr17]

Check your caliper pins. You caliper is supposed to slide back and forth on pins. These are steel pins inside aluminum bores. Any little bit of moisture will lock em up tight. When they do your brake action gets spongy or they will drag. Take your calipers off the spindles. You will see that there are little rubber boots between the mounting bracket and the caliper. Inside those boots are the pins. If the bracket wont slide back and forth freely you need to free them up. If I remember correctly, find a rubber plug on the other end of the pin boss. Take it out and look inside. If it is cruddy in there spray some penetrating oil in there and let it set awhile. Then go back and look again. You will see a place for an allen wrench. Get a good quality metric allen wrench and take the pin out. After that the bracket and the other pin will come out together. Clean the pins and bores real good and coat them with anti seize before you reinstall them. If you ride in mud and water you need to do this pretty often. This problem is often overlooked when trying to get brakes working. Hope I helped.

[bradley300]

^^^ good advise! same thing was wrong w/ my 300, i wasnt too lucky tho, the pins were completly froze and i had to buy new calipers, solved the problem tho