HELP! problems changing brake pads!!

[yeller_05_400ex]

Hey guys, I am stuck in the middle of things trying to change my rear brake pads on my 400ex. I got the brake assembly unbolted and pulled away from the disk, the two bolts out that hold the pads in place, and the old pads out. Now I am stuck trying to get enough room between the 2 new pads to where I can fit it over the disk. I have tried putting a C clamp on the piston that pushes up against the pads and just cant get it pushed back far enough to create room for the new pads to slip over the disk.. Will i need to bleed brake or ?
any suggestions?

thanks!

[JW450R1]

Have u ever adjusted your parking brake.Try loosening the parking brake bolt that is in the caliper.Sometimes that holds the piston from returning all the way back in.

[Honda#4]

Take off the parking break and the piston should go back more, then just buy a PB block off and ur all set.

[kilabeez0]

i've had to grind the pads down on a sander so they would fit before.

[Honda#4]

I didnt have a problem when I installed my EBC brakes and them darn things are thick.

[Huzler]

Originally posted by JW450R1
Have u ever adjusted your parking brake.Try loosening the parking brake bolt that is in the caliper.Sometimes that holds the piston from returning all the way back in.



that will do it

[yeller_05_400ex]

alright thanks guys! ill give it a shot and see how it goes

[Sparky_20]

i just went through the same shenanigans. Needless to say I bought a PB block off.

[yeller_05_400ex]

is the parking brake bolt the gold colored one that is on the direct opposite side of the piston? I tried loosening it but i already have bent it by trying to use a C clamp on that bolt and the piston... How much do the parking brake block off kits cost and are they relatively easy to put on?

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by yeller_05_400ex
is the parking brake bolt the gold colored one that is on the direct opposite side of the piston? I tried loosening it but i already have bent it by trying to use a C clamp on that bolt and the piston... How much do the parking brake block off kits cost and are they relatively easy to put on?

Real cheap....10-20 bucks from just about anywhere: Rocky Mountain ATV, Lonestar, Duncan Racing etc. I have a Nac's blockoff myself :D Very simple to install...remove parking brake assembly by taking off the two bolts that hold it on the rear caliper....proceed to unmount the cable the rest of the way up to the lever on the bars. Install new blockoff plate with the two bolts you took off....DONE :p

[culichi]

i took off my e brake... but do i really need the e break block off?

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by culichi
i took off my e brake... but do i really need the e break block off?

It is ideal to have one to prevent water/dirt entry into the caliper from the other side. Yeah, you can ride without one but if you want to do it the right way, get a block off plate.

[Old Dirtbiker]

Loosen the rear brake fluid res. cap. Then do the c-clamp on the piston as before.

Should pop back in

[yeller_05_400ex]

I finally got the new pads on! It was pretty much a *****...to get the piston pushed back as far as I could I had to completely take of the parking brake bolt and then c-clamp it in. The pads were an extremely tight fit still, I had to use a hammer and knock the caliper down far enough so the pads were completely hugging the disc. Then they were so tight on the disc that i had to lift the quad just to even move it. I took it for a quick spin to grind some of the pads off so I could move it (only got up to 3rd gear). When i got off the disc was smoltering to the touch from the pads rubbing so much, but it did grind some off and make it easy to move... Is this a part of breaking in the new pads or is this a problem?

[Honda#4]

I dont think they should be that hot, when I put on my pads they were just warm to a touch but nothing what you said.

You sure you fully pressed the piston back? Just makin sure.

[yeller_05_400ex]

Yea that piston is as far back as I could get it with a c-clamp. I even bent the parking brake adjustment bolt on the other side a little i had it clamped so tight.. I think all i need to do to loosen my pads up is adjust that parking brake bolt because as of now its so tight i cant even set my PB.

[kilabeez0]

dont worry about it. ride it around when they're that tight and no **** they'll get hot. they'll wear fine after a few laps.

[choco]

Holy **** this seems more hassles than I lead myself to believe.
Nothing like a pedal bike, I thought it was take 2 bolts out, put pad in, and your done.

Should I take it in for pads? Or stop bein a *****a nd do it myself?

Also what cables do I lube? on 400ex 06.

[svahle]

Most of the problems I see with changing brake pads are caused by the parking brake assembly. Just remove the parking brake assembly and install a block off. The parking brakes hardly ever work right any way. This is a cheap mod and saves alot of trouble in changing pads. Do get a block off, otherwise dirt and grim will cause the o-ring around the piston rod to fail and leak fluid resulting in a loss of the rear brake.

Another common problem are that some of the parking brake block offs do not have enough clearance for the piston rod and thus create a condition similar to the parking brake assembly. From what I can tell the Moose block offs have this problem more often than others (although my Moose block off worked fine).

As for the new pads draging, I suspect the caliper could still have some room to be compressed. When fully compressed it is flush with the caliper. I have changed numerous rear pads on a 400ex and never had this problem. I suppose the pads could be too thick, but I have never encountered this problem.

[choco]

Kk i changed my break pads, but to fit it in, I had the piston all the way out, not sure if thats a factor.

Now when I press my rear brake, theres no pressure and the brake dont move, my dad said theres air in the lines, so i need to bleed them.

Theres enough brake fluid fyi.

Block-off are they expensive and are they difficult to install?

[svahle]

Originally posted by choco
Kk i changed my break pads, but to fit it in, I had the piston all the way out, not sure if thats a factor.

Now when I press my rear brake, theres no pressure and the brake dont move, my dad said theres air in the lines, so i need to bleed them.

Theres enough brake fluid fyi.

Block-off are they expensive and are they difficult to install?

There is no reason air should get in the brake line when changing pads if done correctly. But if there is air in the lines (for what ever reason) then yes you need to bleed the brakes. Do a search and there are many threads on the proper procedure.

There can be several reasons that there is no pressure. Low fluid (you have already indicated the fluid level is fine), air in the lines, old rubber brake lines expanding, bad master cylinder, seized caliber piston, brake fluid leak, seized caliper slide pins, etc. Its hard to diagnose without physically working on the quad. I would start with bleeding the brakes and go from there.

As for installing a block off, just remove the e-brake assembly (two bolts) and install the block off plate (same two bolts). Then remove the cable. Very simple procedure.

[lotlizzard]

I recentally had the same problem changing my rear pads. I could not get my piston pushed back in to the caliper any further so I blead my brakes, removed my parking break and took the piston all the way out. The edges of the piston were dirty and I figured that this was the problem so i cleaned the grime off with sand paper and oiled it and it slid back in perfectally. I put it all back togther except my parking brake which I left off but now a block off plate will not fit so I am currently riding without. Hope this helps

[choco]

Yea i probaley should do that with my Siezed caliper piston.

But shouldnt my brake pedal not bottom out? especially after pumping it so much.

Pumped/bleed the brakes so much I refilled that little canister 3 times.