Nolan,
>From your description it doesn't sound like my M/C - I always get lots of
travel (down to the floor) on the first push of the pedal, firm pedal on the
second push, regardless of how fast or slow each push is. I have
experimented, pressing with different combinations of speed, to check
repeatability of this. This also agrees with Eric's advice, that if I really
hit the pedal hard, I should get a firm pedal first push, if it was an M/C
problem. It definitely feels like I get a lot of movement, then the brakes
start to work, not the brakes start to work with the pedal high up but the
pedal then sinks - although I accept that impressions can be deceptive!
I bled the brakes yesterday - no improvement. I checked the rear brakes like
you said, Nolan - pump up footbrake so pedal is firm, while applying footbrake
then apply handbrake, release footbrake, wait, then try footbrake again. It
had as much travel as ever. This, from what I understand you saying, would
rule out the rear brakes as the problem area.
I checked the front brakes lunchtime today. I only had time to do one side.
The pads were a very tight fit in the calipers - in fact I remember having to
file a bit of the metal backing plate off to get them in in the first place.
I took them back out, ground some more metal off the top and bottom edges of
the backing plate, and replaced them. They now move freely. However, my
brakes are still just as bad as ever. As I said, I have only done this one
side due to lack of time - Monday lunchtime I will do the other side, and see
if having both sides done helps at all. You may all realise by now that all
of Daffy's repair and maintenance occurs in 3/4 hour sessions during my lunch
break - as a husband, and father of a 1-year-old, it is the only time I can
find!
Richard and the unstoppable Daffy
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