Front Brakes locked up

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

I had my frontline Buddy sidelined for some time while I was rebuilding the fork assembly. I had removed the front brake caliper from the rotor and it was left hanging freely below the bike. After some time when I tried to reassemble everything, the calipers had locked shut and I am unable to get it back onto the rotor to mount to the forks. I never worked on brakes before and never had any issues with them until now. Has anyone had this problem before? Any suggestions on how to unlock the brakes and get them back to normal. I have basic tools, nothing fancy. I also have a second Buddy that I was thinking of removing both front brake assemblys and switching them out completely to get my primary up and running, but I'll eventually still have to fix the original problem. Again, it's clamped shut and hanging off of the rotor.

[hewl35]

I would take the cover off the master cylinder and use a small c-clamp to compress the piston back into the caliper.

[RoaringTodd]

^ that plus I would remove some brake fluid so it does not spill over when pressing back. It could be some kind of fluid pressure on the pads.

[agrogod]

You will need a small C-clamp or brake spreader tool to press the calipers open. And here's how you do that.

1. Remove the brake fluid cap and cover loosely with a rag. Don't let the rag get into the brake fluid, this may contaminate it and you will end up having to change that.

2. Remove the brake shoes/pads

3. There are two sides to the caliper, you will apply the C-clamp to the piston side. This is done by placing the screw-able part of your clamp to the inside of the recessed part of the caliper. The stationary part goes on the outside portion of the caliper directly opposite of the recessed part. For a brake spreader the turn-able part is applied the the piston recess and the stationary part is applied to the inside part of the caliper directly opposite of the piston.

4. Now turn your tool inwards until it makes contact with the inside of the piston.

5. Once contact is made if you release the tool it should not come off of the caliper.

6. Now slowly turn the tool inwards, and I do stress slowly, until you seat the piston in a full open position or in lay-mans terms until it won't turn inwards anymore. You do not have to apply much pressure to do this and once open the tool can now be completely removed.

7.Re-insert your brake shoes/pads and reassemble the caliper onto your disc.

8. Remove the rag and top off with brake fluid to recommended level if needed and replace the cover.

9. Apply your front brake to seat your newly installed or reinstalled shoes/pads

10. If all went well happy days your on the road again!!

You only have to do this job once on any disc brake vehicle, and now you will be able to change the brakes on pretty much anything out there with disc brakes. Of course each vehicle may have different mounting hardware but the process for the caliper is the same.

Good luck and much success to you.

[Syd]

The Buddy pistons aren't threaded like my old Subaru's were, are they? I fought for a day before I went looking for a Haynes manual.

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

You will need a small C-clamp or brake spreader tool to press the calipers open. And here's how you do that.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/access ... 66271_0_0_

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/access ... 41493_0_0_

which of these two would be more effective? I can pick either of them up tomorrow and take a stab at it.

Thanks for the details step by step, I hope I'm able to make it work

[agrogod]

The brake spreader would be your best option. It can also be used on small automotive disc brakes. And the one you linked to looks exactly like the one I bought over 20 years ago, good to see that the basic tools have not changed.

[jrsjr]

The brake spreader would be your best option.

Agreed. Best to avoid anything that might score the inside of your caliper.

[agrogod]

The brake spreader would be your best option.

Agreed. Best to avoid anything that might score the inside of your caliper.

I have used both methods, with the c-clamp being a last resort because I either, could not find my spreader or the brake I was working on was too big for the spreader to function properly. As long as you use due care with the c-clamp you should not have to worry about causing damage to the caliper. This is one reason why I stress the work slowly approach.

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

well I got the spreaders, but they were much too big for the little calipers. I opened the reservoir and was able to get a screwdriver to wedge them apart. I have no idea how to get the shoes off though, so I left them on. I got the piston back open fully, mounted the brake, closed the reservoir, then gave it a few pumps until it set. Now I'll take it on a run on Thursday to make sure there are no major issues. Waiting for my stator in the mail. Thanks for the help, I followed as much as I could possibly manage and it was good. Fingers crossed!

[agrogod]

Your screw driver approach although doable, must have been a bitch. I tried that approach the very first time I did brakes on a car. Got the piston about half seated and it wouldn't go any more. That's when I got my spreader, just wish I had known about it before hand.
But it seems that all is well with the world as your back up and running again and that's what counts in the long run.
Just curious, did you have the spreader opened up fully when you tried to use it, or it was just plain too big to fit?
As for the pads, they are held in place with a clip and usually you can just pop them off with some applied pressure, of course getting them back on can be the tricky part.

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

Just curious, did you have the spreader opened up fully when you tried to use it, or it was just plain too big to fit?

It was too big for the application, even when fully closed.

[agrogod]

I am guessing that the calipers on the RH are a bit beefier than the Buddy's, mine worked, it was a little tight but doable.