Riding all winter, Rear brake issue
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- kooky scientist
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- Location: Salem, MA
Riding all winter, Rear brake issue
Had a weird thing happen to me last week. After riding all winter, it appears that my rear brakes didn't like all the gunk that was getting in there. One day my scooter wasn't going too fast and then I started to smell something funny. Immediately abandoned my scooter at the coffee shop and walked the rest of the way to work. Pushed the scooter to my friends garage to have him check it out the next day and it turned out that the brakes were semi-frozen on and all gunked up. He cleaned it out for me and all seems well now. Wore down quite a bit but still works OK now. First time that has happened in riding all winter for 6 straight years. A lot of sand, salt and snow on the roads this year.
- theemptythrone
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Thanks for the tip, bcuz mine now seem to want to freeze up. I ride her all winter also. Maybe the return springs inside the drum are broken, bcuz the brake arm does not want to release and return.
Will take it apart to inspect, clean and grease it all up the next warm day we get.
2009 RH50 10k miles on her.
Will take it apart to inspect, clean and grease it all up the next warm day we get.
2009 RH50 10k miles on her.
- kooky scientist
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- theemptythrone
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Yep, thx, gotsta remove the exhaust pipe. It needs replacing anyway. The rear lug nut size is 15/16" in case anyone wants to remove the wheel. And you will want a big breaker bar and extender pipe to help you, if the wheel has been on there for a long time. The wheel and brake insides were clean and fine. Plenty of life left on the shoes and springs were perfect. So I just went to work spraying lots of WD-40 inside and outside of the pivot pin and swing arm of the drum brake. Hammered it back and forth about 59 times. Eventually it freed up. Now the rear drum brake is working fine. Next I have to unfreeze the center stand. I hope WD-40 will do the trick again!
- OldGuy
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PB Blaster is a good penetrating fluid for loosening stuck nuts and bolts and such. But sometimes you just gotta hammer it back and forth about 59 times!
1971 Hodaka Ace 100
1977 Suzuki GT250 is now sold... Good bike!
1980 Yamaha IT125
Honda: '66 CT90 KO; '83 CT110; '92 CT70; 2001 XR250
and 1 or 2 others... I need to sell some bikes!
1977 Suzuki GT250 is now sold... Good bike!
1980 Yamaha IT125
Honda: '66 CT90 KO; '83 CT110; '92 CT70; 2001 XR250
and 1 or 2 others... I need to sell some bikes!
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Re: Riding all winter, Rear brake issue
Wow-thanks! Was just coming here to ask about my roughhouse 50 back wheel "sticking" for lack of a better word. If I try to push it by hand out of the garage it doesn't want to budge, but once throttle is going it does move. Sounds like its winter gunk as I also rode during the Boston winter season.kooky scientist wrote:Had a weird thing happen to me last week. After riding all winter, it appears that my rear brakes didn't like all the gunk that was getting in there. One day my scooter wasn't going too fast and then I started to smell something funny. Immediately abandoned my scooter at the coffee shop and walked the rest of the way to work. Pushed the scooter to my friends garage to have him check it out the next day and it turned out that the brakes were semi-frozen on and all gunked up. He cleaned it out for me and all seems well now. Wore down quite a bit but still works OK now. First time that has happened in riding all winter for 6 straight years. A lot of sand, salt and snow on the roads this year.
I am a mechanical idiot and don't have the time to take the bike to scooters go green...can i randomly apply WD40 or will I do more harm than good?
thanks!
- agrogod
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The gunk kooky was referring to was up inside the brake drum area. Your tire needs to be removed to get any gunk out. DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT spray WD40 or any other type of lubricating oil in the brake area. This will just turn your ride into an accident waiting to happen.
Either find the time and take it to your local shop and have them check it out or hunker down and get your hands dirty by learning some simple maintenance. Either route you take your ride we love you for it.
Either find the time and take it to your local shop and have them check it out or hunker down and get your hands dirty by learning some simple maintenance. Either route you take your ride we love you for it.
"When your mouth is yapping your arms stop flapping, get to work" - a quote from my father R.I.P..
always start with the simple, it may end up costing you little to nothing
always start with the simple, it may end up costing you little to nothing
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Thanks for the sage advice! Is this a nuisance or causing real damage? The issue I guess is i can't get it checked for a week or so. This morning bike seemed fine...afternoon started ok but definitely was "gunked" up after a red light stop.agrogod wrote:The gunk kooky was referring to was up inside the brake drum area. Your tire needs to be removed to get any gunk out. DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT spray WD40 or any other type of lubricating oil in the brake area. This will just turn your ride into an accident waiting to happen.
Either find the time and take it to your local shop and have them check it out or hunker down and get your hands dirty by learning some simple maintenance. Either route you take your ride we love you for it.
- agrogod
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What can eventually happen is excessive wear to the drum and pads. This will lead to brake failure. You definitely don't want that to happen. Then your ride will be out of action until you get an expensive repair done, which can include replacement of the entire rear wheel. The drum is integrated into it and once damaged it needs to be replaced. Your best course of action is to stop riding until you can get it to the shop and have them check it out for you.
Play it safe and you won't turn into another statistic.
Play it safe and you won't turn into another statistic.
"When your mouth is yapping your arms stop flapping, get to work" - a quote from my father R.I.P..
always start with the simple, it may end up costing you little to nothing
always start with the simple, it may end up costing you little to nothing
- kooky scientist
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This can cause real damage. Your brakes can get stuck in the on position without you even knowing it and burn out. Your speed will decrease to 10 mph at full throttle. You will burn out your engine and you will start to smell something bad. Get it done by a pro for $50. and you will be able to ride all year. My rear brakes burned out quite a bit until I realized what was going on and stopped.
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Thanks! where do you get your work done around the boston area? scooters go green or somewhere else?kooky scientist wrote:This can cause real damage. Your brakes can get stuck in the on position without you even knowing it and burn out. Your speed will decrease to 10 mph at full throttle. You will burn out your engine and you will start to smell something bad. Get it done by a pro for $50. and you will be able to ride all year. My rear brakes burned out quite a bit until I realized what was going on and stopped.
- kooky scientist
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Any shop (car, motorcycle, bicycle, scooter etc) can handle this job. It is very easy. You can do it too, quite easily, in your driveway or garage. Bring it to Boston, with a 6pack of good beer, and I can help you with it.bennfine wrote:Thanks! where do you get your work done around the boston area? scooters go green or somewhere else?kooky scientist wrote:This can cause real damage. Your brakes can get stuck in the on position without you even knowing it and burn out. Your speed will decrease to 10 mph at full throttle. You will burn out your engine and you will start to smell something bad. Get it done by a pro for $50. and you will be able to ride all year. My rear brakes burned out quite a bit until I realized what was going on and stopped.