okay, tell me what I have going on here

[user 6393]

am on my way to Calgary, left late, but....

Got to the ferry and looked down at my front wheel. WTH? It looks like someone powder coated it black. Even coverage, the whole wheel rim and some debris on the backs of the forks by the calipers. It's fine black powdery stuff. I wiped it all off (took 5 babywipes to get it all clean), and rode on a ways up the Valley, stopped for a Tim's and it's starting to collect again.

I checked the brake pads (that were replaced after CFR) and there is no abnormal wear to them. All even, all very meaty, as new pads should be.

So, is it possible to have something seized in the pistons, all of them at the same time? Or what else could it be?

Should I ride on, or turn around and go home?

b

(although, being stuck in this hotel with the RCMP Musical Ride isn't so bad either. 50 of Canada's finest, 1 who helped carry my luggage to my room, and 1 I think I talked out of buying a Honda ST cuz it looks like a Burgman from behind :lol: )

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Barb,

Are your Rotors OK or discolored? If they are fine, I would take a look at something rubbing the tire.

In the meantime, enjoy the Musical Ride.

 

[user 6393]

Barb,
Are your Rotors OK or discolored? If they are fine, I would take a look at something rubbing the tire.

In the meantime, enjoy the Musical Ride.

Rotors are fine, no discoloration, no ridges or anything. I'll check the tire in the am, thanks.

 

[buf2phx]

Are you using the same brand/type brake pads as you had before? Some brands tend to generate a lot more dust than others. If you made a switch, I'd just chalk it up to dusty pads.

Mike

 

[FJRBluesman]

Are you using the same brand/type brake pads as you had before? Some brands tend to generate a lot more dust than others. If you made a switch, I'd just chalk it up to dusty pads.Mike

Gunny. Barb - Just watch the brake pad wear and rotor color. Also check if the feel of the brakes changes in a short period of time. Otherwise enjoy. Not sure why they'd make such a mess so quickly. Do you ride with the brales on , just in case?

If you're still worries, get a new bike.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Calgary weather sucks until Saturday Barb. I know, I'm a few miles south. Cold, dreary, miserable, stormy, and did I mention cold? I'm leavin'... you can have it.

I agree, probably the pads. My F150 went nuts with brake dust one set...

but please, Baby Wipes???!!! use something more biker-image agreeable will ya? The Harley guys already think we're a bunch of girls...

 

[user 213]

Don't sweat it Barb. It's just brake dust and not a symptom of anything bad. Often, pads that dust a lot don't last as long, but that's not always the case. Regardless, they won't wear out over night.

 

[ionbeam]

Put your FJR on the center stand. Bat your eyelashes at some big guy and get him to push down on the back of the bike, thereby getting the front wheel in the air. (Or, just jack the sucker up.) Spin the front wheel. If it won't spin or there is heavy drag you should look at the brakes. If there is light drag all is fine. The last set of pads I put on my bike created a lot of black dust too.

 

[madmike2]

The EBC pads I once used created a lot of dust. I've gone back to OEM pads.

 

[Fred W]

So, the EBC pads make a lot of brake dust and wear out the rotors in 20k miles.

Remind me now, why would you want to use these?

 

[BwanaDik]

Put your FJR on the center stand. Bat your eyelashes at some big guy and get him to push down on the back of the bike, thereby getting the front wheel in the air. (Or, just jack the sucker up.) Spin the front wheel. If it won't spin or there is heavy drag you should look at the brakes. If there is light drag all is fine. The last set of pads I put on my bike created a lot of black dust too.

+1

However, I'd definitely check for tire rub too. If you cleaned it off then rode for some miles and it came back, how much did you use the brakes in that short trip? If very little, there shouldn't be much dust as the pads are supposed to "float" micrometers above the rotors once underway. Unless the pistons/something else are stuck and the pads are dragging. Whereas a tire rub would put balck dust out in a couple of miles

 

[Fred W]

Really? I always thought they just dragged lightly on the disk surface.

Are you sure you aren't confusing your brake pads with your hard drive heads?

 

[radman]

Running EBC FA252HH pads on Frank for 30k+ now. Low to no dusting, outstanding braking power, great initial feel, powerful when hot, whats not to like? Run the softer compound and yeah, trouble. Run the right compound and you'll love 'em. Lets compare apples to apples when critiquing products, k?

 

[Fred W]

Good idea. So which EBC brakes are the good ones and which are the bad ones?

Obviously FA252H are the good ones...

 

[radman]

Good idea. So which EBC brakes are the good ones and which are the bad ones?
Obviously FA252H are the good ones...

Fixed my post-the Feej uses the double H pads on both ends-the non suffixed (example, FA252) pads are soft and non-sintered-makes all the difference in the world.

EBC Catalog-pdf

Note the several grades that will fit my 05.

All fit. Not all work.

 

[BwanaDik]

Really? I always thought they just dragged lightly on the disk surface.
Are you sure you aren't confusing your brake pads with your hard drive heads?

I believe so. Have you ever put a dial indicator on one of your disks? I have. Consider a disk that has .0005 inch run out, which is perfectly normal and within all specs I've ever seen. This is a case where "a miss is as good as a mile". The pistons will back out the .0005 and not grab the disk. Admittedly, when you spin the wheel, you will usually hear the disk "rub" against the brake pads but how much wear will actually take place (black dust?) with this extremely minor touching? Also found this WRT to seal around the brake piston:

"When the brakes are released, the seal returns to its original shape. The action of this sealing ring retracts the piston to provide a small running clearance between the disc and pads. It also makes the brake self-adjusting. "

Clicky

I can't find the original paper I read about this.

Where the heck is Jestal when you need him?

A little off topic but found this in my travels:

Brembo

How many of us do this procedure?

 

[SnowAviation]

...stopped for a Tim's and it's starting to collect again.

I'm new to the FJR so I have no idea but painting the rims black would help lessen the appearance :blink:

and since no one has asked they must all know what a Tim's is.

Could you tell me what one is? Google was no help.

 

[radman]

Really? I always thought they just dragged lightly on the disk surface.
Are you sure you aren't confusing your brake pads with your hard drive heads?

I believe so. Have you ever put a dial indicator on one of your disks? I have. Consider a disk that has .0005 inch run out, which is perfectly normal and within all specs I've ever seen. This is a case where "a miss is as good as a mile". The pistons will back out the .0005 and not grab the disk. Admittedly, when you spin the wheel, you will usually hear the disk "rub" against the brake pads but how much wear will actually take place (black dust?) with this extremely minor touching? Also found this WRT to seal around the brake piston:

"When the brakes are released, the seal returns to its original shape. The action of this sealing ring retracts the piston to provide a small running clearance between the disc and pads. It also makes the brake self-adjusting. "

Clicky

I can't find the original paper I read about this.

Where the heck is Jestal when you need him?

A little off topic but found this in my travels:

Brembo

How many of us do this procedure?

The slight contact when released will produce the lightest amount of drag, even the softest of pads will not dust when released. Soft pads are capable of producing large amounts when used in an application calling for sintered pads however-they are inadequate for the task. They will have great initial feel, but fade quickly. Soft pad's lower cost tempts the unwary, though, often to their ultimate detriment.

 

[ionbeam]

Plus this:

In this picture the brake piston moves to the left when actuated, then retracts back to the right due to seal flex.

All of this works when the brake pistons are clean, the seals are in good condition and the slider pins are clean and straight. The pads will retract back in two ways, push-back by unevenness of the rotors and elasticity of the seals. The pads and piston will only retract back until total brake system friction overcomes rotor and seal forces.