Frozen Brakes

[Roadie]

Anybody have a problem with their brakes (Champion/Honda 1300) sticking after long periods of not moving and not releasing when used?

 

[driver10]

front or back brakes? Check mastercylinder to see if over filled, could be fluid heating and expanding when parked after riding.

 

[Roadie]

Back brakes and not after riding, just after sitting for a period of time - burned them babies and will now have to turn the disks and replace the pads and maybe the valve.

 

[champsman97045]

Anybody have a problem with their brakes (Champion/Honda 1300) sticking after long periods of not moving and not releasing when used?[/QUOTE

You didn't state whether disc or drum, but my drum froze this winter on right side after 4 months in garage, tried pushing out to service and found problem , so I hooked a tow strap to the wheel slots (so not to damage body or suspension) and drug it back about 4 feet and still frozen, then started trike and put in first gear and then it popped loose in about 2 inches of movement, next a ride around block to drag brake shoes to wipe rust rust off drum and shoes. All well now. Hope this helps.

 

[Roadie]

Champion disc brakes - didn't really freeze up just more of a 'hang up' and burned the day lights out of the pads as they didn't loosen up after riding for a while (not my trike, a friends) and doesn't know while they did what they did.

 

[Solidbob]

Sounds like water in the brake fluid, brake fluid soaks up moisture and will fill a master cylinder if not checked. When was fluid last changed? They now make Synthetic Brake Fluid that doesn't soak up moisture. Brake fluid Dot 3 or 4 is only recommended for one (1) to max. (2) two years of use / Change it all till it vacuums clear... new pads and if rotors are scorched & warped they'll also have to be changed!

Just FYI....

 

[icedad]

In my experience, I've had the piston in the caliper freeze up, or the pads in the caliper slide get all crudded up and rust or corrode. Take some Pb Blaster and spray your cylinder walls in your caliper, then clean your slide where your pad moves back and forth and grease it with some white grease or brake grease. This should solve your problem unless you were unable to take your caliper off in the first place. Then read the rest and you should be rolling. Change your brake fluid also. PM. Sometimes you may even have your shoes or pads rust to the rotor or drum, especially if the last time you rode was when it was raining or if you ran through a puddle. Here, you'll have to get a hammer and tap on the caliper or shoes until it breaks loose.
If this doesn't work, you probably got some moisture in your brake lines, whereby changing the brake fluid should do the trick.
This is for the next time so you don't burn your brakes and rotor up. Ride safe

 

[WalterM817]

My Valkyrie suffered from the front caliper freeze up below 50 degrees last year. I just grabbed the proper Brake fluid and took a toothbrush to the pistons while still in the calipers and cleaned them up.

Changing the fluid "which you should be doing every couple of years and guess who didn't" straightened her right up. Unbelievable difference in braking as well.

There is a tiny return hole in the master cylinder that blocks up as well. Took a piece of wire brush bristle to this then removed the brake fluid with a turkey baster. Probably a better way but this was what I had around.

Great brakes and no dragging or locking up now.