Brakes binding...

I’m asking this on behalf of a friend.....

What causes brakes to bind?

How can they be unsiezed?

I was planning to go out on the bike tomorrow with a friend who has a ZX9R 2002 who’s brakes keep seizing after the bike has been unused for 2-3 months. It’s annoying because I get all hyped to get out then to find I’m riding solo (not as much fun for me)

Tell him to push the pistons back in and ride the bike more

Pushing the pistons in may work for a short time.

However the only real permanent solution is to strip the callipers and rebuild with new seals.

Also if the callipers are the sliding type (pistons on one side only) then the sliders will require cleaning, re-greasing etc.

As above of the bike is used more frequently then this problem si less likely to happen.

As above, but you don't necessarily need new seals every time. What you do need to do is carefully scrape out any dirt or mineralisation that has accumulated behind the seals in their locating grooves . In order to do this you need to fully strip the callipers . Simply pumping the pistons out and cleaning what you can see and then pushing them back in again is a waste of time and effort. Do it right,however, and you will have to learn to go easy on the lever to avoid unexpected stoppies .

Zx9 you say

I bet he has tokico calipers fitted?

They are shite! They will need to be stripped and cleaned up properly!

The groves where the seals sit corrode and squeeze the pistons!

Tell me about it ! To be fair, they do work great if you strip them as previously described once in a while.

Zx9 you say

I bet he has tokico calipers fitted?

They are shite! They will need to be stripped and cleaned up properly!

The groves where the seals sit corrode and squeeze the pistons!

Oh what a surprise !

I seem to remember 4 pot Nissins off some Hondas are a straight swap are not as prone to this.. Also costs less in seals

I seem to remember 4 pot Nissins off some Hondas are a straight swap are not as prone to this.. Also costs less in seals

Honda's bandits some suzukis triumphs......

There is a load of bikes

90mm centres on the mounting points is the magic number

I stuck them on the TL and they where a huge improvement

Red rubber grease on the seals/pistons works wonders too......but only if they're clean.....

Red rubber grease on the seals/pistons works wonders too......but only if they're clean.....

They do but as the saying goes you can't polish a turd

Those with long memories will will recall a very similar thread to this one a while back . I was all set to replace my Tokico 6 pots with Nissin 4 pots but after I fully stripped and cleaned them I was so impressed with the improvement that I never bothered.

Thanks for the comments, i’lI pass the info forward.

What does this mean for my bike then, Or others who ride mostly at summertime? I don’t have this problem and I’m sure most others don’t when their bike has been sitting around for some time until it’s used. Unless I should really be checking every time in case they do bind.

first thing i would try is striking each caliper with a rubber mallet or suitable piece of wood and see how this frees up . this can just be the sliders have rusted slightly or the pistons and then will free up as used . As with all braking issues the onus lies with the user on deeming their effectiveness.

Actually, you can polish a turd

Actually, you can polish a turd

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Only if you're a waste of space with f**k all better to do . It was a metaphor for not being able to improve upon what is perceived by some to be a flawed design. However, as I have described in some detail , proper maintenance, although tedious, will keep any callipers including Tokico in excellent working order. I might suggest that the temporary solution of rolling a turd in glitter would be less time consuming while adding an attractive sparkle appropriate to this festive season .

Maybe a better metaphor is needed.

Here we are.https://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=63514&hilit=tokico#p990828

Maybe a better metaphor is needed.

Like putting a silk hat on a pig perhaps ?

Silk purse and sows ear comes to mind.

He prob has the same callipers I have on my zx6r the 6 pot toniko things! Tell him to bin them and buy any 4 pot callipers off a similar age bike.

They are useless and need stripping and rebuilding once in a while

He prob has the same callipers I have on my zx6r the 6 pot toniko things! Tell him to bin them and buy any 4 pot callipers off a similar age bike.

They are useless and need stripping and rebuilding once in a while

Pretty much as already discussed but allow me to disagree slightly. I would say that they are useless UNLESS they are stripped and rebuilt once in a while. So if ,like me, you enjoy solving mechanical problems and your time is your own , its not really an issue. Some people just like to ride and I get that, but others , like myself, consider time spent with the spanners to be an equally satisfying aspect of the biking experience.

He prob has the same callipers I have on my zx6r the 6 pot toniko things! Tell him to bin them and buy any 4 pot callipers off a similar age bike.

They are useless and need stripping and rebuilding once in a while

 

Pretty much as already discussed but allow me to disagree slightly. I would say that they are useless UNLESS they are stripped and rebuilt once in a while. So if ,like me, you enjoy solving mechanical problems and your time is your own , its not really an issue. Some people just like to ride and I get that, but others , like myself, consider time spent with the spanners to be an equally satisfying aspect of the biking experience.

Yeah I see others have mentioned the same but just another wooden spoon in the broth.

I spend all my time at work spannering and fixing the same things over and over due to poor truck design and driver abuse so for me I will be sourcing some ‘better calipers’ Rather than over hauling mine again like I did when I bought the bike.

And for the price I paid for all the seals ect I could have waited for a used pair of calipers to pop up for only a few quid more.

If I were the op just cut out the middle man (also the 6 pots are a pig to bleed)

He prob has the same callipers I have on my zx6r the 6 pot toniko things! Tell him to bin them and buy any 4 pot callipers off a similar age bike.

They are useless and need stripping and rebuilding once in a while

 

Pretty much as already discussed but allow me to disagree slightly. I would say that they are useless UNLESS they are stripped and rebuilt once in a while. So if ,like me, you enjoy solving mechanical problems and your time is your own , its not really an issue. Some people just like to ride and I get that, but others , like myself, consider time spent with the spanners to be an equally satisfying aspect of the biking experience.

My turn to disagree slightly

While I like solving problems etc when there is a design flaw that can be solved by swapping the parts then that's what I would rather do and as a trade off I had miles better brakes

He prob has the same callipers I have on my zx6r the 6 pot toniko things! Tell him to bin them and buy any 4 pot callipers off a similar age bike.

They are useless and need stripping and rebuilding once in a while

 

Pretty much as already discussed but allow me to disagree slightly. I would say that they are useless UNLESS they are stripped and rebuilt once in a while. So if ,like me, you enjoy solving mechanical problems and your time is your own , its not really an issue. Some people just like to ride and I get that, but others , like myself, consider time spent with the spanners to be an equally satisfying aspect of the biking experience.

 

My turn to disagree slightly

While I like solving problems etc when there is a design flaw that can be solved by swapping the parts then that's what I would rather do and as a trade off I had miles better brakes

So you won't be wanting the lovely present I got you then ☹