The binding brake

I got the right rear caliper off to find the pads pretty worn and looking badly incinerated. I popped the pistons out and the only thing I could see on inspection was a rim of baked on crud around each of the pistons. The pistons and caliper bores were looking fairly pristine otherwise. After a lot of brake cleaner, metal polish and elbow grease I got it all looking ship-shape again. I still had a pair of new pads left so I reassembled it all and refitted it.

I bled the whole brake system and stuck the wheels on. Then both Adrian and Tim posted messages in the forum warning me to change the cross caliper link tube o-rings as the heat was likely to have damaged them and they have a propensity to suddenly fail. Brian Baldwin also sent me an email with a similar message. So I rang Hi Spec and ordered a set of seals (and some spares) for both the o-rings and the main piston seals.

Andy had wondered if this was the same corner that had been flopping round at Snett and indeed it is, although since then I had weekends at Mallory and Brands without brake issues. A check of Dan Bromilow’s blog (he doesn’t like it being called a blog but that alone is enough reason to continue calling it a blog ) confirmed that his brake binding issue at Brands was because of a caliper not sitting square on an upright so I wondered if the bracket holding the caliper onto the upright might have got a bit bent when the suspension failed.

A quiet period

It’s all been pretty quiet since the last race weekend at Pembrey 4 weeks ago. I stripped the driver’s side rear caliper, cleaned it and fitted new pads. Following several messages of warning from well wishers I then ordered new seals for it as they can apparently suddenly let go with less than optimal consequences.

So last weekend I took the caliper back off, popped the pistons out and replaced both the main bore seals and the cross-caliper O rings, refitted it all and re-bled. I did have a good look at the caliper mounting bracket to check it for straightness and it looked fine.

The car’s pretty much ready to go. I ordered some new tyres from Polley to collect at Brands although they don’t have any of the rears in stock.

I did have a pleasant weekend up North visiting both brother Andy and an old friend. Here’s a gratuitous shot of Andy’s bikes. Being the good lad he is he stuck me on his insurance and we had a very pleasant blat out on these beauties on a nice warm sunny day. I rode out on the Commando, we had a nice coffee and some cake at Glasson Dock then swapped bikes and I rode the Bonneville back. Similar bikes but rather different in character, the Norton’s much longer legged. Liked them both and might have to find room in the garage for something similar if funds allow. Mind you, Brian said he thought I might be able to have the BDN chassis around the end of June …