Front brake sticking. Arg.

[FJmonkey]

Something like this?

[Old Rider]

Hello,  I changed out my tires and when I put the front back on the wheel is now locked up tight.  I checked the little hole in the master and it appears normal and clear.  Any advise?  Probably need to remove calipers and replace seals?  Also, this is on a 87FJ1200 with a R1 blue dot conversion.  I have read on here that it is hard to bleed the fronts with the anti-dive set up which is still on there and seems to actually work a little too.  Any hints on this?  Thinking on replacing the lines with the RPM stainless lines at this time too.  Riding season is slipping away in my area and the bike sits on a stand.  Any help is appreciated.

Hi i dont think there is anything wrong with your brakes ..think about it, you changed your tire and your brakes was fine before you took off the front wheel right?.
Then something has gone wrong when you put the wheel back on .Mayby a spacer wrong way or speedogear stuck  or wrong touque on the bolt.did you losen the front fender?Here is what i would do: take off the wheel again and check the bearings and the spacers.Then when you put it back just snug the caliperbolts and spin the wheel.If its spinning easy then spin it again and activate the brakelever so it stops several times if it spins easy after that start tighten the caliperbolts on right side(35nm) and check if its still spinning easy.Then you tighten the left side caliperbolts.Then tighten wheelaxle securing bolts .At last you tighten the wheelbolt to 78nm

[Pat Conlon]

....then tighten wheelaxle securing bolts .At last you tighten the wheelbolt to 78nm

When you torque the axle bolt, the fork lowers slightly move.
For that reason (after the bouncy bouncy) the Owners Handbook says to snug up the axle pinch bolts last.

[simi_ed]

Suggestion:  remove your calipers and spin your front wheel.  Does it turn free?  If so, then you do have a brake problem, if not then you have wheel bearing problem or something related to wheel installation. If you can define the problem you can more easily find the issue.

My 2¢


Ed

[whyzee79]

I removed only one caliper when I did the wheel change.  It does have the blue dot caliper conversion on it and the adapter plate so I went back to confirm that I put everything back right.  It matched the other side with washer and plate so I removed it again and with the one side still on, it spins fine.  I did the inspection and found that 2 pistons on the removed caliper were not moving at all.  I have found a problem but have not had the time to fix it.  I really appreciate the advise for assembly.  I used to spin wheel and grab the brake a couple times before final torque.  Is it best on this bike to just bounce the front end a couple times? 

[whyzee79]

The piston cleaning didn't work real good.  Now I notice that the PO has stripped the brake hose bolt probably using a standard wrench so the project is now getting more involved.  Planning on resealing the bad caliper and the master seems mushy too even though it is really clean.  You guys were right also about the brake lines.  I had to cut them off in order to mount the caliper in the vise to remove the offending bolt and they were also really mushy feeling.  Rubber was toast.  Looks like a longer more involved fix then I was hoping for but got to be safe with the brakes.  New winter project I guess.  Thanks for all the help and I'll report when it is back in action.  Now planning to order a bunch of goodies from RPM and do a real make over. 

[whyzee79]

Ok so here is the update.  All the caliper seals have been replaced.  Still rubbing on the left side.  I reread one of the posts and am going to try the bounce the bike then check again technique.  If that doesn't work, I think a small shim on the caliper will help center it better on the disk.  It is weird as if I just use the top mounting bolt and leave the bottom bolt off, it works perfect but if I do the opposite, it has interference which really doesn't make sense since this is the bolt without the adapter bracket.  Arg again. 

[Pat Conlon]

Hmmm.. top caliper bolt ok, but bottom caliper bolt no go....I wonder if your left stanchion tube is slightly bent?
Pull the fork tube off and roll it on a flat surface and check the run out (see if it wobbles)

[whyzee79]

I think it is something with this adapter bracket.  The bike was working perfect prior to changing the tire.  I think loosening up everything then checking is in order now.  At least the brakes and tires are nice and ready to go.  In the mean time I also picked up a really nice lower fairing that I was missing!  It appears that the caliper body is making just the slightest contact with the disk.  I can re-center the caliper with a small shim I believe but am going to try and get it to work like it was before I took it apart.  The bike looks to have been down once so it is possible that the lower fork is bent but not thinking so as it was working in good order before but you never know.  Anything is possible with a bike this old.  I'm sure its something I am doing wrong!

[whyzee79]

After a careful look, I found that the adapter bracket wasn't exactly the same as the other side and it held the caliper too tilted back and it was contacting on the rear of the caliper.  It also too several shims to get it centered but everything is good now.  Just have to bleed the brakes but at least the front wheel spins like it should.  I had to file a little off the bracket to tilt caliper slightly forward.  The brackets were a home made bracket job from PO.  They weren't quite cut and shaped right.  Not sure how it was working when I bought it.  Thanks everyone for the help.