Front Brake is 'crunchy'

diffluere · 07-19-2010, 05:18 PM

So..I had new front brakes put on in March. Sometime about two weeks ago I noticed that my brake lever would occasionally feel harder to pull. Now, it feels REALLY weird. If you lightly grab it, nothing happens. If you pull at it a bit harder, it 'crunches' and then the brake feels similar to slamming them in a car. Also, when it is released it returns to about 3/4 of the way out, then has a hard time making the final move. The brakes don't feel like they are dragging though.

I'm having a friend check it out when he gets off work since the feeling is hard to describe, but I was just wondering if any of you have experienced something similar. =)

alantf · 07-19-2010, 05:45 PM

Could possibly be a frayed inner brake cable.

Easy Rider · 07-19-2010, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alantf

Could possibly be a frayed inner brake cable.

Front brake; no cable. :whistle: :biggrin:

Sounds like a master cylinder problem to me.....especially the "not returning to a normal position" part.

If you didn't have fresh fluid installed with the pads, that would probably be the first thing to do.

Sarris · 07-19-2010, 06:31 PM

:plus1:

Master cylinder.

alantf · 07-19-2010, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

Front brake; no cable. :whistle: :biggrin:

Whoops .... brainfart! Old man shuffles off, muttering to himself, yet again. :cuss:

diffluere · 07-19-2010, 08:38 PM

gah.....that's what I was afraid of after reading GZ250's posts. From the service manual it sounds like a really big pain in the ass. *pout*

Easy Rider · 07-19-2010, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diffluere

gah.....that's what I was afraid of after reading GZ250's posts. From the service manual it sounds like a really big pain in the ass. *pout*

Well no, not really.
It is fairly simple to replace.......just quite expensive, IIRC.

I still suggest a flushing with new fluid.....which will be fairly cheap even if you have a shop do it because there could be just be some "crud" stuck in the piston.

Who did the brakes ??

diffluere · 07-19-2010, 10:24 PM

The guy that I always take my bike to - Sanderson Cycle. I think I might ride by there tomorrow and ask him to just take a look at it. Problem is that I work tomorrow from 10-4 and I have school on Wednesday. And I can't skip because its a condensed summer semester. And I have to ride my bike because they don't let off-campus people have car decals.

As you can tell I'm very frustrated. It seems like every 3 months there is something new to spend money on. Oh well, at least I *HAVE* a motorcycle, right?......

Sarris · 07-19-2010, 10:43 PM

A replacement front master cylinder goes for $72 and a rebuild kit is $16. Master Cylinder

A replacement front caliper is $160 and a rebuild kit is $5. Front Caliper

You'll have to figure out which part is bad. It could be some junk in the pads. It's a little hard to diagnose over the internet. :??:

These prices are from, and the links are to Ron Ayers.

Good Luck.

diffluere · 07-19-2010, 10:55 PM

Thanks Sarris. I had found the rebuild kit on bikebandit for $17. I really hope either that or the $5 kit will do the trick. *fingers crossed*

07-19-2010, 05:18 PM	#1
diffluere Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: gainesville, fl Posts: 137	Front Brake is 'crunchy' So..I had new front brakes put on in March. Sometime about two weeks ago I noticed that my brake lever would occasionally feel harder to pull. Now, it feels REALLY weird. If you lightly grab it, nothing happens. If you pull at it a bit harder, it 'crunches' and then the brake feels similar to slamming them in a car. Also, when it is released it returns to about 3/4 of the way out, then has a hard time making the final move. The brakes don't feel like they are dragging though. I'm having a friend check it out when he gets off work since the feeling is hard to describe, but I was just wondering if any of you have experienced something similar. =) __________________ "An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." - Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) Login or Register to Remove Ads
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07-19-2010, 05:45 PM	#2
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,719	Re: Front Brake is 'crunchy' Could possibly be a frayed inner brake cable. __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman.
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07-19-2010, 06:31 PM	#4
Sarris Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: New Port Richey, Florida USA Posts: 1,348	Re: Front Brake is 'crunchy' :plus1: Master cylinder. __________________ Prudent riders live longer than moron riders.
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07-19-2010, 08:38 PM	#6
diffluere Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: gainesville, fl Posts: 137	Re: Front Brake is 'crunchy' gah.....that's what I was afraid of after reading GZ250's posts. From the service manual it sounds like a really big pain in the ass. pout __________________ "An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." - Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936)
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07-19-2010, 10:24 PM	#8
diffluere Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: gainesville, fl Posts: 137	Re: Front Brake is 'crunchy' The guy that I always take my bike to - Sanderson Cycle. I think I might ride by there tomorrow and ask him to just take a look at it. Problem is that I work tomorrow from 10-4 and I have school on Wednesday. And I can't skip because its a condensed summer semester. And I have to ride my bike because they don't let off-campus people have car decals. As you can tell I'm very frustrated. It seems like every 3 months there is something new to spend money on. Oh well, at least I HAVE a motorcycle, right?...... __________________ "An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." - Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936)
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07-19-2010, 10:43 PM	#9
Sarris Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: New Port Richey, Florida USA Posts: 1,348	Re: Front Brake is 'crunchy' A replacement front master cylinder goes for $72 and a rebuild kit is $16. Master Cylinder A replacement front caliper is $160 and a rebuild kit is $5. Front Caliper You'll have to figure out which part is bad. It could be some junk in the pads. It's a little hard to diagnose over the internet. :??: These prices are from, and the links are to Ron Ayers. Good Luck. __________________ Prudent riders live longer than moron riders.
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07-19-2010, 10:55 PM	#10
diffluere Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: gainesville, fl Posts: 137	Re: Front Brake is 'crunchy' Thanks Sarris. I had found the rebuild kit on bikebandit for $17. I really hope either that or the $5 kit will do the trick. fingers crossed __________________ "An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." - Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936)
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