Front brake "grabbing"

How do. Not quite sure how to describe this one. Basically rather than being nice and smooth and progressive my front brake lever is a bit clonky/jerky. It kind of creaks through 2-3 stages of squeezing it without a massive amount happening, then all of a sudden, bang, the front brakes jump in. It doesn't lock up or anything, but makes it a bit tricky to take speed off smoothly and progressively. It releases fine.

My question is, based on that crap description of symptoms, what would you all be looking at/checking first??

I'm no expert mechanic by any means but with the help of a haynes I'm willing to have a crack at anything that's not too tricky.

Pads have plenty of wear, can't see anything obvious with discs, have bled the brakes and changed the fluid (problem existed before I did that)... about all I can think of. I haven't actually removed the calipers or anything yet, because tbh I prob won't know what I'm looking at that could cause this.

If you can suggest anything I'll give it a go.

It's a '01 SV650S-Y by the way.

Cheers all.

PS - I have had a search before posting but my description obviously isn't helping find the answer if it's already out there!

service your calipers-get them off the bike and strip them down,clean pistons etc and new seals if required-then see how it feels.

you got a manual-do a search on here for brake caliper overhaul

i had this on my bike and it caused me to have a lowside at about 10mph because i was squeezing the lever and nothing happened so i squeezed it a bit harder and it locked the wheel all of a sudden. mine did it is stages.

how i got rid of the problem:

when you pull your brake the brake pushes a little piston type thing with a rubber around that,

get some spray oil and spray a bit in there its not to do with your calipers.

spray the oil inbetween the rubber and the piston and squeeze the lever a few times and repeat untill its smooth

let me know if it works i havent had a problem since i have done this and is as smooth as anything

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by chompy

i had this on my bike and it caused me to have a lowside at about 10mph because i was squeezing the lever and nothing happened so i squeezed it a bit harder and it locked the wheel all of a sudden. mine did it is stages.

how i got rid of the problem:

when you pull your brake the brake pushes a little piston type thing with a rubber around that,

get some spray oil and spray a bit in there its not to do with your calipers.

spray the oil inbetween the rubber and the piston and squeeze the lever a few times and repeat untill its smooth

let me know if it works i havent had a problem since i have done this and is as smooth as anything

You can remove your brake lever with a flat head screw driver and a 10mm? spanner and then pull the rubber boot off the piston it contacts with with a driver and some long nose pliers (carefully - that said it's only to keep crap out). grease it up thoroughly.

"Grease it up thoroughly". Possibly the best advice I've had since "keep it in rubber"!

Cheers fellas, will get out there and give it a whirl. Will let you know the end result.

Grease lever pivot, see what happens. Chances are though, the brakes are in desperate need of stripping, cleaning, greasing (with rubber grease) and re-assembling. Have you noticed the brakes binding, or one disc hotter than the other after a ride?

Matt

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

Grease lever pivot, see what happens. Chances are though, the brakes are in desperate need of stripping, cleaning, greasing (with rubber grease) and re-assembling. Have you noticed the brakes binding, or one disc hotter than the other after a ride?

Matt

Matt - No I've not had any binding and can't say I've checked one disc being hotter. If plan A doesn't work will give that some attention and move on to overhauling the brakes as you suggest.

Plan A sounds a lot more appealing though!

[Dave20046]

jack the bike up and see if you can spin the front wheel freely (infact may aswell check both). If they're binding or seizing on you could do with having them serviced.

Could be the lever though.

from experience its what i said, i dont think you will need to touch your breaks its just where its got a little dried out.

chomps

Thanks for the replies fellas - lubed that lever piston and I now have nice sharp progressive brakes again. Cheers.