Caliper Rebuild Kit?

[smiller]

My front wheel ('96 R1100RT w/75k miles) is dragging when spun by hand, won't do much more than a single revolution (if that) and then stops. To check for swollen brake lines I opened the bleeders on both calipers but there was no pressure, just an eventual slight seepage which seemed normal. I spun the front wheel with both bleeders open but there was no real change in resistance so I guess the problem can't have anything to do with the brake lines or any upstream part of the system. So... that leaves sticky calipers. Is there a rebuild kit available from BMW or Brembo for these?

[tomk99r11]

I got the o-rings from BMW dealer for the rear caliper on my 99. I had the part numbers for a kit from Brembo but have no idea what I did with the paper. Just be cautious when you blow the pistons out of the caliper, those suckers will fly out of there. Pretty easy rebuild. Good luck.

[Wooster]

My front wheel ('96 R1100RT w/75k miles) is dragging when spun by hand, won't do much more than a single revolution (if that) and then stops.

 

Gee smiller,

 

Isn't this the norm ? Disc rotors not "freewheeling" has been my experience since the "dawn of discs' (or was that the "demise of drums" ?). Seriously, that disc braked wheels don't turn freely doesn't seem damning to me.

 

Wooster

[smiller]

Isn't this the norm ? Disc rotors not "freewheeling" has been my experience since the "dawn of discs' (or was that the "demise of drums" ?). Seriously, that disc braked wheels don't turn freely doesn't seem damning to me.

Ya, I really don't know that there is a problem. The front wheel on a friends bike of the same model and vintage spins pretty freely so that's what got me to thinking. But yes, some drag is normal, and in fact I've checked the rotors on mine immediately after parking the bike after normal use and the rotors are just warm to the touch, about what you'd expect. If the brakes were dragging to any significant degree you'd think that the rotors would get hot and stay hot, but they definitely are not so perhaps no real problem exists. But there does seem to be more resistance than I've noticed on other bikes and cars so I just figured why not rebuild them at the next pad change to be sure.

[Stan Walker]

Sounds normal to me. I would ignore it.

 

Stan

[breyfogle]

My front wheel ('96 R1100RT w/75k miles) is dragging when spun by hand, won't do much more than a single revolution (if that)

 

While "some" disk drag is normal, it has been my experience that a front wheel will rotate several complete revolutions when spun by hand. I would think a caliber rebuild is an logical first step.

[Stan Walker]

it has been my experience that a front wheel will rotate several complete revolutions when spun by hand

 

It depends.....

 

For example, I just went out and tested my '02 R1150RT. About 2 revolutions on a moderate spin. BUT, once I applied and released the brakes once (with power off) it would only do about 3/4 revolution on the same moderate spin. After a few spins it worked it's way back up to about 1 1/4 revolutions.

 

I got 61,992 miles out of my last set of pads on this bike. I seem to be on target for getting about the same out of these, maybe a little less, but I now commute in traffic 5 days a week.

 

Stan

[Stan Walker]

For example, I just went out and tested my '02 R1150RT

 

And now I've just gone out and tested Jan's '96 R1100RT.

 

It's better. About 4 revolutions until I press / release the brake pedal once. Then it dropped to about 2 revolutions.

 

The original front brake pads on this bike only lasted 40,700 miles.

 

Stan

[Eckhard Grohe]

Check the wear on the pads. I had to replace the pads on mine with 16 k miles because one was worn really thin. I didn't rebuild the caliper yet. Didn't use the bike this year so it was a OK from the safety point of view. But I'll have to do something about it real soon now.