Help with new 1999 Nomad

[Snake Ranch]

Originally Posted by gleam

Thank you cnc.

I am using the tires that were on it. There is good tread left on them but they're a bit old. I'm trying to get away with it for now. I'm looking forward to getting new tires this winter. For what it's worth, they don't make any noise or vibration going straight ahead, only banking. I also feel it in the grips.

Is there anything I can do about the glazing or check if it's present? I did the zip tie on the lever thing there las night as well and we'll see how that goes today I guess. Tomorrow is rain so I'll spend some more time bleeding again.

I only noticed the pad-shaped rust spot on the rotor during the build, and this was after I had ridden it four times briefly. Looking forward to my first full day on it today.

Most people focus on the condition of the brake pads, and they overlook the condition of the rotors.

As Mick stated with the coarse sandpaper, take it to the rotors as well. Sand the surfaces to remove the glazed surface as well.

I just did the rear brake of my skoot. I jacked the rear off the ground and with the tranny in second at low idle I took a sanding block on the outside and just paper on the inside to scuff the surface.

Doing the front rotors will require a little more elbow grease, but it needs to done

[VulcanE]

What brand tire do you have on the front? If it is a Metzeler or Bridgestone, I would be willing to bet that is what's making the noise your hearing/feeling in turns.

[gleam]

Originally Posted by mick56

Take the pads out and give them a going over with some coarse sandpaper mate. A rough surface will grip better than a smooth shiney one.Also check the travel shafts that the pads are fixed in place by,if they are not clean the pads will not return smoothly,and might be causing the vibration you are having.Rub them down with sandpaper and apply a small amount of grease.Dont get any on the pads or disc.

Originally Posted by cnc

As Mick says sand the pad a bit, but put the sand paper on a flat surface a steel bench or similar and rub the pad on the sandpaper. This helps get / keep the pad surface flat and true. When tires start to make noise they do so mostly as you corner and not straight up right. The amount of tread left is not the issue, it is the cupping or un even wear on the sides of the tread that causes the howl and some times vibration. If that is the source of the noise and the tread is still good then put up with it till you can afford new ones, more annoying than an issue.

The shafts were cleaned and greased during the caliper rebuild. I read up on cupping and went and had a look and the tires don't show any signs of that.

Originally Posted by Snake Ranch

Most people focus on the condition of the brake pads, and they overlook the condition of the rotors.

As Mick stated with the coarse sandpaper, take it to the rotors as well. Sand the surfaces to remove the glazed surface as well.

I just did the rear brake of my skoot. I jacked the rear off the ground and with the tranny in second at low idle I took a sanding block on the outside and just paper on the inside to scuff the surface.

Doing the front rotors will require a little more elbow grease, but it needs to done

I already had a piece of thick glass I had made with rounded edges for exactly this purpose for projects years ago. Duct tape the sandpaper down to it, and a wet rag underneath between it and the benchtop and it makes for a perfectly flat sanding surface. I started off fine and as that didn't work I made my way down through the grits and ended up at 80. I did all four pads and they looked nice and bright and brand new. Quicky hit the rotors with a block and some 240 grit. Neither seemed to be the cause of my problem because there was no change.

Originally Posted by VulcanE

What brand tire do you have on the front? If it is a Metzeler or Bridgestone, I would be willing to bet that is what's making the noise your hearing/feeling in turns.

I don't remember off the top of my head but I do remember they are the ones that come on it new, the ones that nobody likes. Bridgestone I think. I used metzlers on the Virago and really liked them, though. Probably go with those Michelins people talk about on here when the time comes.

New Brake Problems
Well I thought I was done with this build weeks ago but these brake problems keep coming up. I thought they were good the other day after following some of the advice in this thread. I guess I didn't test them hard enough becuase when I really needed them, they weren't there. I think I now have a new problem somehow in this process. I'm pretty sure that when I first got the bike in the spring and did the fluid, that I was able to bleed them properly. I'm not able to anymore so maybe I did something wrong during the caliper rebuild. Somehow the left bleeder will not seal, and I'm just about out of ideas. Here's where I'm at with that:

Calipers were rebuilt with new seal kits, nothing of note in that process. Master cylinder was cleaned and rebuilt, reusing parts. I didn't get a kit for this, but everything looked okay and I'm pretty sure it's fine. Using the pump, I put the hose on the right (side) caliper and pull 10psi, and it will stay there. If do this on the left, there is a leak and air is getting in somehow, and I slowly lose that vacuum. The bleeder is closed tight (but not gorilla tight) same as the right side.

I ordered and installed new bleeder screws, thinking the threads were loose. No change, problem exactly the same. It really seems like air is getting in past the threads, because on the left side what comes down the tube is many many tiny bubbles, not big ones like normal bleeding. The bleeder feels sloppy/loose in the threads as I'm installing it: you can wiggle it more than the right side. It seems that way but I might be imagining it.

I don't want to reef on that screw to get it to tighten. Even if I did, it doesn't work right during bleeding anyway. I can't build pressure in the lever, there's lots of air in the system and I think somehow something in the caliper is leaking. Not really interested in spending 200 bucks for the nice set that are on eBay right now, but I may have to.

I'm open to any and all thoughts and criticisms on this one, cause I'm really stumped. Tell me how bad of an idea this is, becuse right now it's the only thing I can think of to do: elminate that left caliper and just run with the right one only. I could remove the section of brake hose going down to the left caliper from the splitter, and cap off the banjo on that side, removing the leaky left caliper entirely. I've seen bikes with only one caliper, but obviously this Nomad has two for a reason. I'm not very small myself, either. For the record, I think this is a terrible idea and I don't really want to do it, but I'm curious what you guys think.

[mick56]

I had a real problem bleeding my rear brake,same as you,i kept getting bubbles even when the bleed nipple was tightened.I bought a vacuum set,and that did'nt help either.Then all of a sudden it bled using the traditional method.I have no idea why it gave me so much trouble,but it works fine now.

[DragonLady58]

Been sitting on the fence watching all this unfold....I use the miteyvac pump for years....allows one person bleeding. I had a problem like your had, a sloppy bleeder valve.
With your cap off reservoir, and pump attached, the trick is to just barely crack the valve open AFTER you've got some vacuum on the line.
I've found this out from experience of years of dealing with this mess. Fill you MC up, barely crack your bleeder, having rubbed some wheel bearing grease around bottom of bleeder with a qtip (Seals off air), having a long vacuum hose connected to bleeder, drop the end of said vacuum line into the bottom of a coffe can, bucket, etc. Just let drip and seep, 1 drop at a time. Let it do that for several hours. Its called gravity bleeding. Learned it from this old Harley Mechanic. Works every time!
Just keep a eye on your brake fluid level and let that can fill up. Do 1 side, and then the other. Theres air in the system causing your problems.
I now use a pressure pump system where I pump fluid from the caliper on up....works great. No air, none of the regular bleeding. For the nomad, all you need is a Y so you can do both calipers at once....
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GRV7TY6...ustomerReviews
This is what I use since I do this alot, but they do make a system for the backyard mechanic that isn't as expensive. Summit Racing has them cheap, too!

Oh, on loose bleeders that allow air to pass, cut the end out of a 5/16 or 3/8s vacuum plug, poke a hole in it with a ice pick, push the bleeder threads first thru this little piece of rubber, put a little dab of grease on the bottom of rubber with a toothpick. Screw bleeder into caliper. Leave it on after bleeding. I also put a vacuum cap over bleeders to keep them nice and fresh....and clean

[cnc]

I would not by-pass one of the calipers to get riding. Basically you would be eliminating 50% of your braking power on a correctly functioning system. The caliper is aluminum and the bleeder is steel, you or a previous person may have damaged the seat where the bleeder seals. Loose threads suggest either the bleeder was over tightened at some point or the threads were somewhat seized from corrosion. If you were creating vaccum to see you have a leak but can't pinpoint it, then consider trying a trick used to pinpoint a slow leak in tires or pressure fittings. Maybe rig up something to pressurize the line with a gauge and while it is pressurized, paint dish soap on all the possible connections, around the bleeder around the puck etc, you should see bubbles in the dish soap coating at the source of the leak.

[DragonLady58]

CNC is right, 90% of the problems with the bleeder valves is the diff. between the steel and the alum. I always brush on a little anti-seize when I screw them in, then after I'm thru working, cover it with a vacuum cap. keeps dirt and trash out, push it all the way down helps protect the threads.
He has a good idea on the soap. Air molecules will find holes water will never find.
Thats the reason they pump up a little pressure in radiators to find leaks after repair is made....