No front brake stopping power

OK guys, its confession time then followed by an "advice needed".

The FJR has been sitting in the garage for nearly 6 months and pretty much ignored. A month ago I observed some fluid on the garage floor underneath the left fork. Turns out that the fork seal was leaking so after reading all the story of woe from GixxerJasen I decided it was shop time. So $300 later I've got new oil and seals and all seems well on the forks.

The problem now are the brakes - it appears that the leaking fork oil pretty much saturated the pads on the left caliper and have left them caked with grease. I've had to ride it to work a couple of times and the effort needed at the lever to bring her to a stop has increased about 10x. Right now I'm working under the idea that the pads are toast and new ones needed. Its not too bad ($75 for 4 pads from Stadium Yamaha) but I was wondering if anyone had tried to salvage pads in this condition.

I was thinking that maybe a long bake in an oven might be able to burn off the oil/grease and recover the surface condition but have no idea if it would be effective or if would otherwise damage the pads. Am i being stupid? Since brakes are certainly the #1 safety item on the bike, fooling around like this might be penny-wise pound-foolish but thought I'd survey the accumulated wisdom of the community.

Feel free to fire away.

I would just buy new pads, clean the calipers and pistons well, install the new pads, and then flush the enire brake system with new fluid. The brakes are too important to take shortcuts with.

Buy new pads, they are cheap and easy to do your self in the garage, no shop needed for this...

Unbolt calipers, remove pads. Squeeze caliper pistons in a bit until the pads fit around rotors again. Bolt then back on the bike... Id get some carb cleaner out brake cleaner to wipe the rotors down while the calipers are off...

Good to go, good wrenching experience

russperry said:

OK guys, its confession time then followed by an "advice needed...the leaking fork oil pretty much saturated the pads on the left caliper...I was thinking that maybe a long bake in an oven might be able to burn off the oil...Since brakes are certainly the #1 safety item on the bike, fooling around like this might be penny-wise pound-foolish...

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My first thought is the pads are $75 but a new oven starts around $800. It may also damage your relationship with your wife/girl friend, and there may be no end to what that could cost you

My vote is to do the right thing and replace the pads. Pick up some brake cleaner and give the caliper and pistons a good cleaning too. While you are at it, look at the brake pads on the other caliper and see if it makes sense to just do the whole thing at one time.

Edit: I see others answered the conundrum while I was typing.

Happened to my brother's bike. Change the pads.

All new pads on the front, keep things the same

Discussed here extensively.

They can be cleaned up pretty easy after you locate an ultra-sonic parts cleaner with a liquid freon bath. It'll vibrate the molecules of oil/brake fluid out of the pads in short time. Machine shops may have one or your best bet is to find an aircraft parts repair shop. Or you could just buy new pads, that's what I would do.

So common sense is prevailing! I did look at the other side and there is a lot of meat remaining so I'm going to leave those for now - new pads are on the way, and the old ones will be going into the trash. And I was planning on a good cleaning of the calipers while everything is opened up.

thanks for the replies

I use emery cloth on the brake rotors (light sanding in the direction of wheel rotation) to remove any remaining glaze. Doesn't phase the rotors, but does remove the glaze. Just did this when I replaced my factory pads with EBC HH pads. Very happy with the initial bite now.

Buy new pads <-- The sensible advice.

That said, they are not cheap and if they have a decent amount of friction material remaining, they can be saved. I do not say this from guesswork, I had a similar experience with the Venture Royale, and brought the pads back to full efficiency.

The problem is that the material is porous and the oil soaks into them, just cleaning them will not work because as they get hot, the oil migrates and they will be covered again.

You can burn the oil off, but not in the oven it doesn't get hot enough unless on the self-cleaning cycle, and that will ruin your house with the smoke.

Get a butane or propane torch and heat them. You will heat them fairly evenly and you will see the oil coming out an burning off. Just heat them, at a moderate flame, until all the smoke stops and the pads are left looking dry. A quick squirt of brake cleaner and you will be good to go.

I'd be a little worried that the high heat from a torch, even if you don't touch the pads with the flame would cause the binding material in the pads to "release", or cause them to come apart under use. There is a ton of shear force on the pads when in use, and they might come apart possibly. Heat is how you get "red" locktite to release, same thing here. A torch can put out between 1500 and 2000 degrees depending on fuel source, I doubt the pads are made at such high heat. JSNS!

Brake pads are expected to remain stuck to the backing under extreme high heat.

I had zero trouble with the VR, stopping about 1100 pounds with me and my kit aboard after the heat treatment.

As ever, caveat emptor.

Its your life, pads are cheap in comparison ... Replace and go riding ...

MrZappo said:

Its your life, pads are cheap in comparison ... Replace and go riding ...

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Ditto. Good brakes and tires... kinda' important on a MC.