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Rebuild front end 04 1000rr front wheel locked up!??

2K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  Dingo406 
#1 ·
I recently bought a wrecked 04 1000rr wrecked in the front. Definitely not hurting on cost on the rebuild and have experience working on bikes. I put everything together today bled the brakes NP ran around the block slow 4-5 times feeling it out checking for problems then after a walk around I rode 3-4 miles nothing above 45mph but time to time quick hits in first then quick shifts etc. As I approach a major intersection half block to stop lighting "tap" the front brakes and then I feel a big grab coming from the front aggressive braking! Instantly I know it's not good and prepare to turn into the gas station then I can't make it 20ft in the lot from the road and came to a spot while lightly on the gas to get to a spot out of the way without dropping the front end. I sit look, confused, pissed, pray, lucky and can't figure out wtf just happened. My front brake lever is super tight! Stock lever moved in 1/2" and had full pressure front wheel wouldn't move. Brake pads looked ok at view. 20 minutes later I jump on the bike while a friend is now there pull in the clutch and it rolls back??? Hmmmm so after talking and since I'm 4 blocks from my house I ride 10mph him following using only the rear brake in case it's the front brakes. Make it home park it and was late to 2 bday parties. Now as I sit home searching and thinking I have a couple things that are the problem but want to see your thoughts first. I know this is long but didn't want replies asking this/that so answered those now. This is what I replaced/checked.

Used checked by shop front wheel bearings rotors
Upper/lower triple checked again and ok
Used forks checked and ok "^"
Front pads are 65% @ install of above install

The neck of the frame was fine no bends/frame damage rear damage. Was hit by a car that was turning left then turned right into a friend. Bent lower stem cracked upper right triple.

Again hate the long post but like
I mentioned. Thanks in advance.
 
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#2 ·
did you use aftermarket oem type levers? I have heard that the levers can bind up and get stuck in their mounts causing a similar affect. or possibly the master cylinder was damaged but not noticed? if it was crushed or tweaked the internal piston could bind and build up pressure locking the front brakes...
 
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#5 ·
if the lever was jammed solid, then there almost has to be something mechanically wrong with some aspect of the front brake system. somewhere from the lever to the pads there is a problem.
 
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#7 ·
I was thinking the same thing (brake system) bad caliper or something but it's been bugging me with everything starting with the crash and I'm thinking it may be the front axle. It came out semi-normal as it did installing. But what if the axle got bent slightly? Because after it happen the left (while on the bike) caliper wouldn't go on the fork bracket easy. I tightened the nut some more to pull the axle in more and then it bolted NP. I thought it was weird but after a full day working on the bike thought maybe I was to anal on everything and thinking into it to much.

As of now without taking it off I think the front axle is bent since the impact from the left front side cracked the right upper tree and bent the steering stem along with the forks. As far as the forks go personally a machine shop here has straightened an easy dozen forks worse than these but since it's been 2-3 yrs since I've been there they seemed clueless which says they are all newbies. I didn't recognize any of the workers this time. And the guy at the counter seemed shocked they could straighten them/any to begin with
 
#12 ·
You need to verify if the calipers are locking up, If so the 1st thing I would check is your fluid level in your master, if there is too much brake fluid in there when the brakes start to heat up the fluid will expand and if there is too much fluid in reservoir it can cause the brakes to drag or worse lock up. A aftermarket brake lever can cause this also. I had a bike come into my shop recently, it would roll fine but after riding it 15 or 20 minutes it would literally lock up the front wheel with no warning, after going through the brake system, I found small amount of debri in the master cylinder blocking the return port hole which caused the problem so I would recommend checking that also. Hope this helps
 
#13 ·
I will double check the fluid level when I get off work. It may have to much cause I topped it off when I was bleeding the system. I might also flush the system and hopefully that will get any debri that might be in the system. As far as spacers go I know they are correct. It didn't feel like the brakes dragged and didn't hear/feel any grabbing rolling the bike while not started. Thanks guys
 
#15 ·
either
a one of the pistons got stuck
b a pad got jammed up in the caliper
c the master got stuck partial pushed in

if the spacers were wrong or the caliper wasnt centered the wheel would not have moved freely to start with ..

a lot of times when the brakes get hot the bad piston will get stuck out then when you let it cool off it will free up and slide back in .. its a little harder to diag on a bike verse a car because on a car you can get it to do it without the risk of locking the front tire and causing an accident . the best way on a bike to check it out in my opinion is to pull the caliper apart and remove the pistons . once the pistons are out look for rust or pitting on the piston itself . with brake fluid being hydroscopic it will wick moisture . if left to sit for awhile usually the pistons are the first part that tends to rust . this causes exactly what you described .
 
#16 ·
The brakes worked fine before the wreck because I know the guy. After the wreck it sat in a garage till I recently got it in my garage then took the calipers apart. As of now I'm going to get a new axle and flush the front brakes. As mentioned the upper/lower tree were crap and the forks slightly bent has me think now the axle is bent. (When installing I thought it was all the way thru while on the bike the right caliper bolted up fine but the left I struggled with and used a rubber mallet to get a lil extra to bolt up the left caliper)-forgot to mention! I'm still thankful I wasn't going fast because it could've ended badly with the amount of pressure on the front bringing me to a stop. With the little fight more than normal of installing the axle just has me to believe something's not lined up right etc. I'd feel better to swap knowing. Or atleast take out and have machine shop check if it's straight.
 
#17 ·
Caliper seals were the answer. I didn't think so since the brakes worked fine before the wreck but after replacing them no problems. Still need to bleed off some more can't find the bunk even after bleeding off the upper. Thanks again even though I thought otherwise. Btw using a block across the other end of the pistons with a c clamp nocking the opposite Side blowing air into it makes things quick easy. The inner seal comes out with ease using a 2-3" flathead going into the upper part of the seal and twisting flipping the seal out with no problem. And like in other searched sections do each piston at a time. Wish I wasn't in a rush and had time to do a pic play by play but if you can't imagine the process send it to the dealer. Very easy though. GL and thanks to all
 
#19 ·
Well I was wrong. I rode most the day yesterday after bleeding the brakes more but was still not at 100%. Rode it to work and on the way home 15 min or so it happened again!! I felt the front grab some when I pushed in the clutch so I parked it walked 2 blocks home grabbed the wrench to bleed off the pressure got it home and now I'm stuck again. It went through a full flush of new fluid and rebuilt the calipers with new seals cleaned everything. Idk what else it could be. And again stock lever with the pin in the right spot. Collapsed hose maybe??
 
#20 ·
1) how does new axle slide thru knuckles w/o wheel on? should slide in & out with practcally no resistance. if there is, adjust the height of 1 fork leg until drag is at its least.

2) how do calipers mount up now w/ new axle? any difficulty here tells me something is still tweaked.

3) how many rotations will frt wheel go when spinning by hand?

sounds like an alignment issue somewhere generating heat in brake system, to the point where the fluid has no place left to go, so it acts on the pistons.
if it were blockage in the master, I'd want to believe it'd act up anytime, not just after riding a bit.

to help diagnose (not a solution), you could try going out w/ resvr filled about 1/4 to 1/3 full, leaving more air space to compress before acting on the pistons.
may still happen, just should take longer w/ a larger volume of air.
 
#21 ·
After I put the new axle on which went in with ease and mounted everything up the front wheel spun just like every other bike I've owned 7 total. I then stuck within a 3 block radius the first 15 minutes of the ride after the caliper rebuild incase of any issue but gas/braked to do a good check then rode for about 2hrs. Later at night rode for an hr. This morning for 15 to work then on the way back it started and as I stopped the brakes started grabbing good. The calipers mounted right up and I know the spacers are correct. Only thing I have left to think is the master which worked fine before the wreck and wasn't damaged or the hose got impacted and now collapses after heat pressure or just at times. Could it possibly bet brakes need bled more? Never had this much trouble with brakes on all my bikes or cars! It's driving me nuts cause I have to depend on those of course!
 
#22 ·
UPDATE! Double checked the pistons in the caliper no problems seen. I ordered a different brake line in case the one on was impacted during the wreck causing it to collapse and when I took the hose off started on left caliper then right and last master no fluid came out at all but it showed half full of fluid. Ok maybe I'm crazy put on the new hose went to bleed just like everyone does and can't get anything to come out. I tried bleeding from all 3 and don't get anything from the master. Even tried the banjo nut trick.

NOTE: not using the flush gun

I'm at my limits with this problem and just wanna ride! Already got it tax title licensed full coverage $92 for 2 months now and this has held me up for the past month. ANY advice would be great! Haven't tore into the master yet never have before. Any tips/tricks or something I should be extra careful about?
 
#24 ·
Having raced and crashed several times, my experience at this point would be to replace the whole brake master cylinder and lever (I say lever in case that too has been tweaked).

I've rebuilt MANY brake master cylinders and it only was a temporary fix. Hell, I had a teammate drop a bike off the stand and it jacked up the master cylinder. Looked perfectly fine but tweaked it enough that even rebuilds didn't fix it.

For 100% piece of mind, get another brake master cylinder and lever.
 
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