Front brake sticking
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- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2014 10:44 pm
- Location: Lansing, Illinois
- Motorcycle: 1978 Gl1000 goldwing
Front brake sticking
Hi Everybody, I'm new to Goldwing Docs. I have a question about my front brakes sticking on my 1978 Wing. We were on the Dragon's Tail and found that my front right brake caliper was sticking. I've rebuilt the master and cleaned the calipers but they still stick. Can someone help me with this problem? Could it be the lines or the valve that goes to both calipers? I'm at a loss. Please help!!
Thank you,
Thank you,
- dingdong
- Posts: 4027
- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:35 am
- Location: Oklahoma City
- Motorcycle: 1976 gl1000
1993 gl1500A
2004 NRX1800 Rune SOLD
Re: Front brake sticking
In rebuilding the master did you make sure the small return hole was clear. That is usually the cause.
- virgilmobile
- Posts: 9091
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:39 pm
- Location: Denham Springs,La.
- Motorcycle: 1988 GL1500 I
Previously owned
78 GL1000
81 GL1100
82 GL1100 I
83 GL1100 I
83 GL1100 standard
84 GL 1200 I
Re: Front brake sticking
And did you clean the crud from under the seal in the calipers,verify the piston slides smooth into the bottom of the bore,then completely flush all the old fluid and replace it with Dot 4..??
- WingAdmin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 21708
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- Location: Strongsville, OH
- Motorcycle: 2000 GL1500 SE
1982 GL1100A Aspencade (sold)
1989 PC800 (sold)
1998 XV250 Virago (sold)
2012 Suzuki Burgman 400 (wife's!)
2007 Aspen Sentry Trailer
Re: Front brake sticking
Right. It is tiny, some people use a guitar string to clear it, I've used a single clipped off bristle from a wire brush to do the job:dingdong wrote:In rebuilding the master did you make sure the small return hole was clear. That is usually the cause.

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- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2014 10:44 pm
- Location: Lansing, Illinois
- Motorcycle: 1978 Gl1000 goldwing
Re: Front brake sticking
Can anybody recommend a front caliper rebuild kit?
Thanks
Thanks
- SnoBrdr
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:01 am
- Location: Providence, Rhode Island
- Motorcycle: 1978 GL 1000
131K Original Owner
Re: Front brake sticking
K&L are good.mike1430 wrote:Can anybody recommend a front caliper rebuild kit?
Thanks
As is George Fix.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-HONDA-1980-C ... 2c705d6cb7
- stevenstrack
- Posts: 103
- Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:16 pm
- Location: Virginia Beach, VA
- Motorcycle: 1983 GL1100I
Re: Front brake sticking
Is there a problem with using Dot 3 vice Dot 4? I just rebuilt my forks which blew a seal and my pads were saturated. I replaced the pads the other night but used Dot 3 Synthetic brake fluid. I just Read the post here while waiting for my wife to recover from elective surgery and can't recall but think the brake fluid I used was Dot 3/4 Compatable??? Not sure but if I have to go back and flush this out again I want to make sure I don't have a problem down the road.
- SnoBrdr
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:01 am
- Location: Providence, Rhode Island
- Motorcycle: 1978 GL 1000
131K Original Owner
Re: Front brake sticking
Dot 4 has a higher boiling point than does 3.stevenstrack wrote:Is there a problem with using Dot 3 vice Dot 4? I just rebuilt my forks which blew a seal and my pads were saturated. I replaced the pads the other night but used Dot 3 Synthetic brake fluid. I just Read the post here while waiting for my wife to recover from elective surgery and can't recall but think the brake fluid I used was Dot 3/4 Compatable??? Not sure but if I have to go back and flush this out again I want to make sure I don't have a problem down the road.
If it came with 4, stick with 4.
If it came with 3 you can uses either.
Only one you can't use in a DOT 3 system is Dot 5.
But you can use 5.1
- stevenstrack
- Posts: 103
- Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:16 pm
- Location: Virginia Beach, VA
- Motorcycle: 1983 GL1100I
Re: Front brake sticking
One other question. I don't believe I used synthetic the last time I rebuilt my calipers which was less than 4 years ago. I didn't rebuild this time with new seals because my only problem was the pads were soaked with fork oil so I just put on new pads. I know I pumped a lot of new brake fluid through the calipers but would their be a problem with the new synthetic and non-synthetic fluid mixing?
- SnoBrdr
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:01 am
- Location: Providence, Rhode Island
- Motorcycle: 1978 GL 1000
131K Original Owner
Re: Front brake sticking
I don't know what you mean when you say synthetic, it means different things to different people.stevenstrack wrote:One other question. I don't believe I used synthetic the last time I rebuilt my calipers which was less than 4 years ago. I didn't rebuild this time with new seals because my only problem was the pads were soaked with fork oil so I just put on new pads. I know I pumped a lot of new brake fluid through the calipers but would their be a problem with the new synthetic and non-synthetic fluid mixing?
If you totally flush out the system and I mean totally you will never have any issues. Just never used DOT 5.