I pulled the front brake off and noticed the pads wear WAY OFF! and the whole caliper can rotate on the mount. Looked at the shop manual and it shows a different caliper setup than this. The while system was pretty much run dry so now I have to disassemble and clean/rebuild...but I am just wondering what the heck is going on with this pad wear...that can't be normal!
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Front brake, what's going on here?
- Thread starter Noodles
- Start date
I pulled the front brake off and noticed the pads wear WAY OFF! and the whole caliper can rotate on the mount. Looked at the shop manual and it shows a different caliper setup than this. The while system was pretty much run dry so now I have to disassemble and clean/rebuild...but I am just wondering what the heck is going on with this pad wear...that can't be normal!
Looks almost unused.
I imagine the forces on the pad cause uneven wear so they produce them that way to compensate.
That type of caliper comes that way. I believe it's the type used on the specials only.
Earlier calipers are slightly different and take pads with straight surfaces.
I imagine the forces on the pad cause uneven wear so they produce them that way to compensate.
That type of caliper comes that way. I believe it's the type used on the specials only.
Earlier calipers are slightly different and take pads with straight surfaces.
That's freakin weird! Looking over my master cylinder it is all filled with gunk and has some corrosion around it too. Wondering if I would be better off just getting one of these.
Also, this front caliper is such a monstrous gaumy looking thing, I'm wondering if maybe I could find a newer, smaller caliper that I could make work somehow.
Also, this front caliper is such a monstrous gaumy looking thing, I'm wondering if maybe I could find a newer, smaller caliper that I could make work somehow.
The master cylinder should be ok. See if it lists the piston diameter. Stock is 14mm.
Certainly possible to do different calipers, requires some custom fabrication though.
See Greasy's bike:
http://www.xs400.com/threads/the-greasey-fingers-build.12204/page-10#post-147644
He mentions drewpy doing the conversion originally but I don't have that link handy.
Certainly possible to do different calipers, requires some custom fabrication though.
See Greasy's bike:
http://www.xs400.com/threads/the-greasey-fingers-build.12204/page-10#post-147644
He mentions drewpy doing the conversion originally but I don't have that link handy.
Thanks, this is the first thing I've run into that I was not really expecting to have to throw $$ at, but I'm sure it won't be the last! Just want to get the bike safe enough to ride for the season, then do the big teardown/rebuild over the winter.
80-82 sohc xs400's used calipers with pads that look like that. My 80 and 81 are the same. No problems there. http://www.xs400.com/threads/brake-pad-wear-i-think.15470/
Thanks xsChris I just thought it was awful strange. Gotta do a little more to the front brake than expected but I'll "git er done".
Think I'm just gonna get the El cheapo MC on ebay (like the look a lot better than OEM anyway) buy a new line, and rebuild this caliper for now. Gotta get a new pad spring, mine is rotted out, and maybe a new piston. So the ebay search is on I guess..
Think I'm just gonna get the El cheapo MC on ebay (like the look a lot better than OEM anyway) buy a new line, and rebuild this caliper for now. Gotta get a new pad spring, mine is rotted out, and maybe a new piston. So the ebay search is on I guess..
I jumped on the cheap MC from Hong kong..
Cost me $19.00! We shall see what I get! Also think I'm going to get a new piston for the caliper and obviously all the seals and such. I will post all of it when it arrives and let you guys know what I think about the generic MC.
Cost me $19.00! We shall see what I get! Also think I'm going to get a new piston for the caliper and obviously all the seals and such. I will post all of it when it arrives and let you guys know what I think about the generic MC.
I bought one of those mikesxs masters a while back and the oem works WAY better. Make sure it is at least a 14mm bore master. If it is less it will move less fluid and have less stopping power. If you need to replace the caliper piston get one of these. They are very good. https://hvccycle.net/yamaha-rd400f-brake-caliper-piston-hvc200106f/
In the specs. It said 14mm bore. But from Hong Kong for $19.00 it ain't gonna be no high end race bike MC! and who knows where the heck you can find rebuild parts for it, but I figure it will work enough to get me by for now. Cost less than a rebuild kit for my OEM, and the OEM is in rough shape. But I am gonna rebuild it anyway eventually.
MerlinDudley
XS400 Addict
The first thing I'd do, is to strip the caliper down, then clean and oil those carrier pins, as the pads can't move freely on them, that alone will cause the uneven pad wear! Then change all of the seals in the caliper, making sure that the piston, can move freely under pressure.
Merlin
Merlin
Yup, got the piston out with a blast of compressed air and pulled the guts out of the MC. I think with a good careful cleaning the piston could be reused and rebuild kit on the MC with a good clean out and the system would work just fine. Also did a redneck refinishing on the disk rotor. WORKED PRETTY GOOD! check out the pics.
Does anyone have any leads on where to get parts for this caliper? Seems to be an oddball. I am looking for a piston, seal kit, metal retainer ring for piston dust boot, bleed screw, and pad spring (rusted out).
Anyone got any ideas on what will work?
I've been looking, but not really finding!
1981 XS400SH
Anyone got any ideas on what will work?
I've been looking, but not really finding!
1981 XS400SH
https://hvccycle.net/yamaha-rd400f-brake-caliper-piston-hvc200106f/ Piston here. They also would have a seal kit. I got my seals off ebay. Search the OEM part number not just xs400 and there are differences between years.
I bought my caliper piston and seal kit from Yambits:
http://yambits.co.uk/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=XS400SE
http://yambits.co.uk/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=XS400SE
THEY show on yambits parts for 1980-1981 XS400SE. WILL PARTS FOR THE 81XS400SE WORK ON AN 81 XS400SH???
SE was the UK version of the SH/SG/SJ.
I'm not totally sure that everything is 100% the same but it's pretty close.
The brake caliper stuff is the same.
I'm not totally sure that everything is 100% the same but it's pretty close.
The brake caliper stuff is the same.
