[prof_stack]

Before a nice 25 mile cool ride today, the C5 was very reluctant to roll out of the driveway.  On the centerstand, the back wheel spun freely (I oiled the chain after the previous ride), but the front wheel was VERY stiff. 

Pulling and releasing the front brake lever did nothing.  I figured maybe the brake caliper was cold (it was 45F degrees). 

I headed the 2 miles to the dealer to show Ralf, service manager, and of course the front wheel spun freely at that time.  He speculated it might be the wheel bearing grease needing to warm up.  He will, as needed, remove and inspect.

Any other ideas?  Thanks.

[enfield freddy]

surface rust on the disc , next time this happens , just roll her a few yds on the drive , whilst applying the brake lever , and see if its still tight

[r80rt]

I'd guess the front caliper was slightly stuck.

[singhg5]

On the centerstand, the back wheel spun freely (I oiled the chain after the previous ride), but the front wheel was VERY stiff.  

Pulling and releasing the front brake lever did nothing.  I figured maybe the brake caliper was cold (it was 45F degrees).  

@Prof:

The front brake pads may stick to the disc even when there is no rust.  Buy a brake cleaning spray - it is a combination of acetone and heptane.  Spray it on one side of  disc and wipe it off immediately before it evaporates rapidly.  Then spray on OTHER side of disc and wipe clean immediately.  You will need to rotate the wheel to clean all the areas of disc that come in contact with pads.  

Temperature of 45 F is no problem at all.  I have been and am still riding my bike G5 in NJ at temperature of 32 F and wind chill reading at 28 F at the time of riding.  The night temp is about 22F and my bike is parked outside so the bike is pretty cold before it is run.  The bike runs so much better in cold weather.  I am quite certain that it is not a wheel problem.  

Pulling and releasing front brake lever does nothing because there is nothing to pull back the brake pads off the disc.  The pads are always resting on the disc and cause some friction.  A good cleaning of disc immediately releases the wheel and if it turns freely that rules out wheel problem.  

If disc cleaning does not solve it, take off the brake caliper and clean the brake pads as well as clean the inside of caliper to remove black powder that accumulates in it (brake pad material and dust).

Here is a link for cleaning front brakes on my G5 -

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,8853.0.html

[gashousegorilla]

 It sounds like it may be your caliper piston/s may not be retracting,  Like r80rt said, caliper stuck. Or maybe the caliper is loose and it "cocked" temporarily? Singh, Your pads stick to your rotor?

 Prof, do you store the bike outside? Or a damp area? Did the rotor look rusted over?

[singhg5]

It sounds like it may be your caliper piston/s may not be retracting,  Like r80rt said, caliper stuck. Or maybe the caliper is loose and it "cocked" temporarily? Singh, Your pads stick to your rotor?

@GHG

Sometimes pads tend to stick to disc (rotor) and on cleaning it frees up immediately.

But as you remember from my previous thread, my G5 brake pistons may not be fully retracting because its pistons (or one of the two pistons) may be sticking to the seal rings as well.  When the weather is better, I will explore further.  Right now I can ride the bike as is, though the brake pads do rattle from time to time and one side of pad sticks off and on.

[gashousegorilla]

 Yup, could be singh. Maybe just a bit of corrosion sets up while the bike sits in a damp area. Not sure, but are these metallic pads? You know, any Iron content? or I guess it could be worn material embedded in the pad from the rotor, that Oxidizes?

[prof_stack]

Thanks for the replies, guys. 

The black C5 stays in the garage, so its not particularly moist, but Seattle has been wet for past few weeks. 

As I was thinking about the stiff wheel, I recalled that it has done it before, in warmer conditions, but not as pronounced as today.  Although it probably doesn't make any difference, I do turn the Bulelt around and back it into the garage, about 33 feet or so.  I had heard a clicking sound before.  I used to think it was the speedo cable before I tightened the loose connector at the wheel. 

I'm leaning to the stuck caliper theory.  There is no visible rust on the disc.  Would that require a disassemble and lubing?  I'll check it out tomorrow to see if the wheel feels stuck again.

Anyway, the bike really feels and sounds good now.  The upswept muffler is really correct for the bike, now with 850 miles.

[gashousegorilla]

 Well, if it was the caliper/piston stuck, and it's free now? Maybe recurring? I wouldn't want to say don't worry about it, it is your brakes. What the heck, it's under warranty, you seem to have a decent dealer close by, middle of winter, get it checked. Could be a lubing cleaning thing, could be a caliper rebuild, could be the wheel needs truing causing the rotor to bind at certain spots? Maybe the system needs to be bled, Ya, know?

[donatelos]

allmost certainley sticking callipers,had this problem every winter on my Yam FJ 1200 and in particular on my Guzzi 1000s with cast iron discs also on my Guzzi breva 1100 after a wet ride on dirty roads ie back lane's,never caused any harm or undue wear as it free's itself after a very short distance as in yards not miles but check check out the callipers in the off chance there is a prob 'thou I dont think you have a problem to worry about .Don

[ScooterBob]

Well, if it was the caliper/piston stuck, and it's free now? Maybe recurring? I wouldn't want to say don't worry about it, it is your brakes. What the heck, it's under warranty, you seem to have a decent dealer close by, middle of winter, get it checked. Could be a lubing cleaning thing, could be a caliper rebuild, could be the wheel needs truing causing the rotor to bind at certain spots? Maybe the system needs to be bled, Ya, know?

YOU have obviously worked on a couple or ten old Honda heeps that have been laid up too long ..... Hahaha!! Those things will stick 'til the Reverend Ernest Anglely couldn't take the torque off of 'em ...... I was wondering about lever adjustment or something equally as insidious .... this bike IS new after all .....

[enfield freddy]

unsell the disk assy (lever) is a complete redesign over the older electra model , there is no lever adjustment (there was one on that yam xs400 i had?)

if this is not a rust problem (on the disk) , i would be going back to the supplyingdealer and explaining this , and ask him to unbolt the caliper and check the pistons (part No. 560686 , seals 560587 and dust seals 560588 (bob , confirm the numbers!)

and replace the above under warrenty or replace the caliper 146198

if this fault persists , even when the bike has run and hot , the master cyl might be faulty (faulty one way breather) , this should be replaced


as a side note, your pads should not be loose ,

[gashousegorilla]

YOU have obviously worked on a couple or ten old Honda heeps that have been laid up too long ..... Hahaha!! Those things will stick 'til the Reverend Ernest Anglely couldn't take the torque off of 'em ...... I was wondering about lever adjustment or something equally as insidious .... this bike IS new after all .....

Oh Geez ,Is it that obvious? Yup,I see stuck wheels in my sleep Even the ones in "Good" shape do it.Those early Honda juice brake systems are a PIA," Brake dragger's."

[ScooterBob]

Oh Geez ,Is it that obvious? Yup,I see stuck wheels in my sleep Even the ones in "Good" shape do it.Those early Honda juice brake systems are a PIA," Brake dragger's."

Heeheehee - I know what you been up to ..... I personally like the old K0 bikes with the hockey puck that is recessed into the alloy caliper SO tight that heat expansion makes 'em tight - not to mention 20 years of damp garage "growing" them together better than you could weld them ..... Hahahaha!

[gashousegorilla]

 SCRAPE..........SCRAPE........SCRAPE..........SCRAPE. Love riding next to them Cement dividers Pretty much the same freek'in design up to the K8's. And if the fricken little groove inside the caliper, where the seal sits , ain't perfect ? You can't roll it down the driveway. Agony ...Agony !
  They are great disc polishers though, you can even see yourself 

[ScooterBob]

I believe I've heard that sound before  - I'm appalled that Hon-Duh KEPT that design so late into the production! It was definitely TOO perfect to be used under less than the best circumstances ......

[Ice]

I would clean and lube the caliper mount pins IAW the factory service manual first.

 Here in soggy land changing the brake fluids yearly help keep the calipers piston bore from corroding,,, another source of brake drag.

 There is no internal spring in the caliper to return the piston once you let up on the brake lever.

 It is the square cross section calipers piston seal ( not to be confused with the pleated dust boot) that "pulls" the piston back ever so slightly.

 When the piston moves further than the seal can "grip" it has, in a manner, self adjusted outward.

 A warped rotor can allow this "adjustment" to happen when you don't want it to resulting in the scrape,scrape, scrape, sound.

 Also bear in mind that the pads/shoes having picked up metal from the rotor/drum
can "stick" slightly when the metals of both rust together just a tiny bit.