1300 Brakes: Changing Pads, Adjusting Brake Light, Changing Fluid

[Chicago-Spike]

Changing rear brake pads (Red Sonja)

Decided to document what I did when
I changed my rear brakes on the 1300c

Step 1
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/3175brake1.jpg
Removed the left bolt from the brake housing
using a 12mm socket

Step 2
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/3175brake2.jpg
Once the bolt is removed the brake housing
can pivot on the other bolt

Step 3
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/3175brake3.jpg
use a large flat head screwdriver to
remove the brake retaining bolt cover

Step 4
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/3175brake4.jpg
Once the pin cover is off, Use a 5mm allen wrench
to remove the brake retaining bolt. This can require
quite some force to break loose

Step 5
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/3175brake5.jpg
remove the brake retaining bolt and notice
that the brake pad bolt loops are facing down
and towards the brake housing.

Step 6
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/3175brake6.jpg
I used an old wood clamp to compress the
brake caliper in so putting the new pads in
would be easier.

Step 7
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/3175brake7.jpg
Orient the new pads the same way the old
ones came off and reinstall the retaining bolt
with the 5mm allen wrench . Dont forget the
black bolt cover screw you took off before.

Step 8
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/3175brake8.jpg
Pivot the housing back on the rotor while
pushing in on the pads so they will line up
correctly with the housing retainer clip
(you will feel when its right )

Step 9
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/3175brake9.jpg
reinstall the main housing bolt using a
12mm socket wrench ( dont over torque it )

Step 10
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/3175brake10.jpg
Pump the foot brake so the caliper will decompress
and snug the housing assembly. Thats it you did a brake
job on the rear brakes of your 1300c

Author: Red Sonja

*I recommend that you pull the calipers off and clean the piston before shoving the piston (and all of the dirt stuck to it) back into the caliper. Also a good time to grease the caliper pins. You should be able to slip the rear caliper off with no further work, howerver, the front will require removal of the wheel. - Ceetro

[Chicago-Spike]

Adjusting rear brake light

Below the rear brake resevoir - there is a long rectangular cover. If you look behind it on the right (front) side you will see the switch with an adjustment nut. Lift it slightly out of the bracket and rotate it clockwise (towards you) to make it more sensitive (earlier activation), and counter-clockwise to make it less sensitive. Thats all !!
Last update: 2004-07-29 06:39
Author: Ceetro

[Chicago-Spike]

Changing Brake Fluid


Get the resevoir level so it doesn't spill out when you open the cover. You may need to loosen the clamps a little and tilt it down or up. Make a note of the fluid level in both resevoirs.
http://images.snapfish.com/3424846723232%7Ffp4%3Enu%3D3245%3E787%3E4%3B3%3EWS NRCG%3D323278%3B65748%3Bnu0mrj

Cover up EVERYTHING in the area that fluid can spill on. Brake fluid will ruin your paint.
http://images.snapfish.com/3424846723232%7Ffp46%3Dot%3E2336%3D878%3D5%3A4%3DX ROQDF%3E232369%3A7489%3A2ot1lsi

Remove the cover and clean up any crud around the edge so it doesn't fall in the resevoir.
http://images.snapfish.com/3424846723232%7Ffp45%3Dot%3E2336%3D878%3D5%3A4%3DX ROQDF%3E232369%3A7476%3A%3Bot1lsi

Remove the rubber
http://images.snapfish.com/3424846723232%7Ffp4%3Enu%3D3245%3E787%3E4%3B3%3EWS NRCG%3D323278%3B658937nu0mrj

Slide a wrench on the bleed nut and attach the MityVac (rear shown)
http://images.snapfish.com/3424846723232%7Ffp45%3Dot%3E2336%3D878%3D5%3A4%3DX ROQDF%3E232369%3A74%3A933ot1lsi

Pumping the MityVac creates a vacuum, and when you open the bleed nut, the old fluid is sucked out. Do not let the resevoir get less than half empty before adding more fluid from a sealed container. Repeat untill it runs clear.
http://images.snapfish.com/3424846723232%7Ffp3%3B%3Dot%3E2336%3D878%3D5%3A4%3 DXROQDF%3E232369%3A749659ot1lsi

Note how dark the old fluid is
http://images.snapfish.com/3424846723232%7Ffp3%3B%3Dot%3E2336%3D878%3D5%3A4%3 DXROQDF%3E232369%3A749765ot1lsi

Refill the resevoirs to the level they were at before you started. Tighten the bleed nuts and reinstall the covers. Pump the brake levers a few times to build up pressure and check leaks. Test the system before riding in traffic!
Good additional info from prs:
I learned a neat trick to protect the paint and trim from spills. Get a kitchen sized plastic waste bag. Put a thumb sized hole through the bottom of the bag. Put the bag over the reservoir and gently stretch the thumb hole over the reservoir. This gives you a neat stretch fit and the bag can be draped over the spill prone area and even further protected by putting a paper shop towel in the little basin formed by th bag. NO MATTER HOW CAREFUL YOUR ARE, OR HOW WELL YOU PROTECT THE PAINT AND TRIM -- DO HAVE SOAPY WATER AND CLEANING RAG HANDY! Clean any accidents immediatley.

If just changing the fluid, you can also use the Mity Vac to almost totally drain the fluid from the resrvoir, fill the reservoir with new fluid - adding often, then use the brake lever or peddel to pump the lines clear by pumping the lever or peddle several times, holding it firm, opening the bleeder to let the fluid excape into your catch basin and allowing the lever or peddel to move to its furthers down position, close the bleeder, slowly release the peddel and repeat. Takes about 10 such cycles to get clear fluid and it is remarkable how the old and new tend not to mix. The Valvoline Synthetic DOT 3and4 seems to work well. If your brake pads are worn, avoid filling the reservoirs fuller than they were, or remember to deplete the reservoirs some before installing new pads; or you may flood/jamb the system.



Last update: 2005-04-10 09:59
Author: Ceetro

[Chicago-Spike]

Changing Front Pads - Retro (by TRHOD)


Changing the front pads is actually just as easy as the rears.
Here is an exploded view of the caliper assembly:
http://www.hondaonlineparts.com/showView.asp?pid=1080&prd=VTX|VTX1300S|2003 (http://www.hondaonlineparts.com/showView.asp?pid=1080&prd=VTX|VTX1300S|2003)
All you need to do is REMOVE the bolt cover #12 and the bolt #13 and LOOSEN bolt #8. You should be able to take the pads out without removing #8, but you might have to take it out, I can't remember exactly right now. Before you take the pads off compress the piston in the caliper. You can do this with your hands, the pistons aren't hard to compress like a car. Spring #6 is located above the pads. It probably will fall out or come out when you take the pads out. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET THIS BACK IN ORIENTED CORRECTLY. FYI, if you get it all back togther when you squeeze brake to pump the pressure back up, if it doesn' go back up with in 5 pumps, you might have the spring in backwards. Don't keep squeezing or you will break the spring. (Do not ask how I know this )
The springs # 7 should stay on the caliper. Your new pad ends that go in first will squeeze into these.
That is it, add some lithium grease to the rubber boot on bolt #8, button everything back up, torque the bolts and go ride.
Torque Values:
Front Brake Caliper Pin (#8) - 20 lbs / ft. with medium (blue) LocTite
Brake pad pin (#13) - 13 lbs / ft.
Brake Pad Pin Plug (#12) 2.2 lbs / ft.

TRHOD

[Chicago-Spike]

My brake lever wont firm up, by silvervtx04s


Typical problem when swapping lines, or just sucked a bunch of air into the system. FIx brought to you by silvervtx04s
"You have air trapped in the banjo bolt on the master cylinder.Close the bleeder and remove the bolt on the master ,fill the end of the master with fluid and fill the brake line also. Reassemble leaving the bolt slightly loose, pull the lever once and hold to the bar .Tighten the bolt ,release the lever and repeat ,using the bolt as a bleeder. Two or three passes and you should be good to go. Remember brake fluid eats paint so use due caution."

Author: silvervtx04s

[Chicago-Spike]

Tool Hints for changing brake pads


Every now and then this topic comes up. There is a very nice little tool that can be helpful. It is a hose pinch off tool, only use on rubber style hoses. It's available from Snap-on under part # YA2850A. They are a few $ a piece and work great. What they do, is put a little pressure to pinch off the hose. Then you open the bleeder and push in the piston, squirting the fluid in a bucket. This stops the fluid from being forced back up to the master cylinder which can damage it. Just as the piston reaches the end tighten the bleeder screw back down and just a light pump and you'll remove any trapped air. Here is the link, I think you can even order online. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?search=true&item_ID=66783&PartNo=ya2850a& group_id=1461&store=snapon-store&tool=all (http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?search=true&item_ID=66783&PartNo=ya2850a&group_id=1461&store=snapon-store&tool=all)
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/OBJECTS/45400/45370.JPG


Last update: 2006-03-13 05:38
Author: Jon's1800VTXC

[spudwrench]

In the first post on this topic Red Sonja shows how to do the rear pads...
But:
Notice between her 5th and 6th picture she has removed the front bolt also and taken the entire caliper off. This makes it much easier to compress the piston back into the caliper, also, unlike the front caliper, these two bolts(pin/bolts, whatever they are called) are also what the caliper floats on and are enclosed with rubber boots. Don't damage the boots and be careful to get them back in place in reassembly.

Ceetro mentions in his note on that post that the front pads require front wheel removal. Even though it looks as if there is enough slack in the brake line to unbolt the caliper and slide it down and off the rotor... there is not and you will have to remount the caliper, move the bike to where you can jack it up, etc. - don't ask me how I know. Dropping the wheel is far simpler than trying to loosen and move the plastic fender out of the way.

[Vragor]

Changing Front Pads - Retro (by TRHOD)


Changing the front pads is actually just as easy as the rears.
Here is an exploded view of the caliper assembly:
http://www.hondaonlineparts.com/showView.asp?pid=1080&prd=VTX|VTX1300S|2003 (http://www.hondaonlineparts.com/showView.asp?pid=1080&prd=VTX|VTX1300S|2003)
All you need to do is REMOVE the bolt cover #12 and the bolt #13 and LOOSEN bolt #8. You should be able to take the pads out without removing #8, but you might have to take it out, I can't remember exactly right now. Before you take the pads off compress the piston in the caliper. You can do this with your hands, the pistons aren't hard to compress like a car. Spring #6 is located above the pads. It probably will fall out or come out when you take the pads out. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET THIS BACK IN ORIENTED CORRECTLY. FYI, if you get it all back togther when you squeeze brake to pump the pressure back up, if it doesn' go back up with in 5 pumps, you might have the spring in backwards. Don't keep squeezing or you will break the spring. (Do not ask how I know this )
The springs # 7 should stay on the caliper. Your new pad ends that go in first will squeeze into these.
That is it, add some lithium grease to the rubber boot on bolt #8, button everything back up, torque the bolts and go ride.
Torque Values:
Front Brake Caliper Pin (#8 ) - 20 lbs / ft. with medium (blue) LocTite
Brake pad pin (#13) - 13 lbs / ft.
Brake Pad Pin Plug (#12) 2.2 lbs / ft.

TRHOD

I had trouble finding the diagram that was referred to, but I got it eventually. I'm going to try changing my front brakes tonight and maybe take some pictures. I'll post them if they add anything.

http://vragor.smugmug.com/photos/578242159_RNdNb-O.jpg

[Vragor]

I changed both front and rear brake pads last night without any problems. I tried taking pictures but nothing came out useable.

Front brakes went pretty much like the writeup said.

1) I took careful note of the location of the pad spring below the hangar pin

2) I used a 14mm socket to loosen the top bolt. Only loosened 1 turn. Mine was not hard to loosen but others talk about it being VERY tight.

3) I used a large flathead screw driver to remove the bolt cover (plug). Again, it was not very tight.

4) I used a #5 alan wrench to remove the hangar pin. It was not tight.

5) The inside brake pad fell out as soon as the pin retracted enough.

6) The outside pad was very easy to remove once the pin came out.

7) I should have taken a paper towel with wd-40 or some other cleaner and cleaned around the pistons to remove road grime but I didn't.

8 ) lying on my back, I used both hands to squeez the bottom most piston back into the caliper. It took allot of force and 4 or 5 efforts. I'm not sure if a wood clamp or something else could have helped. I tried doing it before removing the brake pad but there was no way that I could do it. I worked until the piston was all the way back in.

9) Again, lying down and using both hands I squeezed the upper piston back into the caliper. It was much harder because it's deeper in and I had less leverage. I got it almost all the way but couldn't get that last bit so that both brake pads could fit back in. I put the outside pad in place, then pushed the whole caliper assembly towards the rotor and managed to get the last little bit.

10) Putting brake pads back in place was just a matter of feel until the nose of the pad settled into the right place and the pin could go easily through the hole.

11) I re-tightened the pin, plug, and upper bolt then pumped the brakes and took a ride.


Note: The pad spring never came loose or fell out so I didn't have to replace it. I'm not sure the upper bolt even needed to be loosened. I barely loosened it and maybe that's why the spring didn't come loose.



The Rear brakes went exactly like Red Sonja's post said, with the exception that I didn't use a wood clamp to compress the cylinder. I did clean the cylinder with WD-40, then used my fingers to force the cylinder back in. It was much easier than either of the front two cylinders.

[Catbird]

There are a couple of clips involved. One is in the caliper, seated above the pads. I wish I knew what position it is supposed to be in. I noticed that one little "ear" of it was broken off. There is another clip to the front of the caliper. At least I hope that is supposed to be there. : ) You also must be sure to seat the front extensions/ears of the pads in the caliper once you have lowered them onto the disc. Right?

[Chicago-Spike]

Pad Wear Indicator;

http://home.comcast.net/~scumbuster/images/padsm2.jpg

[BagleP]

Adjusting rear brake light

Below the rear brake resevoir - there is a long rectangular cover. If you look behind it on the right (front) side you will see the switch with an adjustment nut. Lift it slightly out of the bracket and rotate it clockwise (towards you) to make it more sensitive (earlier activation), and counter-clockwise to make it less sensitive. Thats all !!
Last update: 2004-07-29 06:39
Author: Ceetro
Thanks alot! You helped me out big time.

[dale88fan]

So does the front wheel have to come off or not ? I want to tackle this job this winter .Thanks for the help

[Chicago-Spike]

The wheels do not come off for just pads

[dale88fan]

Thank you Spike you are a great person with a lot of knowledge