adjusted brake lever up, got 1.25 inches - Ducati.ms

Antigrav · Nov 8th, 2008, 6:58 pm

I've been disturbed by the brake level dragging and in general the big angle downward that it came with new. Well I adjusted it and got it in the middle of the oil site glass were as before it was over an inch below the oil site glass. this should basically eliminate the grinding of the brake level So if anyone else was having this problem it is an easy fix...

Just adjust the brake actuator rod down further on its threads and adjust the brake light switch bolt... I undid the clip that holds the brake actuator rod and slid out the rod... I adjusted the brake light switch bolt to get the lever to stop where I wanted it to, then just undid the lock nut on the brake actuator rod to get it to where I wanted it...

Monstaman · Nov 8th, 2008, 7:10 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antigrav

Just adjust the brake actuator rod down further on its threads and adjust the brake light switch bolt... I undid the clip that holds the brake actuator rod and slid out the rod... I adjusted the brake light switch bolt to get the lever to stop where I wanted it to, then just undid the lock nut on the brake actuator rod to get it to where I wanted it...

Antigrav, just be careful you don't upset the piston height as this can cause the brake to stay on as the cylinder will not relieve back to the required position.

Mtae of mine on his S4 had just that happen to him, burnt the pads and turned the disc blue from heat

801 · Nov 8th, 2008, 9:54 pm

Maybe you can get Alex (08hyper) to chime in on this one. He cut and modded his levers for the same reason, and it worked out well. As Monstaman (totally jealous of him!) pointed out, there is a rear brake issue with the way you did it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monstaman

Antigrav, just be careful you don't upset the piston height as this can cause the brake to stay on as the cylinder will not relieve back to the required position.

Mtae of mine on his S4 had just that happen to him, burnt the pads and turned the disc blue from heat

Antigrav · Nov 9th, 2008, 1:44 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monstaman

Antigrav, just be careful you don't upset the piston height as this can cause the brake to stay on as the cylinder will not relieve back to the required position.

Mtae of mine on his S4 had just that happen to him, burnt the pads and turned the disc blue from heat

I understand what you are saying Monsta... the piston can be put under pressure if you don't adjust the actuator rod correctly... I think your friend may have adjusted the bolt at the brake switch (which adjusts the pedal height)and not compensated for this at the acuator rod... you have to do both together, and make sure you set the actuator rod to the correct length for the pedal height you set. As I was performing these adjustments I could see that you could actually "load" the piston (meaning put on the brakes) if you didn't adjust both together...

Thanks for that heads up though... I didn't explain it well in my write up...

So for anyone who wants to do this... Adjust the pedal height first by backing out the adjuster that operates the brake light switch (this is the adjuster on the back of the brake lever itself which allows you to raise the brake lever hieght)...after doing this you will notice that if you press on the brake pedal the actuator rod is way to short and you now have a lot of free play before your brakes work (because the actuator rod is now too short and has to be adjusted longer..... Now unclip the clip on the actuator rod (right below the actuator rod lock nut).... take off the actuator rod (just slips down) loosen the lock nut on the actuator rod assembly, and make the rod longer by turning counter clockwise... then go back and dry fit the actuator rod to make sure that the length is correct.... it should have a minute quantity of freeplay between the piston and head of the actuator rod... if it is tight you need to screw it shorter... if it has more than a 1/16 inch freeplay you need to make it longer... Last make sure when you are lengthening the actuator rod that you leave at least 1/4" of thread screwed into the assembly, anything less and you are making the rod too weak. Tighten the lock nut, reinstall actuator rod and clip. make sure you have a tiny bit of free play at brake pedal and check you rear wheel is spinning freely.
If you do this you will see what I am explaining, and it is quite easy to do.

Monstaman · Nov 9th, 2008, 1:44 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antigrav

Thanks for that heads up though... I didn't explain it well in my write up...
.

No worries man, sounds like you are on to it which is cool.

My mates bike was an S4, he bought it adjusted like that (and not knowing), over time the piston was gradually bit by bit moving up the cylinder and the return port was getting further and further away as the fluid was not returning, it all came to a head one day on a DOC run when she fried up and we took a good look at it to see why, that was the problem.

Simple adjustment, new fluid and sand the disc and everything was good.