Ok, I bought some new rear pads for my 400ex and im having trouble getting them on. First off I took my caliper off and the 2 screws off and out fell my old pads. A buddy of mine told me to get a C-clamp to push the cylinder thing that pushes the pads back in. So I did and it went in a little bit, but not enough. I tried to put it back on and there wasnt enough space for the disc to get in between the pads. So I messed around with it for a while then I pushed down on the brake peddle cuz I thought that might help, but no, it pushed it out further!! So I tried putting the C-clamp back on and it wont go back in. Can somebody help me with this?? I would just have somebody else do it but the shop said they charge $35-$40 to put it on!! Bump that, i'll do it myslef (if I can)....

Help ASAP!!! I cant ride til I get it on...

 

Assuming thatr you have the right brake pads, the problem is that you are not pressing the cup into the bore far enough.

Don't put direct C-clamp pressure to the cup. Put one of the old brake pads in there and press the C-clamp against it. If you don't you risk the cup "cocking" and damaging the bore of the caliper and the seals.

You do have the bleeder screw loose don't you?? You are going to have to bleed the brakes anyway, so if you haven't loosened it already, do that.

There is nothing else to prevent the piston cup from compressing.

By the way, where have you been? Haven't seen much of you on here lately.

 

Ok, where is the bleeder screw and what does it look like? Will fluid squirt out when I take it off?? How do you bleed the brakes?? Thanks!

BTW, I just been mostly out riding and staying over at my girlfriends. Of course I have school during the day, thankfully we only got like 10 more days counting tommorow until we'll be out for summer!

 

Sometimes it helps to loosen the top of the brake fluid rezzy.

I've replaced my pads four times, and I've never had to bleed my brakes yet.

 

Nothing wrong with not bleeding them.

We just do it as a precaution to keep an air pocket from forming after compressing the piston.

Also keep in mund that once brake fluid breaks down and reaches the boiling point, you brake performance will suffer gradually without you knowing about it. You should change your brake fluid at least every other pad change even if you don't race. Try the brakes on a machine with bad fluid versus a new machine and you will see the difference.

 

Also try loosening the E-Brake adjustment screw. That might be your problem. Let us know.

 

Yea, what hondamarshal said, a friend of mine had a heck of a time trying colapse his piston that last little bit, it was the E-brake(bolt behind piston), it's a wonder he didn't break it!

good luck...