So the quad I bought only had rear brakes. The front ones had locked up and the previous owner just had the shop take the shoes off so that it may be ridden. He didn't want to spend the $500 they said it would take to fix the front brakes. Anyway. So I think everyone knows how insufficeint the rear brakes are on thier own. I have had no problems using the engine to slow myself down (with the help of the weak rear brakes). Well, now my rears aren't working either. I can not adjust them anymore due to the fact that the screw is already screwed all the way in until it hits the foot brake lever. Have my brakes already been worn, they are only one month old. I just am not sure that even with just having rear brakes they should have worn this soon. I have only ridden 75 miles since I have gotten it and the previous owner gave me the receipt from the shop saying that he had just got the rear brakes done. Can anyone help me out with this, cause, the engine does a great job slowing me down, but without the meek rear brakes now, it is almost impossible to stop without pulling a flinstone. LOL. Also, all the parts seem to be in tact for the front braking system (minus the pads), I was wondering if anyone could shed a light on why it would be so expensive to fix the front brakes. Are those old hydrolic systems that expensive. Would it be worth it to me to try to do a more up-to-date disk conversion? I am so new at this, I just know that I want to be able to stop, I know these older KQ's have gotten a bad wrap for thier braking systems.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: OLDSCHOOLQUAD

I know these older KQ's have gotten a bad wrap for thier braking systems.</end quote></div>

That basically sums it up.

Two things that are chronic with the KQ300 rear brake:

1. It doesn't seal very well. Make a few trips through mud and water and you've added some nice lubricant to your brake system. While the seals are not good enough to keep water and mud out, they do a great job of holding it in. You could have new pads and a good drum and the brakes will still slip.

2. The rear brake drum gets worn over time. It just wears out, making for a larger diameter drum that the shoes cannot expand enough to get a grip. IIRC, just the part of the new drum is very pricey.


Some advice from a former KQ owner - I know you love your quad and that you're fairly new to ATVing. While the KQ was a great maching in it's day, it has been surpassed many times over by just about all the manufacturers. While I know just how loud the all mighty dollar speaks, you may want to consider a newer model quad. The improvements in suspension and power are just two areas - ride something newer and you'll see just where the KQ is lacking. You also need to consider the fact that you have some expensive repairs to do the get your KQ back to being a safe ride. Even if you rebuild the brakes, they just don't last on the KQ. About the only good brake mod would be to change the fronts over to the KQ300 front disc brakes that were available in the last couple of years.

Seriously, there is a point where you are dumping an endless supply of $$$ just for maintenance.

Jaybee

 

Thanks for the supporting info Jaybee. Yeah, this quad is my first and I have only had it for about a month and a half. Money is definatley a factor considering this fact. I think just the mention of finding a new quad already would send my wife in to a frenzy, LOL. So looks like I will have to deal with it for a while. The idea of this quad was to get me ready for something bigger so that when that time comes, the KQ would be passed off to my wife so that she may join me on some trips. But with the braking situation as it is, doesn't sound like that would be very safe to put her on. Just wondering would I have to replace the WHOLE front brake system to convert to the "newer" 300 brakes? Any quesstimation on what it will put me back. You are definately on point in the fact that I don't want to put tons of $$$ into a quad that is just a starter for me. Thanks man.

 

I would get both the front and rear brakes working by repairing them to the original specs. You need to do this - engine braking and a rear brake only will eventually lead to posts here from OLDSCHOOLQUADSWIDOW. Don't try anything fancy (read - expensive) but get in there and figure out what's wrong with the front brakes. Hopefully you just have a bunch of crud and corrosion that can be fixed by soaking and cleaning the front brake system. It's just a drum system after all - I bet if you get into the front brakes that you'll find that the main pin is corroded and sticking. Clean everything out so that it works smoothly then get new shoes and springs. While you're at it, do the same for the rear brake.

While it's true that the brakes will continue to be a problem, once you have them working then you're just looking at some more than usual routine maintenance - you'll probably have to completely clean out the brakes after every couple of rides, especially if you get into mud and water. On the plus side, if you can do the work yourself then your costs are just for brake shoes. I don't know just how much it would cost to convert your KQ to disc brakes up front, but I can't see if being cheap - even if you found a wrecked KQ for parts.

If both you and your wife recognize the the KQ is the "first quad" then you can take a reasonable time-frame to move up into one or two newer and lower maintenance quads as time and money permit.

 

Jaybee, thanks so much for your help on this. As you emphasize, I too worry about the brake situation. I would have already gotten into the brakes except that I see there is a hydrolic set-up on the front brake (on the front brake lever). I have never seen or messed with one of these. It has a window for what I am guessing is hydrolic fluid. It of coarse is empty since it has been out of use ever since it locked up. I will take off the tires though and see what is going on back there, as per your suggestion. Cause the @$500 brake job at the shop (was told that's how much it would cost by previous owner) just isn't in the near future right now with our newborn and such. I will definately be doing the work myself, and I have seen brake pads/shoes on e'bay for my model and year for a very reasonable price. I just am set back by that whole hydraulic thing....But can't hurt it anymore than it already might be I guess. Out come the tools, cool.

 

My old 89 Yamaha Big Bear drum brakes never worked for years ,I just got so used to down shifting to slow down that I never really needed them. If I down shifted to fast it could put be over the handle bars.

When I replaced the Big Bear with a 450 Honda Foreman with working brakes I forgot to use the brakes most of the time because I was so used to driving the old ATV. LOL

 

front brakes do about 80%-90% of your stopping...... just like in a car they take all the pressure...... you won't stop very well with just rears....

 

I have to differ that the old model King Quad has 'problem brakes'.
I have heard that story a few times, repeated from one person to the next like some sort of ritual chant. 'King Quads Have Bad Brakes'...
Bull hockey.

I had a 95 king quad for ten years and rode it everywhere and never so much as changed the brake shoes (until I sold it and put on new ones for the new owner)! This isn't pussyfooting it either. I took it down pucker inducing hills, on fast rips down logging roads, (yes on the flats and downhill they can go fast!) and everywhere else. The brakes always worked just fine.

I would say get those brakes all working, and ride it.

About that former owner and that shop:
There isn't anything on the front brake system of a 1st gen King Quad that would cost $500.00 to fix, no matter how you cut it. Whatever shop quoted that to the former owner, they should be put out of business, not only for being corrupt as all getout but for being so irresponsible as to remove the front brakes from an ATV!
I don't care if President Bush requested it, they should have refused such a stupid and dangerous request.
After all, if it doesn't kill the owner first, that quad could be sold to another person in that condition, AS IT WAS!
What would you think of a shop that disables your car's brakes on request?
That's the stupidest thing I ever read a 'repair' shop having done.

The front brake is a simple hydraulic drum brake. You could buy any parts you need off eBay, for budget prices. What is there?
There is a hand lever/master cylinder/reservoir unit, brake lines and tee, and two brake slave cylinders, shoes and springs. That's it!
What $500.00? The shop owner got a coke habit to support, or what? The brakes were siezed and he says $500.00 to fix it, he's a crook.

The back brake is plenty good and water tight as long as you take the drum off every year or two and wipe a bit of rubber grease on that big sealing ring on the outside of the drum. Same on the fronts. It's easy as anything to do. 20 minutes for all three. People neglect to do that and the rubber goes dry and destroys itself and then of course water is going to get in. Ya figger? Then they start howling that their quad has 'bad brakes'.
Maintenance. Take care of it, it takes care of you. You don't have to clean your brakes out 'every ride' unless you have neglected to grease the seals and the seals are now bad.
That's where the 'king quad... ... bad brakes' chant got started. Not from bad brakes but from lazy owners.

My drums stayed dry as a bone for 10 years, through mud crossings, **** wetting seat deep creek crossings, everything. Just do your maintenance, don't blame the machine!

I'd fix the brakes on that early King Quad and just ride it. Everywhere. It's a good design.
You think a design that lasted the longest model run of any utility ATV in the world so far would be 'bad'? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] They are good machines. Sure new ones are newer design and the disks don't require you to grease anything but we aren't all Bill Gates now, are we?
You should see the junk I had to ride in my youth from having an extremely limited budget. In this case the 300 KQ is far from junk.
Lasted me, like I said, ten years. It's still running strong today, as a hunting quad for the guy I sold it to when I bought a new KQ 700 in 2005. And the brakes are still good as new. Oh yeah.

ps. there's a 12 MM bolt head on the inside of the back brake plate at the bottom, right rear wheel. That's a drain for the brake housing. Any water that gets past the seal will drizzle out when you remove that bolt. The front ones use rubber plugs for this. All I ever got out of mine was brake dust though. :smile

pps If the same shop that made that ridiculous quote also did the 'new' back brakes you talk about then I'd have someone else look at it.
That shop is one to stay way way the hell and gone away from.
Good luck on it. It's a good quad.
Ask me for any help you might want.

 

Glenlivet, thanks so much for the info. Yes I agree this is a wonderful machine, without a doubt. Actually I have posted on how dam tough it is and how much abuse it can take without hesitating. Is it possible that the lines have stretched since they are "new" and it is just a simple adjustment that I need to figure out? Problem is that the only adjustment that I can see is the one connected to the foot pedal. I have looked by the drum but can't seem to find any kind of adjusting possible. The one connected to the pedal is already screwed all the way until it touches the pedal, so there will be no more tightening that one. Like I had said before, the front brake system looks to be totally intact (minus any fluid in the window and pads). I wonder the best way to go about finding out if these parts are workable or just trash needed to be taken off the quad. Yeah, the brake repair from that shop sounded really high to me as well. I wasn't going to pay that. Problem is if the previous owner was not on crack when he told me that then I am screwed cause they are the only shop around. They pretty much have a monopoly in this area. I guess I could drive some though if they confirm that price for the repair to another shop not as close by. Though they definately removed the front pads (cause they were sticking), because it states it on the invoice he provided me with. The machine is really nice though, in great condition (omitting the breaks of coarse), low miles and purrs like a lion. I don't know how to post pictures here or I would put up a pic. The rear brakes were effecient enough to stop me when I purchased the quad (one month ago or so) but have since ceased to work after many mudding crossings. I do really wash the quad well after every ride, I mean in detail, so aside from taking the wheel off, I try to maintain it the best I know how. I bought a new oil filter and changed the oil, emptied the (what I thought to be old) gas and filled it with high-octane 93, put on a new uni-filter and just really cleaned the hell out of it inside and out. So I don't know what could be wrong with the rear brakes except maybe those seals you spoke off have been bad for a while and just really bit it when I put them through the mud. I have a feeling the previous owner had stopped using this machine years ago. So this is going on way long, sorry. Anyway, thanks for the offer of help, and I sure could use some being so new to quads.

 

Your front brakes will be shoes, not pads.
Do you have any mechanical experience/aptitude? It sucks to rely on shops and one that would take the brakes off a quad in my book, isn't trustworthy enough to even drive past let alone go into.
There is no 'stuck' brakes that would require great expensive intervention. But then I said that already...
The back brakes have a lever coming out of the backing plate and on the base of it is a scale showing how far that lever can travel before the brake showes are worn out. Unless they took that lever off and put it on a different spline it will tell the story. You'll have to take the back brakes apart to know though. You have to know what's inside. What the drum looks like, what the seal looks like, what the shoes look like...
You up to that? Then we can attack your front brakes if you want.
Anything come out when you remove that 12 MM bolt?