Hi everyone! I have a problem with the rear brake on my girlfriend's 2004 Yamaha Bruin 4x4. The rear brake doesn't seem to have a whole lot of stopping power. I removed the back brake drum and the brake shoes look great and the drum itself looks good too. I took some sand paper and sanded the shoes lightly, getting rid of the 'glossy' surface and lightly sanded the drum itself. I carefully blew out all the dust and dirt with compressed air, washed the drum in brake cleaner and assembled everything back. It still doesn't have the stopping power that my 95 Kodiak had on the rear brake.
Does anyone else have this problem with rear brakes? Maybe it's time for new shoes and having the rear drum turned? The machine hasn't been abused because my girlfriend is not that hard on the machine. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

Gee....anyone?

 

Does your bike have brakes like my Blaster in that there is a steel line that de-tents the caliper? It's probobly out of adjustment...although it's supposed to be self adjusting...have you inspected the adjustment from the pedel to the caliper? The rear brakes aren't very good on my blaster....I just know when I really want to stop I need to pull the snot out of the front brake. HTH

Scott in Charlott, NC

 

Thanks for the reply scooter. The rear brake has a cable that runs from the brake pedal and a cable that runs from the left front handlebar. The cables work a lever that is attached to a cam that spreads one end of the brake shoes for braking force, kind of like older motorcycle brakes before disc brakes came into wide spread use. I have adjusted the brakes to the point that the rear wheel drags sligghtl and it still doesn't stop like it should. I may just wind up buying new brake shoes and having the drum turned.
Thanks again.

 

i dont know about turning the drums because the brake pads are so small if the guy takes too muc off of them the brake shoes wony last nearly as long and they should be. just get new pads $30 bucks of so and set the adjustments back and try that