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Brake Issue

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Cello

Cello

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Somewhere by the coast, there’s a little music…
I just rolled my bike out of the garage to wash it after a few weeks of being away, and I noticed that the brake pads on the front were lightly brushing the rotor as I pushed. Is it possible that something weakened or wore out? All I can think of is a spring that pushes the caliper away, or is there something else that may cause an issue like that?

I haven’t done any work on the brakes recently or at all, really, so I’m not sure what may have caused the problem. It’s a ninja 400, if anyone knows any specific issue with those.
 
Lightly brushing is normal, I believe. If the front wheel is dragging (jack it up and spin it), you might have a problem. Is your front brake lever solid or squishy?
Is this a single rotor front brake?
 
The front brake lever doesn't feel any different than usual. It's got a nice solid feel. I noticed the brushing because I could hear the soft scrape of the pad against the rotor, which I haven't heard before. I haven't tried to ride it yet, but haven't wanted to start randomly poking at the brake system as I haven't done anything with them before.

Edit: It seems like when I lift the front tire and spin it, the brake is putting slight pressure on it, enough to slow it from free spinning to stopped.
 
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A bit of drag from the pads is completely normal. The additional drag and noise you noticed is likely oxidation of the pad material deposited on the rotors due to not riding for a few weeks. To be expected.
 
Probably just one side. Lots of my bikes have done this, especially on the front. . Back it up and apply front brake a few times. Ride a few blocks use only the back break, stop and feel disk, if it is cool, I would say normal.
 
Just remember, there isn't a spring that pushes the pads away from the rotor. They pretty much go from having pressure applied and moving in to contact the rotor to having no pressure and just kind of floating there ever so slightly next to the rotor. So that minor rubbing noise is completely normal, even if you have been riding your bike recently. Nothing to worry about.:thumb::rider:
 
DFW_Warrior said:
Just remember, there isn't a spring that pushes the pads away from the rotor. They pretty much go from having pressure applied and moving in to contact the rotor to having no pressure and just kind of floating there ever so slightly next to the rotor. So that minor rubbing noise is completely normal, even if you have been riding your bike recently. Nothing to worry about.:thumb::rider:
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Agree, any bike will have some contact between rotor and pad. If you don't, the pad has to go too far to make contact and your braking will be delayed / diminished and your lever will be soft until the pads make contact.

Sometimes this produces more or less sound than other times depending on brake pad material, caliper design and run out on the rotor. There is also usually a bit more sound if the bike has been sitting a bit as some amount of surface rust, even if not visible, usually starts to build on the rotor.
 
Windmill said:
Probably just one side. Lots of my bikes have done this, especially on the front. . Back it up and apply front brake a few times. Ride a few blocks use only the back break, stop and feel disk, if it is cool, I would say normal.
Click to expand...

Did this, and the rotor wasn’t even warm. I took a slow ride afterwards and didn’t have any issues. I just had no idea that brake pads/rotors were like that and thought I was looking at a repair job. Everyday is a day to learn something, I guess. ;-)
 
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