Front brakes on my LS?

[montmil]

...on a Sunday. Using only the rear brake all the way home was fun.

  Kinda takes me back to the vintage Brit bike days trying to "whoa up" my '53 T100C.

[Milo_357]

Regarding Front Brakes:

If I find my front brakes to be "soft", could this be a pad issue, or a caliper issue?

Last year, or was it two years ago (egad, I have been off the bike too long), I made a major change to the front brakes.  I successfully transferred the dual front brakes of an '82 R65LS to my standard '81 R65.  I also replace the Master Cylinder. I forget right now, but I did upgrade the cylinder size.  I did NOT get the increase in braking I hoped for.

When I brake, it's still softer than I would like.  So I am now thinking it's the caliper themselves.  The question is, do they require simply pad replacement, a rebuild, or both.

Opinions?  Thank you.

Dell

[montmil]

Dell,

With the brake line connections for the two caliper setup, there's a few additional spots that may have a little air still trapped. It may take some close examinations and, perhaps, even removing a connector block or sumthin' to get the air to move on up the line.

There's been some similar brake bleed comments on another thread just recently. And what size master cylinder did you fit with the 2-disc conversion?

[Barry]

If the brake lever is soft a good test is will the lever pump up. If it will that would suggest there is still some air in the system. If it still feels soft after pumping then there is probably some other cause.  

A few years back I had a bizarre situation where a soft lever had resulted from inadvertently putting the pads back on the wrong side of the caliper. Because the pads had not been worn exactly parallel the disc was bending slightly on application of the brakes and then on release the pistons were being pushed back a little too far meaning they had further to travel on the next application of the brake and hence more travel on the lever.  Does no harm to check by getting down close and watching exactly what happens to the pads when the brake is applied. It only takes a few extra thou of piston retraction to produce excess lever travel.

As for bleeding brakes if there is one trick to get all the air out it's pull the brake lever very very slowly and crack the bleed nipple only enough to get the fluid flowing.  Maybe I have it easy with only one caliper but I can usually change the fluid at the annual service and achieve a firm lever without any drama and have a functional brake straight off. I still tie the lever back over night just to make sure.

[Milo_357]

Actually, the lever is quite stiff.  The bike just doesn't "stop on a dime".  This is why I suspect caliper issues over line issues.

Sorry I used the term "soft".  I understand how that caused confusions as to my problem.  Issue is stopping speed and power.  I don't have a problem with the brake lever or MC.

Thanks!

[Bob_Roller]

You may want to deglaze the pads, scuff them up with sandpaper .

Try to do the same to the rotors if you can .

[Milo_357]

That's certainly easy enough to try. Thanks!

[Luke D.]

Thanks to everyone who has commented and given advice.  Unfortunately winter does not want to loosen its grips on the upper midwest and we have been thrown back in.  One day after the "first of spring"  and we got about 9inches of snow and now after a week of "spring"  we are getting 3-6 more today and tomorrow and maybe more next week.    Eventually I will be able to get my bike and then try these suggestions out.  Thanks again.