How do my brakes work?

[beatts]

Hi

I'm a bit baffled as to how my brakes work so please forgive my ignorance.

The bike is an FZ6 with two sliding piston calipers.

I changed the pads today and realised that there seems to be nothing that pulls the pads away from the discs (unlike cars that utilise a spring mechanism), when the brake lever is not used are the pads permanently in loose contact with the disc?

also

When the brake lever is pulled the piston pushes one pad onto the disc but how is the other pad pulled onto the disc (there are no pistons on the other side of the caliper)

hopefully someone can enlighten me.

[NSR Mick]

The seals pull the pistons back slightly when the pressure is released.

In the case of your calipers when the piston pushes the pad onto the disc it also pulls the caliper over on sliders so that the other pad is pushed onto the disc by the back of the caliper.

It may be easier if you look at the caliper and see what it's doing when you pull the lever.
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If you dont like the way that I ride.......Stop trying to keep up!!!

[binge]

The pistons never return into the caliper when you release the lever. If they did this then you would have to pump up the system every time you pull the lever.

Pads are always in contact with the disk. EVER so slightly. As Mick says, It think the seals are designed to allow the pistons to move back into the caliper a tiny amount to take any pressure off the pads/disk.
Not 100% on that thought.


Cars dont have springs to pull the pads away from the disk by the way. They work exactly the same way as bike brakes.




Ben

[alun111]

Yep, what mick says.
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Summer: '00 Honda CB600F Hornet
Winter: '93 Suzuki GSF 400 Bandit VP Variable Valve
Past Bikes: Lifan LF100-5 Lifan LF125-A Honda C70

[beatts]

excellent, thanks lads

[Tom1528]

there always in light contact with the discs although when you release the pressure the pistons will pull the pads away from the disc slightly so they dont burn down within a few miles.