Please help, rear brake issue. (problem solved thanks!)

[andy1327]

Background info.
I have an 04 620 monster. I ride it everyday during the spring and summer months but since I live in the Midwest it just has to sit during the colder months. I recently moved into a new place which unlike my old house does not have a good spot to park my bike.
In the process of moving I quickly pulled it up to the side of my house and set it up on a little patch of what I thought was concrete.
A couple days later I looked out to find my baby on her side with a broken turn signal smelling like gasoline. I freaked out because this is the first time it has seen the ground in the 2 1/2 years I have owned it. A friend and I lifted it back up right and did our best to clean it up and assess the damage.
During this process my friend who was cleaning off my chain with WD-40- which is all we had at the time, decided to also clean my rear brake and rotor with the WD40.

The problem now is my rear brake hardly works, as you can imagine. I have sprayed and sprayed brake cleaner and wiped it down multiple times. I also noticed today that it is abit low on  brake fluid which I plan to get tonight.

I am not very mechanically inclined so any advice would be wonderful. The area which I live has one motorcycle repair shop and they don't want anything to do with my little air cooled monster.

Thank you in advance!
     Andy

     

[Spidey]

You sprayed your rear rotor with WD40?  Edit:  I see now (smacks forehead) that you already sprayed the rear rotor with brake cleaner.  You are going to need take off the rear brake caliper too.  Actually, scratch that.  You may be able to just take the pads out without taking off the caliper.

Using the brake cleaner, spray all the WD40 off of your brake pads (when they are out of the caliper) and your rear rotor.  Be careful not to get the brake cleaner on paint or rubber or anything other than your rotor and your pads.  It can be pretty noxious.  And don't get it in the bearings at your rear wheel.  A better way to control it might be to spray brake cleaner on a rag and then wipe off all the WD40 on the rotors.  While you're at it, scuff up the brake pads a bit with sandpaper.  It's not necessary, but give it a shot.  If your rear is still a problem after all this, you may need to scuff up the rotor too, but let's not go there yet. 

P.S.  DO NOT GET DOT 5.0 brake fluid.  Only get DOT 3.0, 4.0 or 5.1. 

[teddy037.2]

+1 on that... oil on brake bits will certainly make it not work.

will all of it come out of the pads, just by spraying cleaner on them, though?




oh, and your bike should've come w/DOT4 fluid. and when shopping for tools, make sure you grab the metric allen wrench set 

[Spidey]

will all of it come out of the pads, just by spraying cleaner on them, though?

Who knows?  But that's where I'd start.  I'd probably also try to light the pads on fire, but not for any reason other than that I like to burn stuff. 

[teddy037.2]

Who knows?  But that's where I'd start.  I'd probably also try to light the pads on fire, but not for any reason other than that I like to burn stuff. 

my rear brake CAUGHT fire once 

I knew it was you, dang it!

[andy1327]

Thank you all for your help! I got home from work tonight and followed your advice. The break cleaner was enough to do the job so I didn't do any sanding or setting a blaze 

Thanks for the quick responses!
Now if I can only find some replacement turning signal lenses she will be as good as new!

Andy 

[teddy037.2]

groovy