Squirrelly Braking

[ricford]

When I brake firmly in my '14 RT, the bike slightly lurches to the left. I have always had this problem. I have replaced brakes (CanAm Certified Persons) twice with fully sintered pads. I have had installed, the Ron Bar Anti Sway bar, I have always had good, balanced, tires with 18 lbs (ContiContact Pro). I have had the front end laser aligned twice. Still, the dive. I don't know what else to do and live with it. It is just my bike or have others experienced the same trait. Aside from what I've done, it is 'fixable?'

[Little Blue]

Well the answer is No. Your Spyder should not be doing anything that crazy.

Did your Spyder Dealer check out your brakes?
Do you have any Codes?
Some body will have a fix. ......

[Mikey]

Is this left hand lurch all the time, or just when you are on a crowned road? Can you make it do it in a flat parking lot? I assume you have bleed your brakes, all the way around? How do your shocks feel, do they rebound about the same when you push down from one side compared to the other? Just shooting in the dark!!

[BajaRon]

There is more to correct braking than pads, suspension and alignment. How are the pads wearing? Is one side wearing more or less than the other side? Is one pad on the same caliper wearing more or less than the pad on the other side? It sounds to me like a caliper issue. If you have a piston hanging up. Or, (Edited) a pad is not free to move or slide as the brakes are applied. This could very well give you the problem you're having. I would be surprised that a professional mechanic would not fully check out the caliper function if they knew you had a pulling issue under hard braking. Though there could be contributing factors from other components. The calipers would be the first place to look. It is very unlikely to be your brake pads, regardless of what product you install. Unless the pads have been contaminated by oil or something similar, changing pads is not going to resolve this issue. Again, surprised that a professional mechanic would think pads were the fix unless they found them heavily contaminated.

Be sure to let us know what the final fix ends up being.

[PMK]

You might ask for a little more toe in on your alignment. As you brake hard, the front dives and the wheels toe out. Adding a slight bit more toe can help under hard braking.

[Piratezz]

I think Baja Ron, is in the right ballpark, seems to me that a caliper, not sliding properly, Aligment should be good, tyres also, according top topic starter, but when I brake hard on a road that isn't level, the spyder wanders also in that direction, try and find a flat surface, and test the brakes there, Also PMK has a point, but how often, do you use your brakes that hard. if you set to much toe in, the tyres will wear faster

If you tap the brakepedal slightly, does it feel that the left is touching earlier, then the right side?

[PMK]

I think Baja Ron, is in the right ballpark, seems to me that a caliper, not sliding properly, Aligment should be good, tyres also, according top topic starter, but when I brake hard on a road that isn't level, the spyder wanders also in that direction, try and find a flat surface, and test the brakes there, Also PMK has a point, but how often, do you use your brakes that hard. if you set to much toe in, the tyres will wear faster

If you tap the brakepedal slightly, does it feel that the left is touching earlier, then the right side?

The posts suggesting the caliper hanging up and not sliding, on the Brembo front calipers, they are non sliding and bolted firmly to the upright.

The brake pistons, 4 per caliper, determine their position based on how the disc itself aligns the pistons.

[fatboy]

if one or two of the piston does not retract like the other it or they will grab the rotor first result in a pull to witch ever wheel they are on

[BajaRon]

The posts suggesting the caliper hanging up and not sliding, on the Brembo front calipers, they are non sliding and bolted firmly to the upright.

The brake pistons, 4 per caliper, determine their position based on how the disc itself aligns the pistons.

You're right. I miss-spoke. I should have said (and I will edit my post) that if the PADS are not free to move or slide, that will give you uneven braking.

[Jetfixer]

What Ron said, but also, just in case, make absolutely sure your front tire pressures are within a half pound of each other. A soft tire will make it pull also.

[ricford]

I had no idea there could be so many things to check. Next shop visit (there's a three week wait) I'll have those items checked. Thank everyone for your input.
Ric

[VitoNam]

Don't count out a collapsed flexible brake hose going to that left wheel.

[BajaRon]

I had no idea there could be so many things to check. Next shop visit (there's a three week wait) I'll have those items checked. Thank everyone for your input.
Ric

I understand what you're saying. But checking what you can yourself will do a good number of things.
* Will probably save you money.
* Encourage you to get the tools and equipment needed to do the job. Will come in handy for any number of things.
* You'll typically do a better job than the 'Professionals' because to them, 'Time is Money'.
* You'll gain valuable knowledge about your ride which can help you troubleshoot things in the future.
* It can give you a great deal of satisfaction and confidence. And you don't have to wait for an expensive appointment with the dealership.

Just something to consider.
* You'll know that the items were actually checked instead of trusting someone's statements that they were.