Anyone seen this brake problem before?

[Pappy John]

I got a few miles from home on my 2012 RS SE5, when I noticed the smell of hot brakes. As I left off the throttle the Spyder slowed down abnormally fast, so I pulled off the road into a parking lot. After coming to a stop, going to neutral and turning the engine off, the bike wouldn't roll as normal. I checked the parking brake to make sure I had dis-engaged it before I left.......A-Okay. I checked the brake pedal. It was up all the way, but firm to the touch, where it would normally have an inch or so of slack before engaging the brakes. I noticed that when I tried to push the bike, ALL brakes were on, not just the rear. I dug out my phone and called my dealer's service guys to see if there was a quick fix that they knew of. No dice....they never heard of the problem before, but they would check it out if I could get it there. (forty miles... ha) So then I called my buddy to see about borrowing his trailer . Okay by him. Then I was curious, so I checked brake fluid level... A-Okay. All this took about fifteen minutes, and I was just about to call my wifey to come pick me up so I could get my truck, to borrow the trailer, to rescue the Spyder....when I noticed that now the thing rolls freely..... and the brake pedal feels normal again. So I'm debating..... still call SWMBO for a pick-up, or try to ride home. I wasn't feeling especially lucky at this point, but I rode it home anyway, with no problems. So, has anyone BTDT before???? Or Have any insightful input???? Also, for some reason my enter key isn't letting me make paragraphs, so.... sorry about the wall of text.

[r1100rider]

I got a few miles from home on my 2012 RS SE5, when I noticed the smell of hot brakes. As I left off the throttle the Spyder slowed down abnormally fast, so I pulled off the road into a parking lot. After coming to a stop, going to neutral and turning the engine off, the bike wouldn't roll as normal. I checked the parking brake to make sure I had dis-engaged it before I left.......A-Okay. I checked the brake pedal. It was up all the way, but firm to the touch, where it would normally have an inch or so of slack before engaging the brakes. I noticed that when I tried to push the bike, ALL brakes were on, not just the rear. I dug out my phone and called my dealer's service guys to see if there was a quick fix that they knew of. No dice....they never heard of the problem before, but they would check it out if I could get it there. (forty miles... ha) So then I called my buddy to see about borrowing his trailer . Okay by him. Then I was curious, so I checked brake fluid level... A-Okay. All this took about fifteen minutes, and I was just about to call my wifey to come pick me up so I could get my truck, to borrow the trailer, to rescue the Spyder....when I noticed that now the thing rolls freely..... and the brake pedal feels normal again. So I'm debating..... still call SWMBO for a pick-up, or try to ride home. I wasn't feeling especially lucky at this point, but I rode it home anyway, with no problems. So, has anyone BTDT before???? Or Have any insightful input???? Also, for some reason my enter key isn't letting me make paragraphs, so.... sorry about the wall of text.

Yes I had this happen when I built my hand brake and was adjusting the rod from the pedal to the master cylinder plunger I was trying to get the brakes adjusted as tight as I could the threaded rod is very touchy and a 1/2 turn makes the difference i think what happened is the heat makes the fluid expand and locking the brake on that why it released on its own just back off the adjuster a little and you will be good

[Pappy John]

No hand brake here, and 4300 miles on the original foot brake adjustment without a problem. I wonder if my parking brake didn't release when I took it off before I left, and that could have heated the brake fluid up enough to do this. That heat part sounds for sure right, considering the symptoms... and the symptoms going away in 15-20 minutes. I distinctly remember releasing the parking brake by hand and riding it up under my palm, instead of the usual foot release and letting it snap back to its home position. I did that while seated along side, polishing her up before the ride. I think I'll check the cable lubrication before I bother taking her in to the shop at the dealership. To their credit, they want me to bring it in under warranty to look her over, even though they couldn't help over the phone.

[r1100rider]

No hand brake here, and 4300 miles on the original foot brake adjustment without a problem. I wonder if my parking brake didn't release when I took it off before I left, and that could have heated the brake fluid up enough to do this. That heat part sounds for sure right, considering the symptoms... and the symptoms going away in 15-20 minutes. I distinctly remember releasing the parking brake by hand and riding it up under my palm, instead of the usual foot release and letting it snap back to its home position. I did that while seated along side, polishing her up before the ride. I think I'll check the cable lubrication before I bother taking her in to the shop at the dealership. To their credit, they want me to bring it in under warranty to look her over, even though they couldn't help over the phone.

It doesn't have any thing to do do with the hand brake I just mentioned that because I was adjusting the rod to get the brake as tight as possible just take a 10mm and loosen the adjuster rod about 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn and your problem will go away the adjustment is very touchy I promise I'm right on this as I played with the adjuster quit a while on 2 bike and had this exact same thing happen several times simple fix just back off the threaded rod

[Chupaca]

if they are willing to check it out I would take it in. There may be codes in the computer showing the problem. Not all codes flash on screen. Brake issues should not be taken lightly. If you had been able to check to see which wheel had the hot brake it would help rear only could be park brake. Hope you find the problem and let us know..

[Pappy John]

Yeah, I'll be taking it in next week, after the holiday. By the time I realized I had a problem and got safely off the road, ALL the brakes were hot, but I now suspect it started with the rear alone. That got the fluid hot enough to lock them all down. All the disks are now dis-colored from heat.... kinda purplish.... pads are probably toast now too.

[r1100rider]

Yeah, I'll be taking it in next week, after the holiday. By the time I realized I had a problem and got safely off the road, ALL the brakes were hot, but I now suspect it started with the rear alone. That got the fluid hot enough to lock them all down. All the disks are now dis-colored from heat.... kinda purplish.... pads are probably toast now too.

The fact that your pedal was stiff is your clue there is only one master cyl for all the brakes it's not just one you ask if anyone and had this issue I answered I went thru this many times in getting my adjustment tight as possible it would be fine for a long time then all the sudden be locked up turn the adjuster rod a half of turn you will be done with problem just try it it's a 20 sec fix with a 10mm

[wyliec]

Pappy John,

I'd be willing to bet that your paragraph problem is the result of IE10. I'd try to find the thread; but, I'm headed out for work.

[Pappy John]

The fact that your pedal was stiff is your clue there is only one master cyl for all the brakes it's not just one you ask if anyone and had this issue I answered I went thru this many times in getting my adjustment tight as possible it would be fine for a long time then all the sudden be locked up turn the adjuster rod a half of turn you will be done with problem just try it it's a 20 sec fix with a 10mm

But, unlike your experience, I never touched this adjustment over the past 4300 trouble free miles. Perhaps it moved itself? You convinced me it's a hot fluid issue. Many thanks for that. I'm just not convinced of the source.... especially when I remember taking the parking brake off in an abnormal manner before that ride.

[NancysToy]

But, unlike your experience, I never touched this adjustment over the past 4300 trouble free miles. Perhaps it moved itself? You convinced me it's a hot fluid issue. Many thanks for that. I'm just not convinced of the source.... especially when I remember taking the parking brake off in an abnormal manner before that ride.

I don't buy the hot fluid idea. That may have entered into it, but it would not be the initial cause. Something else happened that made the brakes drag and overheat, and eventually lock up like that. Have it looked at very carefully. A brake problem is no place to guess and try home remedies...or wait until it gets worse.

[Pappy John]

Pappy John,

I'd be willing to bet that your paragraph problem is the result of IE10. I'd try to find the thread; but, I'm headed out for work.

Thanks, wyliec. I found that thread.

Looky... paragraphs again!

And, I will have it looked at next week, Scotty.

[Bob Denman]

I don't buy the hot fluid idea. That may have entered into it, but it would not be the initial cause. Something else happened that made the brakes drag and overheat, and eventually lock up like that. Have it looked at very carefully. A brake problem is no place to guess and try home remedies...or wait until it gets worse.

If youheated them up that much; those pads might well be shot...

A closer inspection should be a VERY high priority!
Good Luck! Please let us know what you find!

[Pappy John]

I took it out for a couple of short rydes this morning and here's what I noticed.

After returning I checked the temp on all the rotors, and found both front rotors cool to the touch, but the rear rotor hot enough to flatten out the fingerprint on my forefinger.

Now I know the rear pads drag a little, since so many folks on this site complain about the moaning/whining sound they get when backing up. I hear that on mine too. Sure sounds like the pads rubbing the rotors anyway. I've never bothered to check whether this much rear rotor heat is normal though.

Anybody know?

[NancysToy]

Sounds like your parking brake is improperly adjusted (or was left partly engaged), unless the pads were replaced and the rear was actually assembled wrong. A bad caliper is possible, but rare. The brake shouldn't drag so much that it gets hot. The back works harder than the front, but the difference in caliper temperatures should be fairly small. Time to have things thoroughly inspected and repaired by a knowledgable tech.

[Pappy John]

Sounds like your parking brake is improperly adjusted (or was left partly engaged), unless the pads were replaced and the rear was actually assembled wrong. A bad caliper is possible, but rare. The brake shouldn't drag so much that it gets hot. The back works harder than the front, but the difference in caliper temperatures should be fairly small. Time to have things thoroughly inspected and repaired by a knowledgable tech.

Well, the parking brake is engaging on the 5th click of the pedal, so there should be plenty of free-play there...... and for sure the brake was all the way off, or at least the PEDAL was dis-engaged. I'm really convinced at this point that the rear brake has a real issue that I'm not qualified to deal with.

Dealership next week....just in time for the cooler weather.

[Bob Denman]

Good Luck at the dealers; please let us know what they find!