Hi i just got a 1980 xs650 special and wondering how to adjust the rear brakes. i read theres an adjusting bolt somewhere but i cant seem to locate it. My rear brake is really bad and has alot of play need to repair this if possible any help is appreiciated
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Adjust rear brakes
- Thread starter dondre47
- Start date
Drum or disc.
On the disc there are two adjustments. One for pedal height and one for freeplay. The pedal height is up behind the frame. You have to crawl under the bike to see it. It's just under the rod that goes up into the M/C. Adjust the bolt to get the top of the brake pedal 7/16-3/4 inch below the top of the foot peg.
After the pedal height you adjust the rod that goes up into the M/C by screwing it into the M/C untill it just touches and back off 1 1/2 turns. Now check to see how far the pedal moves untill the brake starts to work, should be 1/2 to 5/8 inch.
If this don't help you may need to check the pads for wear and if they are dirty. Cleaning them and rotor with brake cleaner may help.
On the drum brake the pedal height adjuster is in about the same place but is more horizontal then verticle. Adjust for the same pedal height. The freeplay is set with the nut on the rod that pulls on the lever on the brake plate on the side of the rear hub.
in my Clymer book it don't show the drum brake.
it shows the disc brake on page 171. They are drawings not pics but they show it. on 172 it shows ho to check the pads for wear.
On the disc there are two adjustments. One for pedal height and one for freeplay. The pedal height is up behind the frame. You have to crawl under the bike to see it. It's just under the rod that goes up into the M/C. Adjust the bolt to get the top of the brake pedal 7/16-3/4 inch below the top of the foot peg.
After the pedal height you adjust the rod that goes up into the M/C by screwing it into the M/C untill it just touches and back off 1 1/2 turns. Now check to see how far the pedal moves untill the brake starts to work, should be 1/2 to 5/8 inch.
If this don't help you may need to check the pads for wear and if they are dirty. Cleaning them and rotor with brake cleaner may help.
On the drum brake the pedal height adjuster is in about the same place but is more horizontal then verticle. Adjust for the same pedal height. The freeplay is set with the nut on the rod that pulls on the lever on the brake plate on the side of the rear hub.
in my Clymer book it don't show the drum brake.
it shows the disc brake on page 171. They are drawings not pics but they show it. on 172 it shows ho to check the pads for wear.
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Help Help
My brake lights were working fine but the brakes themselves were weak so I bled them with new fluid and they are strong now. Ive been trying adjust the height as per instructions in clymer, but now the rear brake light stays on all the time! how do i fix this so the light only comes on when i push the petal?
My brake lights were working fine but the brakes themselves were weak so I bled them with new fluid and they are strong now. Ive been trying adjust the height as per instructions in clymer, but now the rear brake light stays on all the time! how do i fix this so the light only comes on when i push the petal?
You need to adjust the rear brake light switch. It's mounted in a little bracket attached to the frame arm that holds the muffler and passenger foot peg on the right side of the bike .....
It's double nutted into the bracket and by moving those nuts, you can adjust the switch forward or back. I'm assuming that through your brake bleeding and pedal adjustment, the pedal has ended up lower so it fits under your foot better. That would pull the plunger out of the switch more and in your case, it's enough to activate the brake light constantly. You'll most likely need to move the switch assembly forward some. Take care when tightening the 2 pinch nuts. Don't go much past snug or you'll break the plastic switch housing in half, DAMHIK, lol.
It's double nutted into the bracket and by moving those nuts, you can adjust the switch forward or back. I'm assuming that through your brake bleeding and pedal adjustment, the pedal has ended up lower so it fits under your foot better. That would pull the plunger out of the switch more and in your case, it's enough to activate the brake light constantly. You'll most likely need to move the switch assembly forward some. Take care when tightening the 2 pinch nuts. Don't go much past snug or you'll break the plastic switch housing in half, DAMHIK, lol.
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5twin saves my a55 again!
that was the most frustrating experience
but i figured out a combination of screwing this, screwing that, and the light works now.
i used to think golf was a frustrating hobby, this bike stuff is wayy more grrrrrrrr!!!
that was the most frustrating experience
but i figured out a combination of screwing this, screwing that, and the light works now.
i used to think golf was a frustrating hobby, this bike stuff is wayy more grrrrrrrr!!!
Yes, you have a different type or style of switch without the 2 metal nuts. You have a plastic combination adjuster nut and switch mount. Same principal though, just screw the switch in or out of the holder/nut to change it's distance to the pedal. Your bike being a '78, I thought you might have the old style like my '78 Standard. And actually, the pic I posted is from my buddy's '80 Special II. But, these are all drum rear brake bikes. I guess the disc brake rear models have that different switch set-up.
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i see the brake light in dashboard is always on. ill try to figure that out with the manual (cough cough)
40 years old, it sounds pretty good to me.
40 years old, it sounds pretty good to me.
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So... I think the tail light indicator being on all the time is draining my battery more than Im comfortable with. I left the house this morning for a 10 min ride, battery voltage was 13.0 before leaving. Came home and checked voltage is at 12.7. seems like a big drop to me.
No threads Ive seen talk about the tail light indicator being always on. They talk about it coming on while riding and going away intermittently.
Any suggestions? The rear brake light works just fine when I push the pedal.
No threads Ive seen talk about the tail light indicator being always on. They talk about it coming on while riding and going away intermittently.
Any suggestions? The rear brake light works just fine when I push the pedal.
Did you happen to change to an L.E.D. tail/brake light bulb? When I did that, my red dash light came on all the time. I guess the voltage draw of the L.E.D. was so low, it fooled the light checker into thinking that the bulb was burned out. My "fix" was to simply take the bulb out of the dash warning light, lol. Eventually, I removed the light checker all together but on my '78 Standard, it was easy.
There were 2 versions of the light checker used. The simple version like my '78 Standard had uses 3 wires and monitors the brake light only. To remove/eliminate it, all I had to do was unplug it. The more complex version has 7 wires and monitors both the brake and tail light. Power for the tail light passes through it so you have to jumper that if you remove the unit.
There were 2 versions of the light checker used. The simple version like my '78 Standard had uses 3 wires and monitors the brake light only. To remove/eliminate it, all I had to do was unplug it. The more complex version has 7 wires and monitors both the brake and tail light. Power for the tail light passes through it so you have to jumper that if you remove the unit.
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i did thesame as you 5twin,removed the bulb soi can tackle thenext problem!
i rode the 1100 while my gf was on the 650. 30 min ride and i noticed her chain kinda loose, so I’ll fix that easy enough. but when we got home her rear right calipher was smoking (paint melted?), and hot like hell! i had aligned the chain and rear tire myself according to the manual, but it seems i screwed it up.
honestly i swear i wasnt trying to kill her;-)
i rode the 1100 while my gf was on the 650. 30 min ride and i noticed her chain kinda loose, so I’ll fix that easy enough. but when we got home her rear right calipher was smoking (paint melted?), and hot like hell! i had aligned the chain and rear tire myself according to the manual, but it seems i screwed it up.
honestly i swear i wasnt trying to kill her;-)
I guess it could be an alignment issue but it might also be a sticking or dragging caliper. If you've never pulled the caliper apart and cleaned the crust out of the piston seal groove, it may be time.
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Bad wheel bearing? Pictures deceive but axle doesn't look centered in the wheel.
I think the caliper carrier bracket looks bent, bent in against the disc.
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im thinking the reason my caliper was smoking hot 1000 degrees the other day is because it’s touching the disc in the right side. Shouldn’t there be a gap? Im loosening the bolts again and will try to adjust it properly.
ps: reason i could not find anything searching the forum for the rear caliphers is because it’s spelled caliper!
ps: reason i could not find anything searching the forum for the rear caliphers is because it’s spelled caliper!
That gap is set by correct assembly of wheel, axle, spacers, caliper carrier,
I think something's assembled wrong or missing. Is part #11 there?
I'm a bit confused about who was on what but the caliper and pic are XS650?
I think something's assembled wrong or missing. Is part #11 there?
I'm a bit confused about who was on what but the caliper and pic are XS650?
