Buying Used 08 FZ6 Question

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Did you just replace the seals or also cleaned your calipers? I wonder if the same results would've been achieved just by cleaning everything and reusing the old seals.

I'm getting half a turn on my rear wheel at the moment, guess I'll find out soon enough as I don't have new seals.

On the FZ fronts (S2), (4 piston pots) I first pulled them apart, cleaned them (they were't bad at all visably) and used brake specific grease (made for caliper pistons/seals etc). It helped alot but 9-10 months later, they were sticking again, not as bad, but still sticking.. It wasn't worth cleaning again and regreasing for $80.00 so it was time..

I bought the seals on-line, (about $80.00 delivered to my door) dealer cost is considerably more expensive.

Obviously, they were still pretty clean for the rebuild. If you have an air compressor, it makes things considerably easier removing the pistons as they will be sticking (at least one). With the air compressor, I just put a small piece of rubber hose, cut on an angle, fit it in the housing (for the piston I was trying to remove) and put about 100 PSI in there (with a rag over the piston) AND YOUR FINGERS OUT OF THE WAY, popped it right out.

Do a search, there's more posts re re-building the calipers.

Besides the air compressor, the biggest PIA is just bleeding the system that's now bone dry...

BTW, comparing the old seals to the new ones, I could NOT see or feel any difference (with fingers and sight) but once assembled, easily 4 times better, NO DRAGGING and a tight lever.. I do have TWO, SS direct lines so bleeding was a little easier than the hoop over the fender...



Note, for the rear, its just one dust seal and one main seal so its considerably easier and cheaper to just re-seal. There's only one piston so you can pop it out just pumping the rear brake pedal using hydralic's. To clean and lube will help, but you'll be doing it again..

**Also, BEFORE you do anything (for the rear or the fronts for the 04-06), there are two bolts that hold the caliper to the swingarm bracket/fork. The caliper is designed to float and center itself as the pads wear. Make sure both of those bolts (and the sliding part of the bolt are NOT GUMMED UP from old grease or rusted.. Should they not be "floating" any more, it'll cause some dragging and un-even brake/rotor wear. ***Use brake specific grease after cleaning**..

I clean and re-grease at least with every pad change, more often when I'm playing on the bike..

 

[newrider13]

Who are some of the popular manufacturers of SS brake lines for the FZ6?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Who are some of the popular manufacturers of SS brake lines for the FZ6?

I have HEL SS lines, two separate lines, one to each caliper, they meet at the master cylinder with a longer bolt... A bit easier to bleed than the over the fender style.. Very happy with them..:thumbup:

 

[n0other]

On the FZ fronts (S2), (4 piston pots) I first pulled them apart, cleaned them (they were't bad at all visably) and used brake specific grease (made for caliper pistons/seals etc). It helped alot but 9-10 months later, they were sticking again, not as bad, but still sticking.. It wasn't worth cleaning again and regreasing for $80.00 so it was time..

I've just removed my rear brake caliper and tried spinning the wheel - literally no difference! Should the chain/rear sprocket be removed when doing this test? I don't understand where this tension is coming from, with a considerable pull I only get 2/3 - 1 revolutions at most. There's no free play in the wheel so I can't image it being the bearings can it?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I've just removed my rear brake caliper and tried spinning the wheel - literally no difference! Should the chain/rear sprocket be removed when doing this test? I don't understand where this tension is coming from, with a considerable pull I only get 2/3 - 1 revolutions at most. There's no free play in the wheel so I can't image it being the bearings can it?

The chain is obviously going to cause a bit of drag. With the caliper off and no difference, you can rule out the caliper being a problem (I would still re-grease the bolts the assembly floats on).

You should be able to loosen the axle, move it forward some and then place the chain over the swingarm so there is NO drag from the chain and the sprockets.

Get the wheel straight and torque it back down. It should spin very easily as you now have NO drag from the brakes and NO DRAG from the chain. If its not, its either a bearing, missing a spacer, or ?

I'd, at this point, pull the wheel off and physically check the bearings. They should turn nice and smooth, no binding.

There's ALSO A BEARING in the rear SPROCKET CARRIER. That bearing, on occasion, has known to fail, usually from over tightening the chain. it supports that entire sprocket carrier.

***When/if re-assembling, make sure the rear brake bracket (aluminum) tab is CORRECTLY inserted in the slot on the right side of the inner swingarm. If not, you will destroy that bracket (bend it beyond repair)


BTW, the 4-5 "free spin" test I referred to earlier, was for the FRONT WHEEL, NOT the rear wheel. I've yet had to rebuild a rear caliper (although I use the front brakes mostly). I do also, maybe every two weeks, use the air compressor and blow brake dust out from ALL the calipers just to help keep it from gunking up...

Should you not have a shop manual, heres a parts link for your wheel assembly, check it closely to your bike for any missing parts, etc: Yamaha Motorcycle Parts 2004 FZ6 - FZ600SS REAR WHEEL Diagram

Please post what you find.

 

[Ssky0078]

Agreed that 2 years is pretty soon however re the brake caliper seals, I know, on both my old FJR and this current FZ6, both needed caliper seal replacements. Neither didn't leak however you'll find with time the seals harden up and do not release the pistons. The FJR, right before I replaced the seals (same as ths FZ S2) you couldn't get a half spin by hand out of the front wheel and the brake rotor were hot after stopping with the REAR BRAKE ONLY.

My FZ, free spinning was down to maybe a half turn as the pistons were sticking... After new seals, about 4.4-5 full turns, same force... (this was with SS lines already installed).

IMHO, you can check the seals with free spin, or just go for a ride, stop with the rear brake ONLY and feel the front rotors. If their dragging, they'll be noticable hot and seals do indeed need replacing...


As for cars, I did have one front rubber brake line on a 74 camaro that looked OK, but the inside rubber collapsed not releasing pressure to / from the caliper.

Thanks for posting this. I replaced the lines with SS but still have some sticky brakes. The wheel only gets about a 1/2 to 3/4 rotation freely. I've been trying to figure out what it is I need to do because it just bugs me to listen to the rubbing of the brake pads on the rotor all the time. The guys at the shop said it was normal and probably just dust. It's a very light drag but annoying none the less.

I'm going to have to figure out how to replace the caliper seals and also I'm thinking about replacing the pads with only 10k miles on them just because I ride a lot of stop and go traffic and in the last 5k miles I've noticed the change in brake lever travel over the last 1k miles.

IMO brakes and tires are the two most important factors in riding a motorcycle with the suspension playing a part in both. All the engine mods, slip ons, and cosmetic mods are secondary.

 

[n0other]

I've removed my rear brake caliper - no change in wheel spin (I previously believed this to be brake drag), I've removed the chain and vuolia the wheel is spinning almost freely.

So guys don't freak out if your back wheel doesn't spin for a full revolution with chain on - it provides quite plenty of drag and it not might be your brakes after all.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Thanks for posting this. I replaced the lines with SS but still have some sticky brakes. The wheel only gets about a 1/2 to 3/4 rotation freely. I've been trying to figure out what it is I need to do because it just bugs me to listen to the rubbing of the brake pads on the rotor all the time. The guys at the shop said it was normal and probably just dust. It's a very light drag but annoying none the less.

I'm going to have to figure out how to replace the caliper seals and also I'm thinking about replacing the pads with only 10k miles on them just because I ride a lot of stop and go traffic and in the last 5k miles I've noticed the change in brake lever travel over the last 1k miles.

IMO brakes and tires are the two most important factors in riding a motorcycle with the suspension playing a part in both. All the engine mods, slip ons, and cosmetic mods are secondary.

An easy way to test to see if their dragging, go for a 15 minute ride, get to 40-50 MPH. If testing the fronts, stop with the REAR BRAKE ONLY, quickly feel the FRONT ROTORS. They should be just about cold, maybe cool. If you can't keep your finger on the rotor, they are dragging too much.

To test the rear, same procedure, just use the front brakes and then feel the rear rotor.

Just for S&G's, do a regular stop with the front brakes (from again, say 40MPH) and carefully and quickly touch the FRONT rotors. You'll find they are quite warm just from that little bit of stopping..

 

[newrider13]

Picking up the bike this weekend. Saturday can't come soon enough.

Just need to decide on a new set of tires.

I am considering the below. What is the general consensus on which one has the best dry traction?

• Metzeler Interact Z8
• Michelin Pilot Road 2
• Michelin Pilot Road 3
• Pirelli Angel ST
• Pirelli Angel GT

 

[FrozenBiker]

Picking up the bike this weekend. Saturday can't come soon enough.

Just need to decide on a new set of tires.

Congrats on the bike! On the tire question - good luck choosing, as they are all premium tires.
I've been a Bridgestone/Dunlop guy for decades, but bought a set of M8's last month just to be different..
They are freaken incredible! I have only ridden on dry, but zero slippage so far.
The PR2 or PR3 was high on my list tho. Again, good luck choosing

 

[dpaul007]

Picking up the bike this weekend. Saturday can't come soon enough.

Just need to decide on a new set of tires.

I am considering the below. What is the general consensus on which one has the best dry traction?

• Metzeler Interact Z8
• Michelin Pilot Road 2
• Michelin Pilot Road 3
• Pirelli Angel ST
• Pirelli Angel GT

Just peruse through the tire tech section and you'll see a lot of posts asking that question. Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with any of those. I just put on a pair of PR2s, but have not put any miles on them, or used any of those other ones to give you my opinion. So like Frozen said, good luck!