Brakes feel wooden.

[clinkerclint]

My 1993 Trailboss 4x4 has weak front brakes. The brakes have enough power for most situations but if somone pulled out infront of me, it wouldn't be good. Put it this way, pulling as hard as you can on the lever, it slows the bike about as rapidly as a normal person would slow down. Not near enough power to lock the front tires on gravel.

The lever has a little free travel before it firms up. I went to bleed the front brakes but one of the bleeders is broken off. I have not found an ez-out that small in my box so it looks like I need to make a run to the hardware store. I did bleed the one good bleeder but made no difference.

I thought that maybe the front pads were galzed over so I removed them and ran a file over them. Put it all back together and still no difference.

Granted, I know I need to replace the other brake bleed screw but I don't think it will make that much difference.

Do these things have week factory brakes? Could it be a mismatch of materials between the pads and rotors? Does it need more aggressive pads? For what it's worth, the pads that are on it are copper in color. Are these factory?

Thanks everyone.
Clint

[mechanike]

yeah if they are copper they are the good ones.i had the same problem with my heavy 500 scram and i brake cleaned the rotors and pads then i used a medium grade scotch wheel on a air wizzer. slowly using only the side of the sand disc to roughen up the pads and rotors.its called a non directional finish.i was happy to see a 150% differance. that was a year ago and probably 50 good stops even wet.i thought that i would have to do it every 20 stops cause it made such a dif.

[Diesel man 03]

Make sure when you work on your brakes use somekind of air mask for yourself because sometimes those brake pads are made out of country.

[clinkerclint]

Thanks for the safety tip Diesel. I had not even crossed my mind.

Thanks Mechanike. I will give that a try.

[mechanike]

yeah particle masks are always good.you can use a wire brush to roughen up the pads and rotors just enough to take the glaze off. on the pads you don't have to go circular but i would suggest the rotors lightly after brakekleened.