Rear Brake Fade Issues

[RoyMember]

I’ve got an 09 KTM 300 and lately I’ve been having issues with the rear brake fading badly. The pads still have plenty of meat on them and there is heaps of fluid in the master cylinder. The fluid is relatively fresh as it has been changed once since I’ve owned the bike.

Anyway the symptoms. I think I may be a bit of a rear brake rider but that has never changed and this just become an issue. When hooking in on single trail or somewhere where a lot of braking is reuired eventually I will get to the point where the rear brake pedal just keeps on going down and down for no benefit in the way of stopping. It will return after a few minutes normally and then be good again for a fair while. Sometimes it will be fine when I pull up and then when we go again after a couple of minutes they will be gone again. The only real pattern I have noticed is that just before I get to the steepest snottiest part of any hill they will stop working.

Any ideas?

[TrentMember]

Have you changed fluids lately? Mine seems to have gone spongey very quickly in the front and rear so I’m going to try and flush and bleed them and see if it happens again.

[GregMember]

I see the KTM rear brake reservoirs don’t hold much fluid and Ballards have a kit that increases the reservoirs capacity all the guns have them fitted I see

Other the that replace the fluid with new quality stuff from a sealed container and make sure you have the stainless steel backing plates on the pads to help hold the heat back

Old pads are thinner and heat up faster and transfer they heat to the pistons and thus the fluid faster

Failing all that stop riding the back brake :laugh:

TB

[Mick DMember]

Could be buggered seals in the master cylinder too. We had a KX85 doing a similar thing, I replaced the piston and seals and all is good.

[mikeMember]

G’day Bundyroy. I’ve got an 08 300 and it happens to me aswell. I’ve seen those reservoirs in some mags and thought about gettin one and probably will now after reading TB’s comment. My old 99 model 300 used to do it also. My mates used to say it was just an excuse i used when they overtook me but it was legit i swear.

[Bruce CurtisMember]

I agree with the other blokes and not sure how effective they are, but you can also buy a mini finned cooler for them, a remote reserviour is always a good thing too.

BC

[RoyMember]

Thanks for the tips. I had heard of the extra reservoir but would only use it as a last resort as I just see it as something else to get knocked off and give you problems. I think I will try new pads and new fluid and see what happens. Maybe the minimum thickness in the rear pads that is okay for me is a bit thicker than what is stated in the manual. They are between 1/2 and 3/4 worn anyway so that’s not too bad.

[dennis da menaceMember]

i get the same thing bundy.

if i had cash i would be investing in the resivoir extention TB mentions and the finned thingy for the caliper too that blue rattled on about and new pads too.

my disc is bright blue after the last few rides ive done, they have been sicker rides than normal and ive noticed my brakes go bad…always at an innapropriate moment too:blink:

make sure you get the right fluid like the manual says, DOT 5.1

maybe adjust your pedal a bit lower too if you think you might be dragging it

[RoyMember]

Just had a look for the reservoir extenders.

[url=http://http://cgi.ebay.com.au/KTM-Husaberg-Rear-Brake-Reservoir-Cooler-EXC-FE-SX_W0QQitemZ1804532048]Bits[/url]

Don’t look to bad. I thought they were plastic. Found a site in the us that sells them for $32USD so the ebay price seems about right too.

I can’t seem to get the ebay link to show up. It is frustrating the hell out of me. But if you are interested look up ktm rear brake reservoir in ebay and have a look. They are $51 delivered.

[GregMember]

Out of interest before our dollars go overseas how much are they from Ballards and Sutto’s

TB

[TrentMember]

Bundyroy wrote:

Quote:

Just had a look for the reservoir extenders.

Bits

Don’t look to bad. I thought they were plastic. Found a site in the us that sells them for $32USD so the ebay price seems about right too.

I can’t seem to get the ebay link to show up. It is frustrating the hell out of me. But if you are interested look up ktm rear brake reservoir in ebay and have a look. They are $51 delivered.

I just fixed that link for you Roy. Ebay is difficult to hyperlink you need to click “share” as in email to a friend then click back to item description and it gives a different URL which is compatible with OBT’s BB code.

I couldn’t find the resevoir extension in ballards cattle dog can anyone post up the details? Also could someone please convince ballards that their catalogue, although great being its online, is a pita for no apparent reason considering so many other online cattle dogs arent’!?!?

[Anonymous]

Roy not being near my bike I can’t give an exact answer but I’m pretty sure the clutch and brake fluid cylinders state DOT 4. I have no idea what the manual says off hand.

DOT 5.1 has a higher boiling resistance so if you are using DOT 4, going to DOT 5.1 should help. I bled my 450 rear brake with DOT 4 and never had any issues.

Can’t say I’ve noticed any issues on the 300 either during the few rides that I’ve done.

Just a thought

[Anonymous]

Just found this from archived message from DBW after a Google search. The bike in question is an 08 KTM 300:

Quote:

These improvements dont cost anything more and can be changed over when you next have to make a purchase

14 X 52 GEARING if your not running it your missing out ,its just right .

RED spring the green etc just doesn’t do squat the RED MAKES IT BREATHE OR SOMETHING ,it’s perfect it still tractors slow and is so good on the pickup ,just change it you will see. It even sounds different ,its so much better,combined with the gearing its awesome.

DOT 5.1 BRAKE FLUID stops the overheating and boiling and brake fade ,the stopping power is improved as well it’s awesome .

FMF KNARLY PIPE sounds nice ,is so strong for dents ,doesn’t crack and the bottom and middle power range is nice .

UNI FILTER AIR FILTER THE RED TWIN FOAM TYPES ,these are awesome and as yet haven’t deteriorated on me yet ,best I’ve used ,i use filter skins as well or pool filter socks the small ones awesome .

EDIT: 4 posts after this our very own Mr Blue is saying how much he loves the revised gearing on his KTM300 Wasn’t always a hater then!

[Bruce CurtisMember]

Damn the interweb… actually love the concept and engine of the KTM300, just can’t live with that agricultural PDS.

But good point Moto, I am surprised someone hasn’t mentioned going to a better brake fluid earlier, good thinking Tonto.

[TrentMember]

Trailboss wrote:

Quote:

Out of interest before our dollars go overseas how much are they from Ballards and Sutto’s

TB

Its worth asking but I think Roy is saying that the o/s price is comparable to the local Ebay price indicating that it seems fair rather than indicating he’d buy them from o/s. In case it isn’t clear the Ebay link is a QLD seller for $52

[Author]

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