Very loose rear brake

[1985_250_ATC]

When I say loose I dont mean it wiggles back and forth, I mean that it doesnt have the stopping power it should...I push the brake down to the max and the wheels dont lock...I know that the brakes should work ALOT better then how they do...Im wondering i ftheres anything I can tighten, like a bolt or osmething to make the brake pedal a little bit stiffer and work harder then it does...Last owner said its a brand new rotor...so nothing needs replacing...BTW its 85' 200X

Thanks, :TrikesOwn

[md1985250r]

sounds like they need to be bled....good luck

[1985_250_ATC]

Ok, you know what Im gonna ask...how do you bleed it, if its too complicated, forget about it, I will call my friend...if you could post it it would be great :)

[200xkwit]

ok this is what u do man.... look twards the rear part of the brake and find a nipple looking thing with a nut at the base of it.thats your bleeder screw. loosen the bleeder screw and push the brake pedel down. now while holding the brake pedal down, tighten the bleeder screw. Now you can let the brake pedal go. do this a few times while making sure to keep the resivour full of brake fluid. its easy but could have to be a 2 man job for the rear brakes. one to work the bleeder screw and one to work the pedal. but make sure you dont let go of the pedal until the bleeder screw is closed or yall haved to start agian. I do it about 10 15 times

[1985_250_ATC]

hey thanks man, but since I haven taken a good look at the back of the bike, how do I know i f the resevoir is full? I will try it tonight...thanks again

[ClayW]

I can tell you this much. I replaced the entire rear brake assembly on my 350X. Everything shy of the pedal likage. Afterwards, I had basically no rear brakes. I had to stand on it with my heel and push it down 2inches or more to get it to stop. I racked my brain for many a day. Then, I experimented. Your 200X's linkage has got to be similar. Ok. There is a Threaded piece down by the pedal. THe first piece of the likage that comes off the pedal assembly. I loosened the nut, Took the piviot pin out, and threaded it out a little less than a half inch. Then tightened the nut up. This took a enormous amount of play out of the pedal. After this I field tested it, and it will lock them up with just a little effort. Just how it should. Hope this helps, let me know if you need more help with this part.

[1985_250_ATC]

Yes, Im a noob, Questions I got, Whats a piviot pin, and how do you "thread it"?

EDIT: Ok, I think I know what you are talking about, except one thing, I dont have a bolt on the pivet pin, I just have this little clamp that I can get off with a screw driver or something like that, ok, now I havent done it, but Im thinking when I do, do I move the peice that spins (aka the peice that threds, thats attached to the pivot pin) do I move it towards the engine, or towards the back of the bike, Im thinking you move it towards the engine to tighten up the linkage...

Does this sound at all understandable? lol....

[Dammit!]

Have you ordered a shop manual yet? It'll be the best 30 bucks you ever spend on your trike.

[ClayW]

The pivot pin and the threaded piece are 2 different pieces. Ok. THe threaded piece connects on my 350x to the pedal assembly, comes out of it an int another piece that shaped like a horse shoe. The threaded part goes thru the top of the horse shoe shaped piece. That horse shoe shaped piece has the pivot pin in it. A manual is a must, however my Honda manual did NOT help me with my issue. I had to figure it out on my own.

[1985_250_ATC]

Have you ordered a shop manual yet? It'll be the best 30 bucks you ever spend on your trike.


Yep, got it online, yes I know t shows you how to bleed brakes, but it only shoes you how to bleed the brakes with some kinda pump, which I dont have...and Clay, I appreciate it but I dont understand, for now I will stick to bleeding the brakes, if that doesnt work out, I will have to have a chat with you, in the chat room sometime...

Thanks guys

[ClayW]

Thats cool. I bleed my brakes till I was blue in the face. Didnt help me. The linkage was the problem. Take a look at yours, and try and figure out where you can make an adjustment that will increase the linkage movement. IF you can figure this out it will help. By doing this you make the pedal travel a lot less and get a better brake.

[vartiak15]

here is what clay is talking about
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43974&item=4514016993&rd=1

[1985_250_ATC]

yeah, thats what I thought...but now, would I thread it closer to engine or to the back of the bike? answer me this and Im cruising...

[ClayW]

It wouldnt be towards the engine. It would be more like front to back. That is the piece I was refering too. I increased the length of that rod by taking the pivot pin out. Loosening the jam nut, and turning the horse shoe piece on the left. I increased the length on mine between a qtr inch and a half inch. Made a HUGE difference. Looking at the foot peg lying on the ground perpendicular to the bike, you want to spead it apart further. Thats what this does.

[ClayW]

If that doesnt get it, try it in the opposit direction. Make it smaller. One or the other will do it. Now that im thinking about it I may have shortened it. I think I did. :rolleyes:

[1985_250_ATC]

Making it smaller would make sence, to me atleast, ok im off to try, and if I break something, IM BLAMING YOU! ahahaha, just kidding, thanks for the help, and happy riding...

[ClayW]

Go break a leg. Im pretty sure I made it shorter. Tearer up man!!! lol :D

[1985_250_ATC]

Well, I must say after the tightening, the brakes do feel ALOT tighter, I mean alot, it just may of worked,..I didnt really get to test it, just got to roll it down my driveway, but they did work, and they locked up pretty easily...although I wasnt going to fast...Im gonna really try it tommorow morning, I dont think the neighboors would appreciate a 3 wheeler zooming by at a quarter to midnight...first thing in the morning Im gonna be out there... if it doesnt work, thats alright, I got my hands dirty, learned a couple things, and on to the next solution (bleeding brakes)...Thanks alot for the help evreybody, Happy Holidays and Happy Riding!....

:TrikesOwn :TrikesOwn :TrikesOwn

[1985_250_ATC]

VERDICT: Doesnt work...Its a little bit tighter, but doesnt lock up as it should, bleeding the brakes, thats next...gotta wait till its a little warmer...this cold up here in unbarable...even in the garage...Thanks for the help again guys...


:TrikesOwn

[a-camp]

How thick are your pads ????