[Vinish]

My wife's 2012 Cross Country Tour (XCT) has just started exhibiting a weak rear brake. When the rear brake pedal is pressed, there is some braking action but not as much as there should be. If I compare it to my 2012 XCT, her bike has significantly lower rear braking action. I have checked the rotor and it is fine (proper thickness and no scoring). I have checked the fluid level in the reservoir and it is full. The fluid is fairly new and not discolored. I have examined the brake pads and they are practically new with large amounts of the wear grooves still present. This reduced braking action occurs starting with the very first press of the rear brake lever so it is not overheating of the fluid. When the rear brake lever is pressed, it has firm resistance and does not go down real far as it might if there was air in the system.

Any suggestions for possible sources of this problem would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[depot picker]

I clean the rotors from time to time by wiping them with a cloth and brake parts cleaner.

 

[Joe_]

Might have one or more stuck pistons in your rear caliper. They get hung up from road crud sometimes on some bikes. Then you have a 1,2 or 3 piston caliper instead of 4 piston which equals out to 1/4, 1/2 or 3/4 the force on the pads when you apply the brakes.
HD twin cams were famous for this. I believe there are YouTube videos that show
how to clean them on sport bikes that would be applicable to a Vic.
It’s fairly straight forward once you watch it done.. Just be certain to do it outside. Brake cleaner is bad ju ju.
Nitrile glove. Hold your breath. Etc.
You remove the caliper from the rotor but don’t take the caliper apart or remove the brake line when cleaning it. As best I remember.
I’ve always used chlorinated brake cleaner for this.

 

[541RF]

AS depot picker said, and the pads could be glazed over (use sandpaper on them).

 

[Vinish]

Thanks, guys. Does anyone know if the caliper can be easily removed from the mounting bracket on a XCT? To remove the entire mounting bracket, I have to remove the rear axle so I am hoping that I can just remove the caliper itself from the large black mounting bracket.

 

[sledhead12]

pull retainer pin for pads should be able to seperate caliper also grease pistons an slide pins with high temp grease

 

[Blowndodge]

I had the same issue removing the rear brake caliper. If my memory serves me I removed the pads and pushed the pistons all the way in. Then I had enough "wiggle room" to pull the caliper off far enough and as it hit the rim I could angle it enough to remove it.

 

[Vinish]

I will give that a shot and, if I can't make it work, will remove the rear wheel and brake caliper bracket. Thanks.