Birel Brakes locking up to easily

[Marc Jordan]

My son is complaining that his brakes are locking up too easily. I adjusted the lever length to provide more travel and hopefully a more progressive application of pressure. However he says they still lock up too easily. This is on a birel AR28
Would a different pad work better? (softer harder?) We are using OEM pads. It is a Type B calliper
Thanks

[Marc Miller]

Hi Marc-

Couple things that could be contributing to this, so I will list them.

The obvious thought, especially with young drivers (no matter how experienced they are) is stabbing the brakes. Many drivers don't realize how quick they might be jamming the brake or how hard. Any time you put harder tires on the kart, you have to be able to modulate braking pressure better.

Beyond that - here are more thoughts - and this assumes that your brake system and caliper is properly bled, fully cleaned and functioning perfectly:
1. proper alignment of the disk
2. Were the pads and rotor bedded in? Has this problem always been there since new?
3. Have you tried moving the brake rod down to lower position on the master cylinder arm? You can drill a new hole if you wish.
4. You may try a harder pad to take away some of the initial bite as well.
5. Are your pads shimmed?

Let me know.

[Garry Lobaugh]

One thing that I have done in the past to help evaluate this situation is to take a video cam to the slowest corner ( hopefully a hairpin) and then video from the inside portion of the track where you can watch the foot motion of the driver. It tells alot about whether we have a driver using a two pedal corner approach ( we frown on that) or if there is the stabbing motion that Marc Miller mentions above.

Are talking about a sticking brake or is it another consideration?