Brake on 1988 indy 400 not grabbing well

[BoxMN]

The brake on my 88 indy 400 is real mushy and only sort of grabs, it doesn't really work. You get it to stop the spinning track (when on lift and running) if you pull it all the way to bar, but i know it just is not working the way it should.

The pads look okay to us (non sled mechanics) it just seems like there is lots of space for it try to close. There is fluid in the reservoir. Any thoughts, or things to try first?

I have not ridden it yet since I got it, so I don't know how bad it is not working...

We did take the carbs off and clean and the main jets were gunked good, and it seems to start and idle great now. Hopefully it will stay that way! It does seem to want to idle UP after sitting - but like i said I haven't been able to ride it yet, and not letting it sit and idle for long periods of time.

[NAMASafetyDirector]

Box, there might be some air in the line so you might have to bleed it out to get the "feel" back in the brakes. There's a bleeder on the caliper. On an older sled like that there may also be some crud or sediment in the lines as well. In that case you may need to disconnect the line from the caliper and drain all the fluid out of the line and the resevoir and flush it out and then replace it with some new stuff and then bleed it out real well and see if that helps. Sometimes those bleeders can get pretty corroded over time as well so you may end up replacing it in order for it to work properly. One last thing to check...the hub on the brake disk on those is splined so you may want to check and make sure that the splines on the hub are not stripped or check the jackshaft that the disk slides on to and make sure it's not stipped either. This isn't real common but it could happen. Good Luck

[BoxMN]

Thanks tons NAMASD, that all makes sense, and falls within what I think i can do

I do have another question about the clutch, but I need to take a picture of it so I can have a show to go with my tell

Thanks!

[NAMASafetyDirector]

No Problem! We'll take a look when you get it booted up!

[BoxMN]

Just wanted to update you guys who had been helping me with my "Traded a canoe for the 88 indy 400" sled

I bled the brake, and it must have broke loose some air or gunk cause it just was not grabbing and not bleeding right, and hten all of a sudden it started grabbing perfect! I still need to bleed it again properly, but I got to put on about 10 miles this weekend.

Brake works great, starts great even in the -10 temps this morning up north. It even handles way better than I expected. But the suspension is a kidney buster on the bumpy parts as expected. The sled is so light and easy to drive and easy to pull over.

The only thing/question I have now is that there is something in the clutch assembly that is rattling and doesn't seem right. I think I mentioned it earlier, but it is a bushing or spacer or something = round with 4 half holes, alomst like it is supposed to catch on the spring or soemthing, and it just rattles on the shaft loose. When I hit throttle, it doesn't "ease" into movement it sort of "snaps" or clunks into engaging, not hoorible, but waaaaay noticle next to properly accelerating sleds. Maybe needs clutch rebuiling?... 4000 miles.

Otherwise it is running great, stopping great, starting great and it is a cool sled. I even had it up to 60 on the lake and it was fun! Going to put it through the ice fishing weekend next weekend, with a bunch of the guys coming up to chase pike and crappies, and this sled will be towing some shacks and fat guys

[63ihharvester4x4]

an 88 indy 400 that sounds like a liquid cooled sled, those suckers are quick, i had one that the odometer read 12000 miles on it and it showed every one but it ran like a top at all of 92mph, the suspension on those older sleds were a back buster but you didnt need a bachelors degree with 2 years of computer training to work on em like these newer ones, it sounds like it might be the rollers in the clutch might be getting flat, im no clutch expert.. wonder what NAMASD thinks