2015 PCX rear brakes: removal, cleaning, checking and re-ass
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 5:13 am
WANT PICTURES?
It takes so long to upload pics here or to tinypic.com or a similar site that I have made a PDF of this post with the same text but with big, clear photos for anyone who wants it. P.M. your mail address to me for that please. I should get it to you within a couple of weeks - I do not log on here more often than that.
BEFORE YOU START
To keep it short/simple, if there is a note that's a bit long, I'll add **See notes** and put the note at the end of the post.
No special tools are required for this.
It helps a lot if you can lift the bike up (I have a bad lower back).
If you can't lift it, the method is the same but you have to lie on the ground.
My bike has a centre stand. You need one, or something like one.
ONE
Exhaust pipe.
Put the bike on the centre stand.
The whole exhaust pipe comes off as one piece.
[1] Remove the engine-to-exhaust nuts x2.
[2] Remove the mounting bolts x3.
Replace the exhaust pipe gasket with a new one ready for re-assembly.
** See notes**
TWO
Rear axle nut.
Loosen the rear axle nut and/or remove it.
** See notes **
THREE
Suspension.
Remove the right-side suspension-to-swing-arm mounting bolt.
The piston/spring assembly will swing out of your way.
FOUR
Swing-arm.
If the axle nut is still on the bike, remove it.
Remove the swing-arm mounting bolts x2.
Remove the outer bearing bush from the swing-arm.
Remove the swing-arm.
Remove the inner bearing bush.
FIVE
Mud-guard.
Remove the mud-guard mounting bolts x2 (hex-head / Allen-key)
Slightly lift the mud-guard.
Under light pressure it will not break or break free of the bike completely. It shouldn't.
SIX
Rear wheel.
Remove the rear wheel.
**See notes**
SEVEN
Brake assembly removal.
Hold your breath or wear a mask and lightly spray the break pads with brake cleaner or parts cleaner.
Wipe the brakes and remove them.
Just 'fold' them in on themselves from the top and bottom all at once.
There is no need to try to remove the springs at any time unless they show signs of damage or wear.
Keep a note of the orientation of the brake shoe assembly.
It should go one in the same orientation as you found it.
EIGHT
Brake drum (wheel inner) and brake assembly area.
Spray and wipe both.
NINE
Cable-to-brake arm-assembly.
Remove the assembly for cleaning.
[1] Cable-to-arm nut.
[2] Arm-to-cam nut. (Arm-to-shaft nut).
[3] Cam (shaft).
Photo (in the PDF) shows the brake shoes still on, but they can come off as described above, no problem.
TEN
Re-assembly preparation.
Once all components are thoroughly clean, grease the following carefully.
Cam flat surfaces
Cam shaft
Pin shaft
Rear axle shaft and its grease-groove
Cam shaft receptacle (whatever it is called?)
**See notes**
NOTES
Photos show the state of mine at about ten thousand kilometres (6,200 miles).
I don't use it round-town much at all – only on a non-stop road between one town and another for 50 kilometre journeys. So the brakes have been used less than a city bike. I have to clean my city scooter's rear brakes twice as frequently (about every 5,000 kilo's on a Suzuki Address 125).
ONE
Exhaust.
Unlike on some scooters, the PCX's oxygen sensor is in the engine-to-exhaust connection so no removal is necessary. Some scooters have a wire going to an oxygen sensor that protrudes from the exhaust pipe, for example my Suzuki Address 125. It's not a concern with the 2015 PCX.
I had a 14mm spanner/wrench, but not a 14mm socket when I did this, so I had to take off the plastic exhaust-heat-guard. You don't have to do that if you have a 14mm socket at hand.
It might not be necessary to use a new exhaust gasket every single time you remove and replace the exhaust pipe, but I choose to do it and the manual says to do it. It's only a few hundred yen (a couple of dollars).
TWO
Rear axle nut.
If putting the bike on a lift like I did, leave the nut in place for now as you'll want to walk the bike back onto the ramp/stand/lift.
If you are doing the entire job in one place, remove the axle nut.
I am not Superman-strong, so I locked the front wheel to the car lift frame and then stood on the socket breaker-bar to loosen the axle nut. I left the nut in place and walked the bike back onto the lift.
SIX
Rear wheel removal.
Put on latex or similar gloves if you still have naked hands. If you have a mask, it's a good idea.
Break pad dust is NOT good for you and neither is parts/brake cleaner spray.
TEN
Greasing for re-assembly.
I use Suzuki Super Grease Type A.
I use that only because I bought a big pot of it the first time I serviced my Suzuki scooter's rear brakes. I bought that as it is recommended by Suzuki as it does not becomes runny when it gets warm, and you do not want grease on your brake shoes or anywhere where you have not applied it. Please use a heat-tolerant grease, although Honda's manual does not say you should.
It takes so long to upload pics here or to tinypic.com or a similar site that I have made a PDF of this post with the same text but with big, clear photos for anyone who wants it. P.M. your mail address to me for that please. I should get it to you within a couple of weeks - I do not log on here more often than that.
BEFORE YOU START
To keep it short/simple, if there is a note that's a bit long, I'll add **See notes** and put the note at the end of the post.
No special tools are required for this.
It helps a lot if you can lift the bike up (I have a bad lower back).
If you can't lift it, the method is the same but you have to lie on the ground.
My bike has a centre stand. You need one, or something like one.
ONE
Exhaust pipe.
Put the bike on the centre stand.
The whole exhaust pipe comes off as one piece.
[1] Remove the engine-to-exhaust nuts x2.
[2] Remove the mounting bolts x3.
Replace the exhaust pipe gasket with a new one ready for re-assembly.
** See notes**
TWO
Rear axle nut.
Loosen the rear axle nut and/or remove it.
** See notes **
THREE
Suspension.
Remove the right-side suspension-to-swing-arm mounting bolt.
The piston/spring assembly will swing out of your way.
FOUR
Swing-arm.
If the axle nut is still on the bike, remove it.
Remove the swing-arm mounting bolts x2.
Remove the outer bearing bush from the swing-arm.
Remove the swing-arm.
Remove the inner bearing bush.
FIVE
Mud-guard.
Remove the mud-guard mounting bolts x2 (hex-head / Allen-key)
Slightly lift the mud-guard.
Under light pressure it will not break or break free of the bike completely. It shouldn't.
SIX
Rear wheel.
Remove the rear wheel.
**See notes**
SEVEN
Brake assembly removal.
Hold your breath or wear a mask and lightly spray the break pads with brake cleaner or parts cleaner.
Wipe the brakes and remove them.
Just 'fold' them in on themselves from the top and bottom all at once.
There is no need to try to remove the springs at any time unless they show signs of damage or wear.
Keep a note of the orientation of the brake shoe assembly.
It should go one in the same orientation as you found it.
EIGHT
Brake drum (wheel inner) and brake assembly area.
Spray and wipe both.
NINE
Cable-to-brake arm-assembly.
Remove the assembly for cleaning.
[1] Cable-to-arm nut.
[2] Arm-to-cam nut. (Arm-to-shaft nut).
[3] Cam (shaft).
Photo (in the PDF) shows the brake shoes still on, but they can come off as described above, no problem.
TEN
Re-assembly preparation.
Once all components are thoroughly clean, grease the following carefully.
Cam flat surfaces
Cam shaft
Pin shaft
Rear axle shaft and its grease-groove
Cam shaft receptacle (whatever it is called?)
**See notes**
NOTES
Photos show the state of mine at about ten thousand kilometres (6,200 miles).
I don't use it round-town much at all – only on a non-stop road between one town and another for 50 kilometre journeys. So the brakes have been used less than a city bike. I have to clean my city scooter's rear brakes twice as frequently (about every 5,000 kilo's on a Suzuki Address 125).
ONE
Exhaust.
Unlike on some scooters, the PCX's oxygen sensor is in the engine-to-exhaust connection so no removal is necessary. Some scooters have a wire going to an oxygen sensor that protrudes from the exhaust pipe, for example my Suzuki Address 125. It's not a concern with the 2015 PCX.
I had a 14mm spanner/wrench, but not a 14mm socket when I did this, so I had to take off the plastic exhaust-heat-guard. You don't have to do that if you have a 14mm socket at hand.
It might not be necessary to use a new exhaust gasket every single time you remove and replace the exhaust pipe, but I choose to do it and the manual says to do it. It's only a few hundred yen (a couple of dollars).
TWO
Rear axle nut.
If putting the bike on a lift like I did, leave the nut in place for now as you'll want to walk the bike back onto the ramp/stand/lift.
If you are doing the entire job in one place, remove the axle nut.
I am not Superman-strong, so I locked the front wheel to the car lift frame and then stood on the socket breaker-bar to loosen the axle nut. I left the nut in place and walked the bike back onto the lift.
SIX
Rear wheel removal.
Put on latex or similar gloves if you still have naked hands. If you have a mask, it's a good idea.
Break pad dust is NOT good for you and neither is parts/brake cleaner spray.
TEN
Greasing for re-assembly.
I use Suzuki Super Grease Type A.
I use that only because I bought a big pot of it the first time I serviced my Suzuki scooter's rear brakes. I bought that as it is recommended by Suzuki as it does not becomes runny when it gets warm, and you do not want grease on your brake shoes or anywhere where you have not applied it. Please use a heat-tolerant grease, although Honda's manual does not say you should.