Back brake not working correctly

dlb85

Hey all first time poster here and I'm also new to MTB.
I have recently brought a mountain bike and I'm always on it, but when it comes down to maintaince I'm a little uneducated on it. Yesterday I used wd40 on my cassette after cleaning, before reading on how to maintain your bike, I won't be using it again as I've read bad things about it.
Anyhow I'm pretty sure some wd40 has gotten into my brake pads as today my back brake hardly worked it could be a coincidence that they have stopped working but i doubt it. I've tried sanding/baking my pads it hasn't worked, so i guess i need to buy new ones. The only thing that is bothering me is that I can pretty much pull the brake lever all the way to handlebars, would wd40 on the pads cause this to happen?

Thanks in advance

Drew

nicklouse

To answer the last bit first no. But if the pads have to move a long way to get to th rotor then yes. As it sounds like you hav had the pads out a few times I would say that that is the reason.

So back to the main thing. Ant spray lube can cause issues to disc brakes.

Don't use sprays.

Now, give the disc a good clean.and then remove the contaminated pads and give the caliper a good clean then fit new pads and then bed them in.

A good cycle brake cleaner is good as is isopropanol alcohol.

dlb85

Ah sorry i should have mentioned that the brake lever was pretty much touching my bars before i even took out the pads. Basically yesterdays riding was fine, got up to trail today and I hardly had any back brakes, so I put it down to the wd40, researched on the web that if the wd40 got in to the pads it pretty much wrecks them, I was just concerned about my levers coming all the back.
Thanks for the speedy reply

nicklouse

Again it all depends on pad movement. If they are not moving you have a fluid or air issue. If they are then you have a set up/setting in issue.