Front calipers are dragging

I pulled and greased the slides, they were sort of dry and sticky.

I also pushed the piston all the way out, polished it up, removed gunk, and used some spray lithium grease and then pushed them back in.

I also cleaned the anti-vibration guides.

Brakes still drag.

I pushed the bike around in the driveway, grabbed the brakes a few times. Still feels like they are dragging.

I'm not sure what to do next. I plan to completely exchange the fluid, but I'm not sure that will help with this.

You don't grease brake parts. Change the fluid.
Steve

You should be removing the pistons and cleaning out the calipers. Replace the seals and any pistons that are pitted. Replace the brake lines and clean out the master cylinder too. Brakes aren't anything to mess around with. After 30+ years the system needs some TLC.

Lithium grease on brake caliper piston? Any grease shouldnt be ised there. Wven reasembly should only be done with clean brake fluid as a lubricant

swest wrote: You don't grease brake parts. Change the fluid.
Steve

I'm pretty sure you do grease the slides.

Perhaps the dry lube I used on the piston isn't appropriate. I did that because I found it 3 times when I googled the problem.

With the caliper in my hand, I squeeze the lever and the piston moved out, when I release, it pulls back. It sure seems like it should be working ok.

I'm getting some other parts from Z1. I guess I'll see if they have rebuild kits as well.

I caution against K&L brake system rebuild seals. I've had issues with their parts in the past. I strongly recommend using OEM Kawasaki seals and master cylinder kits.

BTW, the brakes locking up could be related to the return port in the master being plugged.

Is there an OEM source other than a dealer?

Well the Z1 kit comes with all the parts. I don't see a Part Number for a "kit" from Kawasaki.
Is it:
43049-002 RING,PISTON SEAL x2
49006-1043 DUST SEAL,PISTON x2
49006-1044 DUST SEAL x4
43057-003 CAP,BREEDER x2

to equal the kit?

The diagram doesn't load, so I am just going by descriptions.

Kawasaki doesn't sell kits. Order the individual parts. You might not even need the dust seals. Main thing is to get OEM Kawasaki caliper seals.

Also take apart the master cylinder and inspect carefully and clean the return port.

Also get new brake lines. Your old lines are sure to be covered with a scale on the inside which will contaminate the new brake fluid.

Thanks. I found the parts on partzilla. I'm just waiting on them to answer a few questions about some other parts I need so I can get everything on one shipping tab.

Call them. I did and found my part was NLA. They would take my money anyway and left me waiting for something that would never come. The guy on the phone wouldn't give me a straight answer until I asked him if it was in stock now. Obsolete. I wanted to reach through the phone and make him go GACK.
Steve

Brake hoses can be clogged and let fluid go only one way, fluid cannot return to master cylinder.

djturnz wrote:

swest wrote: You don't grease brake parts. Change the fluid.
Steve

I'm pretty sure you do grease the slides..

They make a special lithium grease to lube the caliper pins that the assembly slides on. That's what fixed mine when they were dragging.