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Message started by samlight15 on 04/28/10 at 00:41:41

Title: caliper
Post by samlight15 on 04/28/10 at 00:41:41

hey all,
im in the midst of replacing my break pads and the piston wont move back all the way so i cant get those new pads in. the clymer tells me to take the caliper all apart. so im wondering is there anything i should know before i get into dismantling my front breaks?

Title: Re: caliper
Post by BurnPgh on 04/28/10 at 01:30:38

yea...dont.
Unscrew the two screws on the brake master cylinder on the right handlebar and set them somewhere safe. Take the top off of the master cylinder to break the suction and set it back down lightly. Take an old brake pad, press it against the piston and press really hard until it bottoms out in relation to the housing. Might have to use a c-clamp. If you do, put a shop rag against the back of the caliper and proceed slowly as you tighten the clamp. Install new pads and install the caliper assembly back on the fork. Reinstall the master cylinder lid tightly. Squeeze the brake lever until it gets tight again. Go ride.

* Be very careful with those screws. They're JIS not philips. Id recommend an impact driver from harbor frieght ($6) to avoid messing up the heads.
*Make sure the handle bars are all the way left or right so they dont shift while the master cylinder cap isnt tightened. Spilled brake fluid will eat your everything. Tie a shop rag around the base of the master cylinder to catch any drips or spills.

Title: Re: caliper
Post by John_D FSO on 04/28/10 at 02:26:53

I'd suggest all the way left. The reservoir sits pretty level then.

Title: Re: caliper
Post by JohnBoy on 04/28/10 at 05:56:59

I have always used a "C" clamp to move the piston back. but if it is too hard to turn than you have more serious issues.

Title: Re: caliper
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/28/10 at 06:16:41

Now is a good time to cycle the fluid. A big syringe will suck the fluid outta the MC reservoir.

Title: Re: caliper
Post by RidgeRunner13 on 04/28/10 at 06:21:29

You can find stainless steel philips head replacement screws for the m/c cover at Ace or your local hardware store. :)

If the piston won't push back fairly easy, you can pop the piston out & clean everything. Just wrap the caliper in rags & slooowly compress the brake lever until the piston pops out. Then take the caliper loose for cleaning & reassembly. ;)

To bleed the system, get a piece of clear tubing & put on the slightly loosened bleed screw, running the other end to your m/c reservoir. Fill the reservoir enough to keep the tubing below the fluid & slowly compress the lever repeatedly until you see no bubbles in the tube & the lever has resistance. Close the bleed screw, remove the tube , & put everything back together. This will give you a good brake without the PITA this usually is. ::)

Now after applying & releasing the brake, make sure the bike rolls freely with no drag. If there is a drag, it's cheaper to get another caliper from one of our forum members than buy parts to rebuild. ;D

Disclaimer: The above only represents my experience, yours may be different. 8-)

Title: Re: caliper
Post by verslagen1 on 04/28/10 at 18:48:13

piston is usually pretty tough to get back in.

put the old pads back in, one of the new ones in, slip a flat blade screwdriver in on the metal backing of the new one, center the wide part on the piston and twist.

also, might be a good idea to open the bleeder if it's real hard.

and, if the fluid isn't clear, like water, replace it. open the bleeder and wait, it'll drain out (put something under to catch it). as the master drains be ready to refill when it's almost empty. I hold my finger over the drain to prevent air from going in like a bathtub drain.

Title: Re: caliper
Post by Scott_H on 04/28/10 at 20:15:12

5661667A44737C140 wrote:

* Be very careful with those screws. They're JIS not philips. Id recommend an impact driver from harbor frieght ($6) to avoid messing up the heads.

What is JIS? Mine are already rounded out and I'm trying to figure out a way to get them out. :(

Title: Re: caliper
Post by verslagen1 on 04/28/10 at 20:17:19

the thread is standard metric
but the head (screwdriver tip) is 'Japanese industry standard' or something like that.

Title: Re: caliper
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/29/10 at 07:02:44

For questions about the JIS screw heads & where to get the drivers, look in Search or, if you suck at that like I do, give Digger a holla..

Title: Re: caliper
Post by samlight15 on 05/03/10 at 15:15:35

ok thanks for the advice. i was going of what the clymer said but just wanted to check first with ppl that have done it.

i can get the caliper to move out but just wont keep going back in once it hits a point and ive tried giving alot of pressure to it but just is stubborn and wont give that last half inch or so. i will try bleeding again (changed last spring) or get a new one if need be.

Title: Re: caliper
Post by Oldfeller on 05/04/10 at 02:01:21

Did you take the top off the reservoir? Mass of fluid is either in the caliper or in the reservoir -- if you squeeze in the caliper it has to go somewhere. Be ready for it to try to go over the edge of the reservoir and make a mess ....

Title: Re: caliper
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/04/10 at 02:15:30

Crack the bleeder, then squeeze.

Title: Re: caliper
Post by Oldfeller on 05/04/10 at 02:20:49

Justin's "crack the bleeder" trick will work even better -- more direct pressure relief and the resulting mess is easier to deal with.

Title: Re: caliper
Post by samlight15 on 05/04/10 at 12:46:24

yea, i got it to work great. i just but one of the old pads down on the piston, put it all on a upside down keg and leaned on it with a driver i made from a screw driver and 2 wrenches. i had to improvise i dont have anything here but my tool bag, so no C clamp. i cracked the drain and it went real nice and easy. thanks again all :)

Title: Re: caliper
Post by Horatio Hawkshaw on 05/04/10 at 13:21:11

I just had to deal with trying to get the stripped out screw out of my master cylinder- I wound up *carefully* using my Dremel with a cutoff wheel to cut a slot in the top of the screw head. I used one of the wheels I had ground down already so as to not damage the reservoir cap. Then I used a standard flat head screw driver and the offending screw came right out. A trip to Home Depot for some new screws, and everything is copacetic. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Title: Re: caliper
Post by bill67 on 05/04/10 at 13:46:44

I've always just took a big flat screw driver slit it in and turn it sideways never had to do anything else.Just turned it slow and it would open up.

Title: Re: caliper
Post by Digger on 06/13/10 at 20:26:16

4B545255484F7E4E7E46545813210 wrote:

For questions about the JIS screw heads & where to get the drivers, look in Search or, if you suck at that like I do, give Digger a holla..

I got all but one of my JIS screwdrivers here:

http://www.amessupply.com/products1.cfm?aid=1&cid=D&sid=DE&fid=1404070

Quality is good.

I got a #3 JIS screwdriver here:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#jis-(japanese-industrial-standard)-screwdrivers/=670nes

Quality is average.....but still good enough for working on a Savage.

IHTH!