Sticky brakes

[sunshine]

Ok been told by an expert one of my front brakes is sticking on slightly, he knows hes going to fix it if the org cant find the problem. so possible problems and there solutions, anyone recommending striping and clean the brake calipers i have searched about that but i need a photo step by step guide if someone can find one.

Thank in advance

Ps: need the bike for an interview with a yank next tuesday so this needs sorting in a week and i dont work quickly.

[Alpinestarhero]

Unfortunatly, a full strip and clean is the best thing. You might get away with something half-way for a little bit, but its just putting off the inevitable.

I'll let someone else provide you a step-by-step guide because I'll no doubt have gaps, but it isn't that difficult to actually do...you just need to be careful and unhurried. Copper-slip and rubber grease are materials you will require, you might want to put in new brake pads while you're there and you may need new dust-seals...but I believe they can be saved by boiling in water for 10 minutes if they have stretched a little too much :)

[Holdup]

Some one posted me a guide on how to strip them back, ill find it for you, only thing is its for 4 pot calipers where as the SV has 2 but its still relativaly the same job and easy to follow.

EDIT: found it

http://forum.svrider.com/showthread.php?t=61506&highlight=caliper

Its reccommened that you use red rubber grease on the seals though, im not sure where i guess on the outside where they make contact with the pistons (some one will correct me if im wrong), i didnt bother with this i just followed that guide which was dip the seals in brake fluid

HTH

[sunshine]

the brakes rarely get used if i can help it, when i do most of my miles, but will look at getting some anyway as spare if there not needed. them seals stocked in my local stealership? along with the copper slip and rubber grease?

[Alpinestarhero]

You can get rubber seals from wemoto, probably cheaper than suzuki but check about for prices, I expect many places will stock the seals. Copper slip and rubber grease should be avaliable from halfords - copper slip for the backs of brake pads and for the calipers bolts and sliders ajnd retaining pins, rubber grease for the caliper pistons themselves :)

[dizzyblonde]

rubber seals you should find on the wemoto web site. Tiz where I get mine from.

Rubber grease is ace stuff...and If I can strip and build...anybody can ;-)

just don't ask me to bleed them up...I have YC to do that!

[fastdruid]

You can do a quick bodge by removing the calipers, removing the pads and pumping the pistons out as far as they go before they pop. Then clean all the crud away, lube with red rubber grease and push back in.

No where near a proper job but will do in an emergency (for example if you discover the brakes are binding slightly just before an MOT).

Druid

[barwel1992]

hmm intresting non of my brake pistons were greased will have to get some rubber grease then

[sunshine]

thanks holdup that guide is useful except i dont have an air compresser to pop the pistons out so do that before i remove the caliper from the brake lines im guessing is best.

[Neeja]

Don't even remove them at all. Just pump the lever until they come out. Put a piece of wood or something in the calipers so the pistons don't pop out, and so that if one piston is stuck it will force the other one out when the less-sticky one hits the wood.

Do one side at a time, and make sure you reassemble and put the first caliper back on before starting on the second - don't want to pop the other pistons out while you're working on the second set.

[sunshine]

thanks for all the advice, rear brake was easy enough to strip and without any trouble the front brakes are currently at street bike as simply pumping the lever didnt get more than a few mm of movement and they felt fine to use when running the bike, other than being a bit sharp.
So street bike in Halesowen had them for 3 hours and called me saying pick them up in the morning our guys cant get the pistons out.

im sure the 2 dealers that have services the bike over the 9 years and 11,000 mile history would of looked at the brakes at some point instead of letting the front brakes get that bad or is them being this bad expected in 8,000 miles/10 months?

[barwel1992]

my bike has 15000+ miles on it (pointy) and the brake pistons came out with ease i used plires with a cloth to pull them out

you may want to try soaking them in penetrating oil but not sure this would work due to the seals