Calliper seals
 

I'm time poor at the moment - and cash poor too if I'm honest. But I need to get my brakes sorted fast

Any idea how much a garage would charge for replacing the seals on the front callipers of an SV?
All the garages I know are closed on Mondays, but I'd like to get an idea quickly (having had a MAJOR scare this morning on the motorway)

Re: Calliper seals
 

its not a case of just changing the seals. there are other nasty surprises such as the pistons being pitted. this all bumps the price through the roof. add in do you trust a garage to do the job properly like clean out the recesses (main problem) and assemble them again using RRG.

personally i would get another set of callipers and refurb those. seals are cheep pistons are not.

i would say a full strip and rebuild with new pistons and seals done properly will cost you a min of £150, ride in ride out will be around £200. depending on the condition of the pads you can add in the price of those as well.

Re: Calliper seals
 

powerhouse automotive will do you a full set of front calipers completely reconed for around £160 if you send them your old ones once you've changed them.

Re: Calliper seals
 

Jeez.

I think I'm cash poorer than I thought.

Re: Calliper seals
 

best to see how bad the pistons are first.

its normally the recesses that get furred up that makes the pistons seize/sticky.

calliper strip and rebuild is easy. once you have done it then do it every year.

what exactly makes you think that the brakes are not working correctly?

Re: Calliper seals
 

I always seem to have problems getting the pistons out. There dust seals look like they are sticking to the pistons.

This morning the front definitely didn't stop as it should, I had suspicions for a few days before, but this morning brought it home when the car in front hit the brakes and stopped while I took to the central reservation and overlook them while still braking. In the past I would have have the front skitting about under pressure.

Re: Calliper seals
 

take the callipers off, leave the pads in and pump the pistons out with the brake lever. this usually get the pistons out enough so you can wiggle them out. if not then take another pad out then do the same. be careful that the pistons dont pop out.

you need both pistons to be pumped out far enough to wiggle them free. if you dont use a 'shim' like the pads and you pump the pistons out then you might only pump one of them. having a 'shim' makes it so when one piston reaches full extension the extra pressure will force the other one out, if you get what i mean.

this is the cheepest kit i can find http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-SV-...MAAMXQBwlRUaUo

Re: Calliper seals
 

I think I found some spare callipers in the shed. Are K5 callipers the same as K8?

Are brake piston removal pliers any good at their job? If so, I have a plan. £35 for rebuild kit and £20 for pliers.

Re: Calliper seals
 

I use a foot pump and one of those conical beach ball inflator adaptors cut down and jammed into the banjo bolt thread.

A quick pump and it usually shifts the piston. To do each piston in turn, just clamp/wedge 3 pistons in place, then the unclamped pistion will pop out.

Re: Calliper seals
 

Is it the pistons or could it be the caliper sliders that are stuck?A bit easier and quicker to fix if so.