Brake problem.

Hi all,

could you give you views towards this please

my front break on my SV650s is squeaking a lot in the dry weather and fine when wet

I have called a local garage how think its the seals that have gone and for that its going to cost around £136

any over ideas to what it could be

pushed it around the gargen last night and nearly put my back out it was like pushing it with a wall infront of me


cheers all

It's more than likely to be the caliper not sliding on the pins. Very easy to sort.

[jambo]

Agreed, either the pistons are stuck because of salt and crud stick to the pistons and seals, or the sliding pins are stuck as Lozzo said.

One caliper at a time take them off and clean the pistons up, grease the caliper sliding pins properly using a rubber safe grease that won't harm the rubber boots. If you can push the pistons back into the body by hand that should be fine, if not I'd push the pistons out, pull the seals out and clean up the caliper body and clean & inspect the seals. New ones are unlikely to be a bad bet, but you can sometimes get away with using the old ones if they're in good nick, I certainly have on a number of occasions.

This does mean bleeding the brake system through though so if you're going to pop the pistons out make sure you are happy doing this.

Originally Posted by jambo

grease the caliper sliding pins properly using a rubber safe grease that won't harm the rubber boots.

Normal high melting point grease is fine on the sliders, the rubber boots that cover them are made from a different compound to the pistons seals. If they weren't mine would gave swelled up a long time ago!

Tim

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by croddman

I have called a local garage how think its the seals that have gone and for that its going to cost around £136

Ouch!

+1 about them just needing a service

Originally Posted by jambo

if not I'd push the pistons out, pull the seals out and clean up the caliper body and clean & inspect the seals. New ones are unlikely to be a bad bet, but you can sometimes get away with using the old ones if they're in good nick, I certainly have on a number of occasions.

Quick hijack - What would you clean them up with? and how are you pushing the pistons out" ? Can you pop 'em out using the brakes or will you end up with brake fluid everywhere?

Just interested really...sorry

[yorkie_chris]

Yes you use the brake system to push them out if they're stuck, or compressed air if they move OK anyway. (after removing pads etc.)

I use this method, yes you do get some brake fluid over you but don't whinge it won't kill you (much), then I detatch the caliper from hoses, remove the seals, scrape any corrosion out of the seal grooves, clean them up with dremel brush thing, clean the rest of the caliper like where the pads sit with a wire brush, then use brake cleaner to get the lot sparkly clean, especially the fluid passageways.

Then, I pack the seal grooves with red rubber grease, put the seals in and press them into the grooves and wipe out excess grease, keeping the amount in the cylinder itself to a minimum, wipe this excess over the sides of the piston and slide it back in. Copperslip the back of the pads, pad springs and retaining pin, rubber grease on the rubbers and put it all back together.

Any one won't to do it for me

Its nice that I have the MOT coming up at the end of the month as well

cheers all for your advise

[yorkie_chris]

I'm considering doing calipers by post if that helps

[jambo]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Lots of useful stuff

Having spent more hours doing this than some (6 pot tokico calipers on the ZX6R) I can say that hot water, an old toothbrush and some Jif/Cif/Ownbrand cream cleaner, work wonders on the pistons and caliper bodies.
The best tool in the world ever for cleaning up the recesses in the calipers was made by Sid Squid, who took a long nail, filed the head so it looked like a slice of cake / cheese (2 flat edges, one curved) and took the sharp points off. Then tapped it into a short length of broom handle as a holding point.

Works well that does...


Jambo