Seizing Brakes.

Hacked off with the brakes on my K1 SV. The brakes have seized three times this winter. Yes, I use the bike as a regular commuter, even in winter, so it's not kept pristine, but I do wash it down as often as possible (although not when it's so cold that I'd turn the cul-de-sac into an ice rink, so as not to cause aggro with the neighbours).

I've been off the road a few weeks, due to an arm injury (no I didn't crash it!) but I'm now getting the bike ready to use again and am pretty hacked off with having to have the calipers apart again to clean out and relube with red brake grease.

Are Suzuki brakes always this bad? Do they make them out of cheese? Seems to me that aluminium brakes and our roads covered in salt is never likely to work well. How come the brakes on the family Volvo never seize up. Is there any way to stop the brakes doing the same trick next winter? I can think of far more fun things to do than spend a day every 2 months or so sorting my brakes out.

GSXR front end will solve all. Otherwise a good full strip down will do it.

[yorkie_chris]

Nah it won't the SRAD calipers corrode the same as SV ones.

Anodise the calipers and fit stainless pistons.

Originally Posted by thefallenangel

GSXR front end will solve all. Otherwise a good full strip down will do it.

That's the problem. I'm on my third full strip down....

good strip down meant replace all seals, red rubber grease, new Stainless steel pistons.

I don't know why but calipers aren't designed for the wet on bikes as well as cars.

Originally Posted by thefallenangel

good strip down meant replace all seals, red rubber grease, new Stainless steel pistons.

Well, I did all new seals last time, red rubber grease, and new Suzi pistons on the RH side (the worst one last time). This side is better this time, whereas the LHS was stuck fast.

Originally Posted by thefallenangel

I don't know why but calipers aren't designed for the wet on bikes as well as cars.

Would love to know this too

Surely you don't need new pistons everytime?
Clamp the pistons as you ease them out so they are all really close to just falling out then just pull them from the bores?

Does seem like you have had a hard time this winter tho!

For future reference, is there a better (more durable) front brake caliper setup you can use on a curvy?
Or is there some better way to protect the caliper from the weather and the salt?
I notice that on the insides of the caliper bodies that a lot of the paint has been lost due to the salt corrosion and some of the resulting gunk ends up stuck round the top sections of the pistons, the dust seals and so on.

Billet 6 mini calipers, but they're £500 a pair and I doubt you'd want them exposed to salt. Have you tried aerosol brake cleaner after a ride?

[yorkie_chris]

I wouldn't TBH. Volatile solvents + rubber usually isn't good.

Anyone want to donate some caliper bodies for me to try to anodise?