seized brake calipers

Because of the bike pulling to one side I decided today was the day to look at the calipers. Shouldn't be bad I thought cos the bike was M.O.T.'d very recently. Got some brake/clutch cleaning stuff, stripped one side down and its seized worse than I thought possible. AAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Bloody M.O.T.'d with seized calipers? excellent.
Bloody, basket cased calipers, once again AAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Fed up, rant over - for now.

least you know they'll be ok for a month or two after you rebuild them

two possible ways to try and free them... g gramp on pistons to push them in, then carefully squease brake leaver to push them out a bit, NOT TOO FAR ! repeat....repeat.. .until working. or the long way, disconnect brake line, remove pads and drop them in parrafin for 24 hrs.

Still need to check the other side but the solution to my wee problem was a pair of molegrips, a piece of inner tube, about half a can of cleaning spray and a very angry bad tempered scotsman on the other end. Given three or four hours and that soon sorted it out.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by bald git

two possible ways to try and free them... g gramp on pistons to push them in, then carefully squease brake leaver to push them out a bit, NOT TOO FAR ! repeat....repeat.. .until working. or the long way, disconnect brake line, remove pads and drop them in parrafin for 24 hrs.

You're f*cking joking aren't you?


Do job reet, strip them down, clean the sh*te out, put them back together with some rubber grease.

[rictus01]

so you're relying on the yearly MOT check to highlight basic service issues then? well I suppose it's one way of doing it

[andrewsmith]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

You're f*cking joking aren't you?

Do job reet, strip them down, clean the sh*te out, put them back together with some rubber grease.

+1 that'll be new pads if you do that, and get some decent brake cleaner also!

Originally Posted by rictus01

so you're relying on the yearly MOT check to highlight basic service issues then? well I suppose it's one way of doing it

I spend about an hour checking the bike every 600 to 700 miles or once a month which ever is sooner. My brakes have siezed twice in 8 months, with the rear being ok (hopefully, fingers crossed ) until the winter when i'll have a chance to swap the caliper with a better condition unit.
Best way to find problems and fix them for less money

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by andrewsmith

+1 that'll be new pads if you do that, and get some decent brake cleaner also!

How do you work that out?

Strip them, clean them, reassemble them, fit pads back in. You do not need replace owt unless it is worn or damaged.

[andrewsmith]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

How do you work that out?

Strip them, clean them, reassemble them, fit pads back in. You do not need replace owt unless it is worn or damaged.

Misread the quote earlier in thread, my bad!
Read it as drop the pads in parafin and not the calipers

Sheesh, the other side was no probs.
Apparently ahm a muppet for not doing a service bordering on the extreme every time I take the bike out, oh well, the joys of biking, (sorry being nippy there) and forgetting the M.O.T. doesn't mean the bike is safe or in good nick just that its passed the tests that they do. So a service schedule needs to be drawn up, every six weeks?, oil, plugs, filter, check and re-rubber grease the brake calipers, check the wear on the chain and sprockets (checking adjustment before every ride) and taking note of the cables and any oddities arising as I bimble about.
Does that sound all right? Advice greatfully received.