Caliper rebuild - how?

Thanks for the replies folks. Just got stainless ones as it seemed to make sense to change them at the same time as everything else.

The kit I got came with red grease. Thanks for the tips Bibio, feel a lot more confident with the bits I have picked up....

[Bibio]

stainless and alloy do not mix well and you will find that the nipples will seize even quicker. to stop this you can use a small dab of copper grease on the nipple threads before putting them in.

Originally Posted by Bibio

stainless and alloy do not mix well and you will find that the nipples will seize even quicker. to stop this you can use a small dab of copper grease on the nipple threads before putting them in.

Haha nae doubt. Always thought stainless would be better... nevermind got some copper slip...

[aesmith]

Originally Posted by PuggledPrune

Haha nae doubt. Always thought stainless would be better... nevermind got some copper slip...

Stainless is better for itself, but it's reduced corrosion potential means that the aluminium calliper will corrode all the more as a reaction. You see this very strikingly if you fit a stainless steel shackle onto galvanised chain, the first few links rust in no time.

Boats and aircraft use a special sealant (Duralac) between stainless fittings and aluminium, but that's for permanent fixings.

Well that's it done. It was actually pretty easy. Just need to fill it up and bleed the brakes. Few more jobs to do before I get out on it.... Change oil, filters, plugs, coolant. Will be ready to go after that!

Thanks for all the help folks.

Originally Posted by Bibio

stainless and alloy do not mix well and you will find that the nipples will seize even quicker. to stop this you can use a small dab of copper grease on the nipple threads before putting them in.

A third metal into the mix is not so much better, the electropotential between copper and aluminum is small, but still large between stainless and copper.

I would use a non-metallic grease, vaselin grease would do the job, and might even be cheaper then regular "industrial" grease.

[Bibio]

Originally Posted by speedyandypandy

A third metal into the mix is not so much better, the electropotential between copper and aluminum is small, but still large between stainless and copper.

yes you are correct except you forgot about the properties of the actual copper and the copper being suspended in grease. the copper is not there to stop things oxidising its there to act as a lubricant if things do.

Originally Posted by Bibio

yes you are correct except you forgot about the properties of the actual copper and the copper being suspended in grease. the copper is not there to stop things oxidising its there to act as a lubricant if things do.

you get 1 point for that, one would get the same properties with a grease containing PTFE, the ptfe would still be there if the grease dries up, and you get a non metallic grease.

[aesmith]

I'd be more concerned about the grease than the copper. Is the grease compatible with brake fluid? By the way, the use of copper grease as a general purpose anti-sieze is relatively recent. Back when I was a kid the only place we used to regularly use it was on exhaust system studs and nuts, the idea there being that the copper would remain after the grease has burned off.