How to clean brake pistons? - SV650.org

18-05-10, 09:44 PM

Evening all

I was wondering if anyone could be so kind as to tell me the best way to cleaning a piston as i know very little about breaks.
I just popped the rear ones out on the vfr and they are fine at the bottom but the top 10/15mm is abit discoloured and has what looks like rust spots ( or is it really old dirt???

)

Is there a preferred way to clean without damaging them or are they buggered ?

ill grab some pics tomorrow to help the diagnosis

[Edit] Also the half of the dust seal looks in a very bad way all torn up like its been hacked at.

Thanks
Brock.

yorkie_chris · 18-05-10, 11:43 PM

That green scouring pad. If that doesn't work, finest wet and dry you've got with some WD or better yet silicon spray on it.

18-05-10, 11:58 PM

i used extra fine wire wool on mine with wd40

timwilky · 19-05-10, 12:14 AM

always clean round the pistons and never along the length. that way you are not leaving minute scratches that permit seal leaks.

I have a rubber bung with a bolt through it and washers either side. put the bung in the piston and tighten the nut and compress it. This expands the bung to grip the piston. put it in a secured drill (held in vice) and give it a spin. a scouring pad with a bit of t cut soon gives it a clean.

19-05-10, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timwilky

I have a rubber bung with a bolt through it and washers either side. put the bung in the piston and tighten the nut and compress it. This expands the bung to grip the piston. put it in a secured drill (held in vice) and give it a spin. a scouring pad with a bit of t cut soon gives it a clean.

cunning.

andrewsmith · 19-05-10, 08:16 AM

1200 wet and dry with the wd method! after you've given them a soak in wurth brake cleaner!

19-05-10, 08:19 AM

Will give it ago later today and report back!
They have been sitting in brake fluid all night and were filthy when i got them out so hopefully they will be ok by now and clean as a whistle with some W&D

19-05-10, 08:41 AM

Never use wet and dry paper on brake pistons, it leaves small particles imbedded in the metal surface that can degrade the seal over time. Always use fine wire wool or green kitchen scourer. If you use anything like WD40 make sure you get rid of all traces of it before re-assembly. It only takes a few hours for any mineral oil to destroy a brake seal. Always lubricate the piston and seal with either brake fluid or rubber grease.

Tim

andrewsmith · 19-05-10, 11:50 AM

another thing thats worthwile is flushing the caliper with brake fluid as it guarantees that there is no crap in the calipers, and wash ur pistons in brake fulid.
Ditch the fluid as contaminated

18-05-10, 09:44 PM	#1
BBadger Guest Posts: n/a	How to clean brake pistons? Evening all I was wondering if anyone could be so kind as to tell me the best way to cleaning a piston as i know very little about breaks. I just popped the rear ones out on the vfr and they are fine at the bottom but the top 10/15mm is abit discoloured and has what looks like rust spots ( or is it really old dirt???) Is there a preferred way to clean without damaging them or are they buggered ? ill grab some pics tomorrow to help the diagnosis [Edit] Also the half of the dust seal looks in a very bad way all torn up like its been hacked at. Thanks Brock. Last edited by BBadger; 18-05-10 at 09:46 PM.

18-05-10, 11:43 PM	#2
yorkie_chris Noisy Git Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Halifax/Leeds Posts: 26,645	Re: Brake pistons That green scouring pad. If that doesn't work, finest wet and dry you've got with some WD or better yet silicon spray on it. __________________ Currently Ex Biker Now rebuilding a 63' fishing trawler as a dive boat

18-05-10, 11:58 PM	#3
barwel1992 Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Brake pistons i used extra fine wire wool on mine with wd40

19-05-10, 12:14 AM	#4
timwilky Member Mega Poster Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Not in Yorkshire. (Thank God) Posts: 4,116	Re: Brake pistons always clean round the pistons and never along the length. that way you are not leaving minute scratches that permit seal leaks. I have a rubber bung with a bolt through it and washers either side. put the bung in the piston and tighten the nut and compress it. This expands the bung to grip the piston. put it in a secured drill (held in vice) and give it a spin. a scouring pad with a bit of t cut soon gives it a clean. __________________ Not Grumpy, opinionated.

19-05-10, 08:16 AM	#6
andrewsmith Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Just south of salad dodging country Posts: 7,750	Re: Brake pistons 1200 wet and dry with the wd method! after you've given them a soak in wurth brake cleaner! __________________ RIP Reeder 20/07/1988 - 21/03/2012. Always missed squire!!! Every year we meet old friends, gain some new ones, lose old ones and you always remember them all. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi

19-05-10, 08:19 AM	#7
BBadger Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Brake pistons Will give it ago later today and report back! They have been sitting in brake fluid all night and were filthy when i got them out so hopefully they will be ok by now and clean as a whistle with some W&D

19-05-10, 08:41 AM	#8
I'm_a_Newbie Guest Posts: n/a	Re: How to clean brake pistons? Never use wet and dry paper on brake pistons, it leaves small particles imbedded in the metal surface that can degrade the seal over time. Always use fine wire wool or green kitchen scourer. If you use anything like WD40 make sure you get rid of all traces of it before re-assembly. It only takes a few hours for any mineral oil to destroy a brake seal. Always lubricate the piston and seal with either brake fluid or rubber grease. Tim

19-05-10, 11:50 AM	#9
andrewsmith Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Just south of salad dodging country Posts: 7,750	Re: How to clean brake pistons? another thing thats worthwile is flushing the caliper with brake fluid as it guarantees that there is no crap in the calipers, and wash ur pistons in brake fulid. Ditch the fluid as contaminated __________________ RIP Reeder 20/07/1988 - 21/03/2012. Always missed squire!!! Every year we meet old friends, gain some new ones, lose old ones and you always remember them all. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi

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