Removing the dreaded brake pad pins.

I park my bike in the side garden and usually it's just a case of pulling the bike out backwards, paddle backwards down the drive and off we go. However, this morning, after not riding the bike for 3 days, could I pull the bike backwards?? Could I heck as like!

Brakes were binding in a major way. After 10 minutes struggling I managed to get it out of the garden (there's a little lip of kerb which doesn't help and there's about a foot between me the bike and the wall!).

Have you ever tried to go round a roundabout with the front brake on??? To say I cacked a brick is an understatement and only by jamming my foot into the ground did I stay upright. Thankfully after 10 minutes on straight roads the brakes freed themselves up.

Problem is, I tried to service the brake's last month and the pins we totally jammed. I thought I could get away with it for a bit longer but with the bike being kept outside now it seems to speed up the whole binding process! This was despite a liberal copper greasing in August! The salt must be really bad this year.

So, does anyone have a fool-proof method of getting the pins out. I've tried WD-40 with pliers, mole grips, screw-driver, even a bloody hammer and chisle but nothing works! The end of each pin is now decidedly squished!

Any help would be appriciated.

[TSM]

What pins are there on the front brake, do you mean the slider pins (ones behind the black rubber seals?).

Or do you mean pistons?

[Sid Squid]

No, I think he means the pad retaining pin, at the bottom end of the caliper as it's fitted to the fork leg.

Fortunately the front pin is a bit more substantial than those on the rear brake, and may have a hex on the end, ignore that, if the pin is stuck enough for you to need to turn it with the hex, it's far to stuck for the hex to be any good.

Soak in WD40/diesel/whatever, using big pair of Mole grips or similar get pin turning, once it's turning it's free enough to wiggle out. Failing that, drill a small hole through the back of the blind hole in which the pin sits, gently - honest, it's aluminium - tap the pin out. Make sure that the hole you drill is comfortably smaller than the pin.

Sorry folks,

I do mean the pad retaining pins. You take the caliper off, remove the small R-clip that goes through the retaining pin and then.............well, that's as far as I can get. The retaining pin is meant to slide out and then the pads will come out but it's jammed solid.

Thanks Sid, the hex is truely mashed. I have tried big-mole grips but there's nothing to grip anymore. Do you think I can grip the inside part of the retaining pin (ie nearer the actual pad) and try to turn the pin there? I'm scarred this might scratch the pin meaning it won't come out.

I'll have a look at the drilling idea, might be a good thing to do for future clean-ups, meaning I can use a hole punch or a bradol to tap the pin out ever time. Why don't Tokimo give you a pre-drilled hole there anyway? Would make life easier.

Thanks.

[Viney]

Yes, locate the molegrips inbetween the pads. If you dont have a set already, get a good quality set. Clamp them on the pin very very tight (2 Hands and a lot of force to close the grips tight) and wiggle it back and forth.

thanks viney.

[Scoobs]

Originally Posted by Viney

Yes, locate the molegrips inbetween the pads. If you dont have a set already, get a good quality set. Clamp them on the pin very very tight (2 Hands and a lot of force to close the grips tight) and wiggle it back and forth.

Still be carefull doing this. I did mine and the pin sheared at the cross hole that the "R" pin goes through. Make sure you give the pin a right good soaking first in WD40, Plus Gas or similar first.

I used to give them a twist every weekend missus! Oo'er.

When washing the bike, give them a quick twist. If they feel tight whip 'em out and grease the suckers.

U rated! Honest guv!

I had siezed pins last last time I changed the pads. They were siezed so bad that the only way to get them out was to drill them out. Not a nice prospect.

I buggered it up and had to get new callipers. Hope Ian's way works.


(I tried that before I drilled the pins out.)

everyone MUST and i mean MUST fit st/st ones. they are dead easy to make from long st/st socket caps (allen bolts to you). when you come to remove them if thy,re a bit tight just put an allen key in and turn et voila!
i would imagine chewy could make these for a reasonable price

My Dad mainly cursed at them while working and that seemed to work. "Stupid f***ing design" etc etc.