I Hate Stupidity - Especially When Its My Own

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Z Grand
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I Hate Stupidity - Especially When Its My Own

Post by Z Grand »

My right front brake caliper has been sticking this spring. I'm sure I have mentioned before that I'm not the best mechanic in the world. I have good tools and can generally get projects done if they're not too technical, but no matter how simple the task, if anything can go wrong, it will. I don't generally mess with brakes myself, but I decided to take the caliper off and give it a good clean and lubrication. It was clamped onto the disc pretty well, so I loosened the bolts holding the pins and the caliper mounting bolts and was able to slide the caliper off the disc. But as soon as I got it off the disc, it slipped out of my hand and it completely disassembled itself. Pads, metal brackets, shims, pad spring -- pretty much anything that can come out, did. I was counting on making note of how the pieces came apart so I'd know how to reassemble.

I cleaned the piston (which was pretty corroded) with brake cleaner and a toothbrush and lubed it with caliper lubricant, cleaned and lubed the pins, cleaned everything else and applied silicon to all the rubber parts, but couldn't figure out how all the parts and pieces went back together. The shop manual wasn't much help, so I used the exploded parts diagram archived here on the site [thanks for that], but still puzzled on how the spring and a couple of the metal brackets were supposed to be installed. Finally figured it out, but it took way longer than it should have.

Bottom line is that now the caliper is working as it should, but my stupidity in letting the caliper slip out of my hands just proved once again how snake-bitten I am when it comes to all things mechanical. Oh, well - thanks for letting me vent. :oops:

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Re: I Hate Stupidity - Especially When Its My Own

Post by steve murdoch icoa #5322 »

At least when the caliper hit the ground one of the pieces did not disappear into that black hole under/near/behind the work bench.
Of course only to be found after the purchase of a replacement.

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Z Grand
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Re: I Hate Stupidity - Especially When Its My Own

Post by Z Grand »

Luckily, I don't have a workbench in the garage, or it would have! :lol:

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Re: I Hate Stupidity - Especially When Its My Own

Post by Larry Zimmer »

Z -- you mentioned that you lubed the piston with caliper lubricant. I you truly did that, I would suggest that you need to completely disassemble; and, CLEAN THE PISTON BORE AND PISTON. That stuff will not play well with the piston seal over a little time. Will lock the piston. The only thing you want to use to lube the piston is brake fluid. Also, if the piston had any pitting, I would just get a new one. They are not too expensive. I just went through a complete rebuild of front brakes on an old Suzuki. Pistons were about $25 each. Sounds like much -- cheap in the long run.

Apologies for running on. Just that the idea of 'lube' on the piston got me shaking.
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Re: I Hate Stupidity - Especially When Its My Own

Post by daves79x »

Vern - not sure from your description if you popped the piston out or not. At this age, probably both front calipers should be completely disassembled and renewed. It's not too hard and will ease your mind about their fitness. This goes for the rear also, plus both master cylinders.

Dave

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Z Grand
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Re: I Hate Stupidity - Especially When Its My Own

Post by Z Grand »

Dave - I did not pop the piston out, just ran it out by pumping the brake lever. The gunk was only on the bottom portion of the piston. I had the entire brake system completely rebuilt by Tim’s a few years ago, but the bike has only logged maybe 2500 miles since then. I think the main problem with it sticking was with one of the pins not moving freely.

I put a little caliper lube on the piston and spread it around the outside of the exposed part of the piston very thinly. And the majority of what was left seemed to get scraped off when I pushed the piston back in (which I cleaned off with brake cleaner and a rag). Has my stupidity struck again? Do I need to re-clean the piston and coat with brake fluid as Larry suggests?

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Re: I Hate Stupidity - Especially When Its My Own

Post by daves79x »

Vern - You did not contaminate the fluid if you did not remove the piston. Prevent this type of corrosion by diligently changing brake fluid a minimum of every 2 years.

Dave

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Re: I Hate Stupidity - Especially When Its My Own

Post by Z Grand »

Larry and Dave - thanks for the heads-up. I generally do flush the brake fluid periodically, but not on a bi-annual schedule. I’ll try to do better. It has been about 3 years since the brake system rebuild and I haven’t flushed the system. That will now be next on the list. 8)

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Re: I Hate Stupidity - Especially When Its My Own

Post by EMS »

Oh no...just wait, he'll be here soon..... 8)

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