Front Caliper Rebuild

[rodeofan5656]

i havent been on in awhile. but the last time i was, i talked about how my front brake is stickin. im pretty sure the caliper needs rebuilt. i got quite the temper and when the bike died on me, i had to push it. well, the front brake was grabbin bad, so i kicked it probly not the best on it, but it opened long enuf to get it to the house.

so im goin to rebuild it myself, but ive never done brakes on a bike before. can someone help me out? are there things i should watch for? any special tools im gonna need?

should i even rebuild it, or does it just need oiled up to stop stickin?

thanks guys!

 

[rodeofan5656]

and one more thing-

im wantin to turn it into a bobber and put apes on it. ive seen alotta guys just take the front brake off. is this alright to do? my dad said you really need the front brake, but ive gotten used to usin the rear more cause the fronts stickin.. thanks again

 

[bcware]

Take the MSF course.

Do not put any oil or oil-based products on your discs; you will ruin your brake pads and you won't be able to stop.

If you plan to never exceed 15 mph go ahead and remove the front brake, otherwise you'd have to be crazy. The front brakes provide most of the stopping power; the rears do very little.

Fix your brakes and stop developing dangerous riding habits. Seriously, using just the rear brake on the street is bad news.

You need to clean or rebuild the seals/pistons; this is described in the manual. Download one. If the front brakes drag you'll build up excessive heat and likely warp the front rotor and wear out your pads.

Stop riding the bike until this is fixed.

 

[jmd_forest]

It is easy. I did it the first time over the winter and no special tools were needed. As well as replace the seals I also polished the brake piston and bore with some 1000 grit wet sanding to remove any and all corrosion that could contribute to sticking. It works great now.

 

[rodeofan5656]

Take the MSF course.

Do not put any oil or oil-based products on your discs; you will ruin your brake pads and you won't be able to stop.

If you plan to never exceed 15 mph go ahead and remove the front brake, otherwise you'd have to be crazy. The front brakes provide most of the stopping power; the rears do very little.

Fix your brakes and stop developing dangerous riding habits. Seriously, using just the rear brake on the street is bad news.

You need to clean or rebuild the seals/pistons; this is described in the manual. Download one. If the front brakes drag you'll build up excessive heat and likely warp the front rotor and wear out your pads.

Stop riding the bike until this is fixed.

come on man, really?? im not stupid, i know not to put oil on the rotor or pads. its the same reason you dont touch the break pads on your car/truck cause the oil from your fingers will keep em from grabbin. i may only be 17, but i know more than 3/4 of the guys in this country (sadly). what i meant was--- can i oil the piston to keep it from stickin. i can fix almost any part on a car or truck or bike, except when it comes to rebuildin carbs or brake calipers..

 

[rodeofan5656]

this is the rebuild kit i found. is this all i need? or what else do i need with it?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAKE-CALIP...100-MID-SPECIAL-1605-/170695522780#vi-content

 

[Josha]

http://www.pbr.com.au/products/replacement/ancillary.shtml

The above link show rubber grease. Strip your caliper, clean the piston and bore. Smear rubber grease on piston, bore and all rubber seals and re-assemble. This is the only stuff I use, cars bikes, anything that uses brake fluid.

 

[bcware]

I don't like making assumptions, but you asked if it was ok to lube your pistons with oil and remove your front brake so I assumed you didn't have any experience with these systems. I'm not trying to be a jerk; I just want you to be safe and take your brakes seriously.

The pistons stick because crap gets in the seals preventing them from moving or because the seals are worn out. Cleaning might work, but you'll likely need to replace the seals and clean the entire assembly. Normally the seal deforms when the the brakes are applied and they return to a neutral shape, pulling the pistons back with them.

I've never used any rubber grease so I have no experience with it; the manuals I have worked with simply recommend washing all parts with brake fluid.

 

[rodeofan5656]

I don't like making assumptions, but you asked if it was ok to lube your pistons with oil and remove your front brake so I assumed you didn't have any experience with these systems. I'm not trying to be a jerk; I just want you to be safe and take your brakes seriously.

The pistons stick because crap gets in the seals preventing them from moving or because the seals are worn out. Cleaning might work, but you'll likely need to replace the seals and clean the entire assembly. Normally the seal deforms when the the brakes are applied and they return to a neutral shape, pulling the pistons back with them.

I've never used any rubber grease so I have no experience with it; the manuals I have worked with simply recommend washing all parts with brake fluid.

the reason i even asked if just rear brakes was ok, is cause ive seen alotta bobbers and stuff without front brakes. they just have the rear drum

 

[bcware]

Some states don't have any inspection, some bikes are just for show, and some people are just plain crazy.

 

[JARichmond]

I'm aware of board trackers using only a rear brake, but it's a massive brake at that. Recall that even in a car, around 70% of the stopping power is done by the front alone because momentum brings the weight off of the rear during hard stops.
On the bright side, by the time you're done with this bike you'll probably have rebuilt the brake calipers and carbs (as we all do). Which means you can do everything

 

[bentwrench]

The actual piston of the front brake is only really lubricated with brake fluid. Clean it with brake cleaner, replace the rubber seals, and use brake fluid as the lubricant as you put it all back together.

I've done it several times on several bikes. I've made some mistakes, but it's pretty easy to spot that something's wrong when you pull the brake lever and nothing happens. Just make sure you experiment in you driveway before hitting the freeway

 

[rodeofan5656]

this isnt gonna be a freeway bike haha. i live in rural southcentral KS and most of the roads around here are county roads. the bike already cruises nice at 55mph, but doesnt like when i get on highway 77 and try to do 65-70 for very long..