Hi all,

Back home and in a need of a bike fix, so I decided to rebuild the rear brake.

I've learned a few things:

• it is easier to remove the calliper and service it than to stuff around trying to get into restricted
  space even to change pads etc.,
  
• prior to removal, crack all the bolts and nuts you intend to remove … it is easier that way,
  
• loosen the wheel nuts so that you can push the wheel out of the way and remove the calliper. No need to remove it completely.
  
• No need for a whole kit because many things are not required (bolts). in my case just ring seals and small o-rings.
  

So, pulled the calliper out just o find dirty and “wet” pads, evidence of brake fluid leaks



Clearly it all had to come apart. In reality this will not take more than an hour.

The trick is to clean everything. Careful with calliper pistons because they are teflon coated (I
think). The kit comes with all the seals and o rings and 2 replacement bolts. In my case one o-ring was missing. I think that they sent me a wrong kit.

A hunt for an O-ring revealed that it is an imperial size, BS010, BS 610 or BS 803. They are odd sizes and you will need to go to a supplier to get them. The critical dimension is the thickness which is 1/16” or 1.78mm. Maybe a 2mm x 6mm (ID) will work but it may not squeeze.

The o-ring is a seal used for fluid passage between two halves. It is a static compression application so
the thickness is critical. This is a second time I've found that Euro manufacturers use imperial o-rings... I wonder why?

A thorough clean, reassemble complete with new parts did the trick.

Critical tools are long sockets (cheap set is great), torque wrench and anti-seize compound (moly grease).

I now have good brakes.

What was happening that spurred you on to do a rebuild?

Lack of feel? Fluid leak? Boredom?

Aren't the wheelie bins great as a work bench...but don't put a mower up there unless you chock the wheels really well...don't ask!

One of the best ways to clean up brake parts is washing in really hot water as that takes off the brake fluid and allows good cleaning to be done with a brush. As noted by Ned take care of the surfaces they are soft. Once they come out of the water a quick rinse in isopropyl alcohol will remove all traces of water and the residual heat of the calliper will flash off the alcohol leaving it dry and clean.
Regards,
K-BIKE

blakey wrote:What was happening that spurred you on to do a rebuild?

Lack of feel? Fluid leak? Boredom?

Aren't the wheelie bins great as a work bench...but don't put a mower up there unless you chock the wheels really well...don't ask!

A long story, but essentially i didn't have an efficient rear brake. I couldn't get the pedal to have any effect until it was all the way down. Serviced the system including the master cylinder to no avail. Finally I decided that the calliper should come off and that did it.

Motivation : I was paining ... like a teen in love and in a need of distraction. Picture this: a tiny slim girl riding an R6 with everything skin tight went by the bus I was in... my heart skipped a few beats. The killer was that she was wearing knee high 4" stiletto boots over her tight jeans... Just kidding, but the girl on that R6 and her boots was real

I actually enjoyed taking the thing apart. Will do the same with the front callipers as soon as I get those BS-610 O-rings... get this: $1.50 each from CBC bearings !! BSC want $0.25 but 50 is the minimum quantity. NAK want $1.10 through their retail people.

From what I see the seals and dust boots do not wear. I think that one should take the callipers apart first before they consider expensive kits and I will do this each time I change the brake pads.

K-BIKE: One of the best ways to clean up brake parts is washing in really hot
water... quick rinse in isopropyl alcohol will remove all traces of water....
Regards,
K-BIKE

Thanks K-B. Hot water is a good tip. I simply housed it down, but will try hot water next time after a detergent wash to help. The iso-prop alcohol may be hard for folks to get (rubbing alcohol... yes?). I used some old brake fluid I had from previous work (years old). It also removes water efficiently.

Jaycar Electronics (in Australia) sell pump bottles of that isopoopie alcohol stuff for several dollars...200ml for $7.95AU.

Not to mention that miracle liquid called DeoxIT.

Have I mention how good that stuff is?

blakey wrote:Jaycar Electronics (in Australia) sell pump bottles of that isopoopie alcohol stuff for several dollars...200ml for $7.95AU.

Not to mention that miracle liquid called DeoxIT.

Have I mention how good that stuff is?

Hi Niel,

Thanks for that. Iso-Prop is a common thing in hospitals, labs etc but I didn't know about Jaycar. Must visit their store soon. For the poeple ourside Australia Jaycar is a Radio Shack equivalent.

BTW is that DeoxIT really that good? I often like to spray around switches and variable resistors. It is amazing to see how many old radios have a dicky volume control, for example.

Click "here" to go to their website.


The switch on my bike that turns off the indicators was playing up. I had to move the whole "paddle" instead of my usual lazy push on the corner with my thumb. A spray of DeoxIT fixed it.

I've sprayed it into my handlebar switches so I didn't need to pull them apart.

Fixed my stiff and non-working front brake switch.

Magic stuff.

Also, I've found "303 Protectant". Throw away the crappy Armour-All stuff. This has a SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 40. Spray this where you would normally use Amour-All.
Once again, magic.

Ned, very go explanation of the procedure.
I moved the topic to the "tutorial" section

Thanks mate, as they say here

Ned

blakey wrote:What was happening that spurred you on to do a rebuild?

Lack of feel? Fluid leak? Boredom?

Aren't the wheelie bins great as a work bench...but don't put a mower up there unless you chock the wheels really well...don't ask!

Thanks for the tips re: sprays and chemicals.

The picture of you, a lawn mower and a wheelie bin is priceless, well to me and my sense of humour at least:)