It is not a matter of “it’s okay because it’s an older car” or “it’s okay because it’s a new car”, but it is the brake lever that can always be maintained in good condition by “regular cleaning practice” and can be “a pleasant feeling to hold”.Maintaining and inspecting your car from the time it was new can make a big difference in its condition later on and set it apart from other cars.It’s a thing. Let’s take a look at the cleaning of the brake calipers, which we have suggested many times in the maintenance section and will continue to do so in the future.Even on a machine that has been ridden for many years, regular caliper cleaning after a complete overhaul will definitely improve the front brake lever touch.!!
- Promise before removing the caliper body
- You can also use this procedure when you want to change the brake pads.
- Placket pins that wear and rattle due to loss of lubrication
- Contamination of the piston periphery affects brake performance
- Rubber grease applied after cleaning
- The workability is far better with special tools.
- Floating pins are cleaned & greased
Promise before removing the caliper body
When practicing caliper cleaning and maintenance, it is always a good idea to loosen the retaining plugs on the pad pins and then loosen the pin bodies behind them before removing the caliper itself. This is because once the caliper is removed, it is difficult to press down on the body and even the simple cap is difficult to loosen. Always keep in mind the “one step ahead” work procedure during maintenance.
By loosening the plug that prevents the pad pin from releasing (the same role as the lock nut) and the pad pin, and then removing the caliper itself, the components can be disassembled smoothly even after the caliper is in one piece. Since the bike was just registered as new, the damage was minimal, but the dirt on the exposed area around the caliper piston was still evident. This kind of dirt buildup is the cause of damage to the caliper piston seals.
You can also use this procedure when you want to change the brake pads.
The brake pads can be easily removed by pulling out the pad pins that are positioning the brake pads. If it is tensioned by the spring plate, the pin can be easily pulled out by lightly pressing the pad from the other side of the plate. Since there was enough pad remaining, it was reused, but there were burrs standing on the outer circumference of the pad. When you restore it, you should use a file to remove this burr.
Placket pins that wear and rattle due to loss of lubrication
The two pins that are tightened and fixed to the caliper bracket allow the caliper body to be mounted floating at right angles to the rotor. If the lubrication of these pins is degraded, the caliper will not work properly, causing the pads and rotor to drag.
Contamination of the piston periphery affects brake performance
With the brake hoses connected to the caliper body in the free position, slowly operate the brake lever. The free piston without brake pads will gradually come out of the caliper, probably only one of the two pistons will be pushed out, so press down on the first piston with your fingertips and the other piston will be exposed. When you see the shine that was hidden inside the body, stop exposing the piston and polish the piston. If you have trouble removing the dirt, use the caliper piston tool to rotate the piston and clean the back side as well.
Using a discarded toothbrush or small work brush, brush the dirt off the piston perimeter in a dry environment without applying any chemicals. Once you have removed most of the dirt with a dry brush, use a parts cleaner to wash off the dirt. Finally, blow the dirt off with an air blower. If you can’t remove the dirt with a brush, you can use a non-woven sheet (Scotch-Brite, etc.).
Rubber grease applied after cleaning
After removing the sand and dust contamination, wash it off with brake cleaner and blow air. Apply a small amount of rubber grease to the exposed piston area with your fingertips. If too much is applied, it may attract dust. After applying the rubber grease, the pistons should work great. Apply a thin layer of rubber grease to the entire circumference of the piston. Wipe off the rubber grease with a clean rag.
The workability is far better with special tools.
With a good piston, you can push the piston back into the caliper cylinder with just the tip of your finger. However, if the piston diameter is too large, or if it sticks out too far, it may not be possible to push the piston back into the caliper cylinder. In any case, if the piston is pushed out too far, it will come off and the brake fluid will flow out completely. If this happens, it is the worst ……. It needs to be cleaned and restored properly, and the brake fluid needs to be aired out.
Floating pins are cleaned & greased
The floating pin receives the braking force directly and is subjected to pressure beyond imagination. Use a cotton swab to remove the old grease from inside the pin hole. After that, clean the inside of the pin with parts cleaner and apply Superzoil grease to the two pins and the hole on the receiving side.
Before restoring the caliper to the bottom case, be sure to lift the front wheel to check that the wheel rotates smoothly and that there is no rim runout. Off-road vehicles running on rough roads or forest roads often fall down, so the rim is often distorted without noticing. If the distortion is slight, it is possible to correct the runout of the spoked wheel with the tire mounted.
- Point 1・Caliper cleaning on a regular basis and after driving in the rain is effective and especially recommended to maintain performance.
- Point 2 – When cleaning the outer circumference of the piston, be careful not to let the piston out too far. As a rule of thumb, it should be at least 1.5 times the length of the piston./Let’s leave four in the body.
- Point 3 – Wipe off the dirty grease thoroughly, then wash it off and apply new high performance grease!
When cleaning and maintaining the area around the brake caliper, one thing to keep in mind on a daily basis is the operation of the caliper piston and floating pin. Especially in the case of off-road bikes, riding on forest roads, dirt roads, and sometimes crossing riverbanks, the grease around the calipers can become extremely dirty or washed out, and almost dry.!?There are times when this is the case. That is why regular inspection and maintenance is so important. It is right to do maintenance because you went touring, but “maintenance because you go out touring!!It’s also good to keep in mind positive ideas like, “I’m not going to do it. Of course, it is best to take care of both before and after.
The work done here is to check the operation of the brake piston and grease it. The floating pins that support the calipers need to be checked for wear and greased. If the pistons are dirty or otherwise inoperable, braking performance will be compromised and the piston response to brake lever input will be poor. If the floating pin is not working properly, it can cause the pads to drag, which in turn can cause the rotor to distort due to the heat, making it impossible to brake properly, and in some cases, even causing the brakes to lock up.
The basic principle of brake maintenance is above all “cleaning” on a daily basis. Regardless of whether you drive on-road or off-road, the grease that is the key to lubrication is often washed away after driving in the rain. In addition, dust and gravel often accumulate around the caliper, so without disassembling the caliper or removing it from the bottom case, use a brush with a long, thin handle to clean the caliper area with hot water mixed with neutral detergent. This is the only way to get a great effect. After cleaning, apply high performance grease in key areas to increase lubrication and maintain condition at a high level.
Single piston brake calipers, which are common in commercial vehicles, have two floating pins that support the caliper body. These floating pins take up all of the braking pressure applied to the caliper during braking. In other words, if these pins were to bite and become rigid with the caliper body, braking performance would not only deteriorate, but in the worst case scenario, the caliper would no longer function as a brake. For the floating pins where the metal rubs against each other, it is advisable to use a high performance grease with excellent extreme pressure performance and keep them in good condition on a regular basis.